Snow commenced falling Christmas night and this morning there is eight or ten inches of snow on the level.  Sleigh bells are jingling, and ruddy cheeks and bright eyes are seen everywhere.  (Reported in the Independent Republican, Montrose, December 26, 1913.)     MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

Forest City – St. Michael’s congregation, composed of Slavish people, are negotiating for the Baptist church on Delaware street.  The price agreed on is $4,500.  Collections are being made by Father F. A. Cherney and E. Polesnak, who are meeting with good success.  St. Michael’s society has pledged $500 if the deal goes through and other societies will likewise make liberal donations.

Honesdale/Montrose – Several loads of Christmas trees arrived in Honesdale Tuesday and Wednesday.  Prices vary with sizes and quality, from 35 cents up.  A medium size tree costs 75 cents. Enterprising young men were selling trees in Montrose from 25 cents to 50 cents.

Montrose – The Tarbell House is under new management.  D. J. Donovan, lately of Hotel Haire, Lawton, took over the business of the Tarbell House, Monday, the license having been transferred to him from B. C. Horton, that morning.  The new proprietor is a gentleman of wide experience in the hotel business and will endeavor to make the Tarbell house one of the best hotels in the county.  John Benton, who was with Mr. Donovan, at Lawton, and whose genial ways have made him a host of friends, comes here and will assist Clerk John Corbett.

Susquehanna – I see that B. F. Pride, the veteran journalist, is making his home in Scranton these days.  Mr. Pride, who was formerly editor of the Susquehanna Journal, was among the best known newspaper men in Northeastern Pennsylvania 30 or 40 years ago.  At that time Susquehanna supported two weekly papers, and Editor Pride was a rival of the late C. E. Whitney, of the Transcript, who was the original bear story correspondent of this section of the state. At that time there was not much for the Susquehanna editors to do to create interest in their columns but bang each other.  Pride and Whitney used to keep hot soot in the air the most of the time and Editor Pride often had tilts with Hon. E. B. Hawley, who published the Montrose Democrat.  When a man by the name of Clarke purchased the Susquehanna Transcript, about 25 years ago, and transformed it into a daily, Mr. Pride sold out and went West, I understand.  Mr. Pride wears a sombrero and today looks like the ideal frontier editor.  But although he has not been engaged in newspaper work in this region for many years, I presume that no man has a better knowledge of the political situation in Northeastern Pennsylvania than the former editor of the bright and aggressive Susquehanna Journal.

Pittston, PA – Fire, of unknown origin, destroyed the high school here at an early hour Sunday morning.  Twenty-six teachers and nearly 1000 pupils are without a school home.  The loss is estimated at $100,000, with an insurance of $50,000.  There had just been completed the last of several annexes.  The building was about 200 ft. long, 75 ft. wide and contained 21 rooms.

West Clifford – The creamery at West Clifford has closed for the season.  Arthur Cook, the operator, has taken a position with the Carbondale Milling company. 

New Milford – Mrs. Amos B. Kent, aged 87 years, died at her home in New Milford Friday, Dec. 19, 1913, after several months of declining health, her death being due to paralysis.  Her death occurred exactly two weeks following that of her husband.  Mrs. Kent’s maiden name was Mary Steward, daughter of Buckingham Stewart, one of the early settlers of Rush.  In her younger womanhood she taught school and was a woman of unusual intellectual attainment and strength of character.  Feb. 18, last, Mr. and Mrs. Kent celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary, they having resided in New Milford for over a half century.

Lawton – Henry W. Terry, who is a veteran of the Civil War, related he was one of a party of 18 who went to the front, going in a four horse sleigh from Montrose to Montrose Depot (Alford) through deep snowdrifts.  The late Ashmun Birchard was the driver and the sleigh was overturned throwing all out and frightening the horses into a run, but the nervy driver managed to bring them under control.  After the first battle, Mr. Terry said he had all the fighting he cared for and would gladly have quit if there was any chance of doing it honorably.  At Chancellorsville he received a wound from which he has never entirely recovered, a bullet passing through his body near the spine.  On this battlefield Mr. Terry and his comrade, Edward Granger, of Rush, counted the marks of 26 bullets in a sapling the size of a man’s wrist, showing the terrible fire to which the soldiers were subjected.  Mr. Terry is modest in his statements, but members of his regiment say he was one of the most steadfast and dauntless veterans from Rush, and that town sent out 102. [H. W. Terry served in Co. A, Fifty-Seventh Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers. He mustered in Feb. 25, 1862.]

Brandt – One of the fearless hunters of Brandt, while shooting at a rabbit the other day, shot three holes in a second story window of one of his neighbor’s houses, which house was located about a rod distant from said rabbit and at right angles to said rabbit.

