Liquor Licenses – Considerable interest was shown in the session of license court which opened before Judge Little. Many witnesses were heard on the contesting sides. The license of the Tarbell House, Montrose, was granted, the district attorney having withdrawn his objections as the building was being improved. The application of Arthur Small, of Lawsville, was withdrawn. Licenses in the Thompson and Uniondale hotels were refused. A license was granted Ernest Gelatt, petitioner for the Dundaff House. In the Forest City cases the judge heard the evidence but withheld his decisions. These are the applications for wholesale licenses of Louis Gardella, Joseph Nick, F. A. Burdick, Samuel Simlovia, Charles Zaller and William Mileskay. Considerable amusing testimony was brought out from some of the witnesses. John Eicholzer said they were paying too much for beer. E. O. Evans said he would like to see all of the petitions granted but admitted that had never heard of anyone going dry in Forest City. The opposition brought out the point that the town’s nine hotels well cared for the traveling public. John Keeler testified that since the wholesale licenses had been revoked the consumption of liquor had decreased. Only the day previous, fifty men had signed pledges. John D. Miller, in arguing against wholesale liquor licenses, urged consideration of the decrease in court cases coming from Forest City since the number of licenses had been decreased. Public opinion favors the suppression of the traffic, while education, railroads and churches oppose it, agreeing that it is man’s worst enemy. Their tendency is to pull men down. In the Uniondale remonstrance it was brought out that the traveling public was well cared for at the boarding house of Mrs. Tingley and that the people of the town were generally opposed to a license.
Montrose – A branch of the well known Woolworth 5 and 10 cent store is to be located here, occupying the corner store which M. S. Cohen is vacating in his block. He is closing out all his goods in the corner store. Also Crowds still continue to visit the Cnic [theater] and the proprietor, Walter G. Castle, is still receiving compliments on the needed improvements made. The other day, about one o’clock, he was called from his home to give a picture show to a big sleighride party which dropped in from a neighboring town and dined at the Subway Lunch.
Hallstead – Stephen Tingley, a prominent resident, died quite suddenly Monday. He was 70 years of age and for many years was a conductor on the Lackawanna railroad. He also conducted stores at Lawsville and Hallstead for some years.
Brooklyn – Some of the musicians of the town met at the home of Mrs. Dr. Williams, last Saturday afternoon and organized a musical club, which will meet once a month for study and improvement along musical lines.
Prospect Hill, Jessup Twp. – Misses Leah and Mildred Stockholm entertained a sleighing party from Rush last Thursday evening. Those present were Mabel Hillis, Agnes Brotzman, Amy Hughes, Mary McDonough, Anna Mosley, Bernice Ainey and Carlton Birchard, John McGovern, Roland and Russell Dayton, Harry Graham, Byron Gary, Hugh James, and Ralph Bunnell. Plenty of snow and plenty of snowdrifts.
Elk Lake – Leon Justin will conduct a blacksmith shop on the Hosford property in the near future.
New Milford – Jesse Payne, of the township, was here on business Monday. Mr. Payne is in his 95th year and says that he still enjoys cutting a cord of wood a day just for exercise.
Brooklyn/Hopbottom – The Scranton & Binghamton Railway has secured options on the right of way between Brooklyn and Hopbottom, with the agreement that work will begin by July 1, 1914. The Brooklyn depot will be located south of the M. E. church, on lands of E. S. Eldridge.
Auburn Center – Mr. and Mrs. Geo. Tewksbury quietly celebrated their 54th wedding anniversary at their home here, Jan. 1, 1914, and is the same house in which they were married. Their son, Dana, and three grandchildren, spent the day with them. There are only two living that attended the wedding—Mrs. Samantha Linaberry, of Deposit, who was bridesmaid, and Mrs. Mariah Young Bowman, of Meshoppen.
Snow/Ice – Heavy snows of late have made the sleighing excellent. Ice cutters are busy on lake and pond and the work of filling ice houses is going forward rapidly. Many individual ice houses are also being filled. The ice is over a foot in thickness, but considerable slush ice in the formation does not give it the crystalline appearance desired, although it is said to be as good for refrigerating purposes, keeping equally well.
Lakeview – Mr. and Mrs. Fred S. Benson attended the funeral of their sister, Mrs. Carl Young, at Lestershire, on Wednesday.
Hopbottom – The young ladies’ basket ball teams played an interesting game on Saturday evening last, the score being in favor of the Stars against the high school team.
Brookdale, Liberty Twp. – James Hinchman, of this place, and Mrs. Minnie Coy, of Conklin, were married at Chenango Forks on Wednesday evening of last week. Twenty-four of their friends witnessed the ceremony. Hearty congratulations are extended for a long and happy married life.
Jackson – School notes of Maple Ridge school, Jackson Township, for the month ending Jan. 9, 1914. The following pupils passed mid term examinations: Esther Quick, Lloyd Blaisdell, Ruth Hall, Nellie Hall, Carl Decker and Robert Washburn. The following pupils were present every day during the month: Raymond Wilcox, Lloyd Blaisdell, Jay Decker, Carl Decker, Ruth Hall, Nellie Hall and Esther Quick.
Susquehanna – Thomas Sullivan, ,employed as janitor at the Canawacta Hotel, accidentally fell through the air shaft to the ground floor, about 25 feet, and received an ugly gash on his head. He was rendered unconscious and is at the hospital, where he died Tuesday.
Lenoxville – Several of the dairymen in this vicinity are said to be hard hit by the failing of the “Metropolitan Dairy Company,” at Nicholson.
Choconut – People are improving the sleighing by drawing logs to stock the mill which is soon to be placed on the site of the Chamberlin mill, which ran for many years.
News Brief: “Thrift Day” in the public schools of the United States is proposed by the American Society for Thrift and has been received with much interest. Thrift means more than the mere saving of money—it means increasing the usefulness of one’s possessions and assisting the young folks of the land to learn the full value of thrift is a worthy aim. False ideas of wealth have ruined many men and women. Let all our boys and girls start out with right ideas.
Back in November, a friend gave me a copy of a newspaper article discussing a movement in Belgium that would allow euthanasia for children. Belgium already allows adults to euthanize themselves – along with the Netherlands, Luxembourg. Euthanasia involves a situation where the physician actually administers life-ending medication to the patient – the same way that veterinarians here in the United States euthanize our pets. Based upon the report, Switzerland allows physicians to assist in a patient’s suicide, but the physician cannot be the person who actually kills the patient. In our country, Oregon is the only state that allows for assisted suicide, but the person needs to be over 18 years of age and have a terminal illness.
The AP reported that the Netherlands allows for the euthanasia of children over 12 years of age provided there is parental consent. The report indicated there have to be “special circumstances” to permit such an act, but it did not list those special circumstances. The reporter, Maria Cheng, also cryptically stated that there is an “understanding” that physicians are permitted to euthanize certain infants without fear of prosecution, but there is no indication as to what the standard applies to the decision to kill an infant.
Under Section 2505 of the Pennsylvania Crimes Code, it is a criminal homicide for a person to cause “another person to commit suicide only if he intentionally causes such suicide by force, duress or deception.” In other words, you cannot force another person to commit suicide against their will. If you do, you are just as guilty as if you had killed that person yourself.
In terms of aiding another person to commit suicide, the Crimes Code provides as follows: “A person who intentionally aids or solicits another to commit suicide is guilty of a felony of the second degree if his conduct causes such suicide or an attempted suicide, and otherwise of misdemeanor of the second degree.” The wording of the statute is interesting as to the “causation” requirement. There are not any real reported cases involving the interpretation of this statute. Where do you draw the line for that causation requirement that creates the differentiation between a felony and a misdemeanor?