Springville – In the death of Philander Strickland, on Friday, this town lost one of its oldest and most respected citizens.  He was nearing 90 years and leaves one brother, Theron Strickland, who is also in poor health and the last of a family of eleven.

Herrick Center/Uniondale – Arthur Corey, of this place, and Miss Nellie Todd, of Uniondale, were married Wednesday evening, Dec. 17, at the M. E. parsonage, at Uniondale, by Rev. Geo V. McAlister.  Their many friends extend congratulations.

News Brief: Those who hawk and spit upon the pavement, in a public building, in a store or even in church—God’s house, seem to forget that it is a filthy and pernicious habit—something they would shrink from doing within home walls.  It is disgusting to others nearby.  It spreads germs.  Cards of warning against it should be tacked up in public places, stores and in church vestibules.

A friend stopped and asked me about the news reports on a sentencing in Texas of a 16-year old drunk driver who killed 4 people in a traffic accident. I had heard about the case, but I have to admit that I did not follow it. As I have stated in previous columns, media reports on criminal cases tends to be lacking – you never quite get the whole picture – but you do get the most sensational parts that make it “newsworthy.” Further, the legal framework for a sentencing proceeding never translates well – people are generally not concerned about the legal nuts and bolts of the machine, only what it produces.

After my friend asked me about it, I pulled several media reports of the story – and it was a terrible and heart-breaking case. Ethan Couch, a 16-year old, was driving his father’s pickup truck (with 7 passengers) while he was intoxicated – his BAC level was .24%, three times the legal limit for an adult, and 12 times the legal limit for a person under 21 under Pennsylvania law. There was also THC (marijuana) and valium in his system. Despite pleas from occupants in his vehicle to slow down, he actually went faster and reached the speed of 70 mph in a 40 mph zone. Given the speed, alcohol and other intoxicants, it is not a surprise that he lost control – and the results were horrific 4 deaths and 2 people seriously injured. Couch ended up pleading guilty to 4 counts of “intoxicated manslaughter” and 2 counts of “intoxicated assault,” and ended up getting 10 years of probation, and was ordered to attend an intensive inpatient treatment program that costs $450,000 per year, which Couch’s parents agreed to pay.

The part of the case that is very peculiar was a defense strategy of calling a psychologist to testify that Coach’s “life could be salvaged with one to two years treatment and no contact with his parents.” The psychologist opined that Couch was suffering from “affluenza,” a mental health condition produced by Couch’s parents giving Couch whatever he wanted. In other words, Couch was spoiled – and that has now become a mitigating mental health condition in the defense world. The absurdity of this defense, coupled with the gravity of the case and the leniency of the sentence, has prompted the national outcry for justice.

The media reports that I located did not explain whether or not Couch was being treated as a juvenile offender or an adult offender – or if Texas even differentiates between the two types of offenders. I did find a reference to the judge as being a “juvenile court judge” and another reference to the matter proceeding in “juvenile court.” On the other hand, the prosecutors were arguing for a 20-year sentence, so the news reports were a little confusing and never really explained what options the sentencing judge had available under Texas law. Thus, the news reports make it seem like some kind of hybrid between the juvenile and adult systems – and the judge opted to proceed under the juvenile system through a treatment program and rehabilitation.

While I cannot explain how or why the Texas judge determined that this was an appropriate sentence, I can give you a nutshell idea of how Pennsylvania would have handled this case. Involuntary manslaughter or Homicide by Motor Vehicle While DUI are not excluded from the definitions of delinquent acts under the Juvenile Act. In other words, this case would have proceeded under the Juvenile Act in Pennsylvania unless the Commonwealth moved to have the matter transferred to the adult side of the criminal court. In order to support a transfer to the adult side of the court, the offense would have to constitute a felony offense. Involuntary manslaughter is a misdemeanor offense, so it could not be transferred to the adult court. Homicide by Motor Vehicle While DUI is felony offense and potentially could be transferred from the juvenile system to the adult system.

In order to support the transfer to an adult criminal proceeding, the Juvenile Court has to determine that the “public interest” would be served by moving the matter from the juvenile proceedings. There are seven factors that a Court must consider in making this determination: victim impact, community impact, threat posed by the child, nature of the offense, child’s culpability, and the specific nature of the child himself, i.e., age, mental capacity, maturity, criminal sophistication, previous record, and whether the juvenile system can still rehabilitate the child. These “certification” hearings generally come down to the last factor – whether the juvenile system can rehabilitate the offender – and the Juvenile Court generally does not give up on a child until there is no reasonable prospect of rehabilitation.

In reading the news reports on this horrific case, it seems that the Texas juvenile judge determined that there was the ability to rehabilitate the 16-year old through extended treatment and apparently no contact with the overly generous parents. The public outrage is understandable - and I share in the feelings of injustice in the face of such a terrible slaughter of 4 innocent people and the shattered lives of the injured. As a society, however, we have made a decision to treat juvenile offenders differently – and there will be moments when that ideal conflicts with our personal views on responsibility, culpability and justice.

Please submit any questions, concerns, or comments to Susquehanna County District Attorney’s Office, P.O. Box 218, Montrose, Pennsylvania 18801 or at our website www.SusquehannaCounty-DA.org or discuss this and all articles at http://dadesk.blogspot.com/.

“Happy, happy Christmas, that can win us back to the delusions of our childish days; that can recall to the old man the pleasures of his youth; that can transport the sailor and the traveller, thousands of miles away, back to his own fire-side and his quiet home!” ~Charles Dickens, The Pickwick Papers, 1836

Merry Christmas Everyone! You will find, within this column, yuletide greetings from our County’s Library System.

The Susquehanna Branch staff would like to wish a Merry Christmas to all our patrons! Thank you for making 2013 a great year. We are so appreciative of your support, whether through financial help, volunteer time, or simply being a smiling face coming through our door every week or two! We would especially like to thank “The Friends of Susquehanna County” for their extremely generous donations to our Branch, which enable us to serve our community above and beyond what our budget allows. We are thankful to work in a community that supports its library and we look forward to continuing to serve you in 2014. ~ Laura, Pam. Elizabeth and Deb.

Merry Christmas, many thanks and best wishes for continued success in the New Year to Author/Illustrator Lee Harper for the wonderful presentations he recently gave throughout the County (The Montrose Main Library, Susquehanna Library Branch, and due to space, the Blue Ridge Elementary School, instead of the Hallstead/Great Bend Branch Library.) Not only did he don his turkey head hat and read to the throngs of children present, but he also explained where he gets his ideas and inspiration from and had some who were present try their hand at illustration. Each child was given an autographed copy of one of the books written by Wendi Silvano and illustrated by Mr. Harper —“Turkey Trouble” or “Turkey Claus”, wonderful additions to any child’s home Library. We also send greetings of the season and thank-yous to the Cabot Oil & Gas Corp, Pump-N-Pantry and Resource Environmental Management, Inc. who were instrumental in the event and book distribution.

Author/Illustrator Lee Harper entertains at the Susquehanna Branch Library

The Montrose location of the Susquehanna County Historical Society & Free Library Association would like to wish our patrons a Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday! We offer our sincerest thanks to all those who have supported us this year with their patronage, their donations, their volunteer service, and attendance at our events. Without you, we wouldn't be here!

 We wish to send Happy Holiday greetings, a world of thanks and best wishes for continued success in 2014 and beyond, to Author Eric Herbert. Eric recently had a book-signing in his old hometown at the Susquehanna Branch Library and generously donated two copies of his book for Library patrons to read and enjoy.

Former Susquehanna Native/Author Eric Herbert autographs copies of his book, “Butcher’s Bill” at the Susquehanna Branch Library

The Hallstead/Great Bend Branch Library would like to wish all of their patrons the merriest of Christmases and thank them for their continuing support. We would also like to remember everyone who helps us with our programs during the year—there are too many to name here,but your help is invaluable and you are appreciated beyond words. Two special shout-outs—one to Trudy and Dale Henry for their generosity, kindness and support by sponsoring the Golf Tournaments for so many years, and a gigantic thank-you to “The Friends of Susquehanna County” for their generous donation, both of which will help us purchase items that would otherwise not be possible due to State budget cuts. Angie. Valerie and Jackie

 As your “Dog-eared, tattered cover columnist, I feel privileged to be able to bring you news and views from your local Library Branches. I want to wish all of the Library Staffs a very Merry Christmas and I look forward to working with you all in the New Year. A special Holiday Ho-Ho-Ho to the staff of the County Transcript for their generosity and support in printing almost 40 Chit-Chat columns to date. I feel it is important for the public to know how much your local Library Branch has to offer, and you have helped me achieve that goal. A special Yuletide Greeting to all who have expressed how much they enjoy my column—you have given me a gift that needs no wrapping and made my “Job” that much more pleasurable. A special Holiday shout-out “ to Kensington Publishing and to Author Sebastian Cole for their generous donations of books for countless patrons to enjoy. May the New Year be bright and beautiful for you all!

Don’t forget to find us on “Facebook”: (Susquehanna County Library) and look us up on “Pinterest” for lots of interesting nooks and crannies to explore and now, if you “Tweet”, follow us on Twitter (@susqcolib) to check out event information, local scoops and much more.

As I prepare to shovel the doorstep one more time, I leave you with this thought:

“May Peace be your gift at Christmas and your blessing all year through!” ~Author Unknown

 Peace---Joy---Love

Merry Christmas!