The statute itself was not enacted prior to 1972 – and it was based upon a model penal code that most states used to draft their criminal statutes. There is one reported county case that determined there is no “all-encompassing right to die” in Pennsylvania. As a result, the court determined that the statute was constitutional, i.e., you do not have a constitutional right to assist another person to kill themselves.
The actual act of killing another person with the specific intent to kill that person is a criminal homicide – not simply the act of aiding another in committing suicide (like Oregon permits). As a matter of public policy, euthanasia of human beings is not permitted in Pennsylvania – nor is the act of assisting another person to commit suicide permitted. It is chilling to think that there are countries considering legislation that would allow euthanasia of children. The AP report quoted Charles Foster, who teaches medical ethics at Oxford, as follows: “It often happens that when people get into the circumstances they so feared earlier, they manage to cling on all the more. Children, like everyone else, may not be able to anticipate how much they will value their lives if they were not killed.” Well said.
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/.
“Are ye the ghosts of fallen leaves, O flakes of snow, For which, through naked trees, the winds A-mourning go?” ― John B. Tabb
Did your household receive a puppy or kitten from Santa this past Christmas? And you’re not sure when it should have its first visit to the Vet among other mysteries? Not to worry, for your local Branch Library has several books jam-packed with all sorts of information that will put the new pet owner at ease. Topics like diet, precautions with young animals, ages for spaying, neutering, recommended vaccinations and so much more will quell your fears and help you enjoy your new “member of the family” even more. Some titles include: “Dogs” by Pam Jameson, “Puppy” by Mark Evans, “Senior Cats” by Sheila Webster Boneham, “Kittens” also authored by Mark Evans, “Puppy Training and Care” by Tracy Libby, “Cats” by Kelli Wilkins, and many more just waiting to be borrowed. Your local Library Branch also has wonderful volumes about Tropical Fish, Gerbils, Parakeets, Hamsters and Rabbits as well. Why not stop by and check them out?
The Susquehanna Branch Book Club met on January 16th to discuss this month’s selection,”A Long Way From Home: Growing Up In the American Heartland” by Tom Brokaw—a touching memoir spanning his parents’ experiences in the 1930’s, his boyhood, growing up along the Missouri River and on the prairies of South Dakota in the 1940’s and his early career in journalism in the 1950’s and 1960’s and beyond. If you were unable to join in this month’s discussion, the book is still available through the Library. Perhaps you have considered joining the book club—if so, please stop by and speak with Laura, Pam, Elizabeth or Deb and they’ll be happy to sign you up. February’s selection will be “The Storyteller” by Jodi Picoult and will be discussed on February 20th, commencing at 4:00 pm. Hope to see you there! “
As you will recall, from the last column, a favorite Children’s Fiction Bo0k Character (conceived by the late Jeff Brown), “Flat Stanley”, turns 50 this month. It just so happens that he has been spotted around Susquehanna County. If you don’t recall the story, here is a synopsis: Stanley Lambchop and his younger brother Arthur are given a huge bulletin board by their father so they could display pictures and posters. Dad hangs it on the wall over Stanley's bed. During the night the board falls from the wall, flattening Stanley in his sleep. He survives and makes the best of his altered state, and soon he is entering locked rooms by sliding under doors, and playing with his younger brother by being used as a kite. One special advantage is that “Flat Stanley” can now visit his friends by being mailed in an envelope. Stanley was even clever enough to help catch some art museum thieves by posing as a painting on the wall! Eventually, Stanley gets tired of being flat and Arthur changes him back to his proper shape with the use of a bicycle pump.
Always ready for an adventure, “Flat Stanley” accompanies Susquehanna County Commissioner Alan Hall to the County Courthouse in Montrose
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.
I curl up with another cozy mystery, I leave you with this thought: “Lives are snowflakes - unique in detail, forming patterns we have seen before, but as like one another as peas in a pod (and have you ever looked at peas in a pod? I mean, really looked at them? There's not a chance you'd mistake one for another, after a minute's close inspection” ― Neil Gaiman, American Gods
Chickadees—Hot Chocolate—Ice Skating
ENJOY!!
