Susquehanna/Oakland – Thomas Kane, aged 91 years, died at his home in Oakland, on Friday, Nov. 12, 1915, after a brief illness. The funeral was held Monday morning from St. John’s church, in Susquehanna, Rev. P. F. Brodrick officiating. Born in Ireland and coming here as a young boy, he was one of the oldest residents in that vicinity and was held in high esteem. One daughter and six sons survive: Mrs. J. H. O’Connell, of Corning, N. Y.; Thomas and Wm. D., of Susquehanna; Martin, of Jacksonville, Fla., John, of Bradford, Pa.; James, of Toledo, O.; and Frank, of Ashland, O.

Harford – Seven soldiers of the American Revolution sleep in graves in the Harford cemetery, namely, Capt. Caleb Richardson, Caleb Richardson, Jr., Nathaniel Jeffers, John Thacher, Abel Rice, Thomas and Hosea Tiffany. On Sunday afternoon Attorney H. A. Denney took a number of the local chapter of the Daughters of the [American] Revolution to Harford in his car, the party consisting of Mrs. Denney, Mrs. J. L. Kent, Mrs. R. L. Bush, and Miss Amelia Pickett, and markers were placed at the graves of each.

Franklin Forks – A Thanksgiving social will be held in Alliance hall, Friday night, Nov. 26, for the benefit of Salt Springs and Franklin Forks schools. All are invited. Ladies are requested to bring salads, sandwiches, or cakes, toward the supper. Price ten cents. Also a flag pole nearly 50 ft. in height was erected on the Franklin Forks school grounds last Friday. A program was given by the children.

Herrick Center – Herrick residents have again demonstrated a commendable public spirit. “Good Roads Day” has been celebrated by a “bee” lasting nine days. A force of about 20 men, with teams, wagons, stone crusher and tractor, have been engaged in building a stone road through the main street of the village since Tuesday, Nov. 9. Every day the women of the community assemble at the schoolhouse and serve dinner for the men. This work is a much needed improvement to the town and is arousing widespread enthusiasm and praise. The people have been justly proud of their fine school building, the best in any town of its size in the county, and now it is approached by a road which will no longer alternate between mud and dust.

Uniondale – Rev. Thomas Guy, of Wilkes-Barre, has accepted a call to the pastorate of the First Presbyterian church of this place.

New Milford – W. E. Carpenter, proprietor of the old Phinney House, has leased the Jay House and will take possession the first of February.

Hop Bottom – A game dinner will be served in the Universalist church Thanksgiving Day. A hunting party has been organized and the hunters have agreed to donate the results of their trip to this dinner. A sale of fancy articles, baked stuffs, etc., will be held. Also The Ladies Aid of the Foster [Hop Bottom] M. E. church will serve, in Loomis hall, a regular old-fashioned Thanksgiving family dinner, Nov. 25, consisting of chicken pie and all delicacies of the season.

Brooklyn – A case of unusual interest is that of a Brooklyn man charged with Desertion. According to the evidence, this is a peculiar condition for the persons concerned. The wife, in her testimony, said she left her home which was in the house with her husband’s parents, but separate apartments, because her husband and his people were unkind to her.

She went to her fathers and her husband has not supported her since she left last spring. The husband testified that she said she could not live with his people and he had separate rooms, just as she desired, that he came prepared to take her back if she would go with him now, but he had rented the farm and other business matters made it impossible for him to support her away. It was brought out that the real secret of the trouble was caused by church differences.

Springville – We predict that next Saturday will be a lively day here for it is the last day of the baby show at Lee Brother’s store, and all the competing babies will be present with their mothers that afternoon. While a babe in the house is said to be a well-spring of pleasure, a score of more, all in one store, should be—you will have to go and see the babies—they will entertain you. There will be special music at the Lee Store—other than by the babies.

Forest City – Patrick Sheridan and Arthur Brain, two youthful nimrods of this place, while out hunting on Monday morning saw a deer just east of the ledge of rocks at Stillwater. The boys are sure that the animal was a young doe. [Unlike today, deer were extremely rare100 years ago.]

Fair Hill, Jessup Twp. – The first snow of the season, November 15.

Montrose – At the C-Nic Theatre, Nov. 19th, Wm. Fox presents a beautiful five-act drama, “Life’s Shop Window,” from the famous novel and play by Victoria Cross, featuring Caine Whitney and Stewart Holmes. This delicate but truthful visualization of the novel and play was the talk of two continents—a story of a clandestine marriage that almost resulted in disaster. One hundred thousand people saw “Life’s Shop Window” in one day in ten New York theatres. It is the biggest popular hit of the year.

The Trial for the Murder of Jackson Pepper – The Jury Out. On Friday, Nov. 18th, the jury went out. Albert Hillborn, of Oakland, was foreman. That evening they took a ballot, simply as to “guilty” or “not guilty,” and all voted guilty. No attempt was made that night to decide on the degree. Next morning, after breakfast, they balloted as to degree, resulting—for first degree 8, for second degree 4. After some general talk, it was proposed by a Great Bend juror, that they pray over the matter, which was done. Afterwards another ballot was taken, showing 11 to 1 in favor of first degree; but the one juror explained he had voted that way through error in making his mind up, another was taken, resulting in 12 for murder in the first degree. The jury then filed into court and when Prothonotary Manzer asked them if they had agreed on a verdict, replied that they had, and it was announced as murder in the first degree. The defendant took the matter coolly, while his wife broke out into suppressed sobs. Later at the jail he seemed to realize his awful situation more fully and partly gave way, and afterwards when his brother and wife had took their departure at noon, still more so. But afterwards his wonderful nerve asserted itself and he seemed much as before. But on Tuesday he had a day of depression. Shew on Trial. In the case of the Commonwealth vs Shew the defendant was unable to secure the service of an attorney and the court, at the last term, appointed Geo. F. Little and B. O. Camp to defend him, and the trail was begun on Monday, Nov. 21st. The following twelve good men and true were sworn in as jury: William H. Kerr, Springville, farmer; E. M. Tingley, Harford, farmer; Ziba N. Smith, Springville, Farmer; Asa Wilmarth, Lathrop, farmer; Charles Bookstaver, Jackson, blacksmith; Daniel Sheldon, Auburn farmer; Chas. Culver, New Milford, laborer; Henry Decker, Lathrop, farmer; George H. Carpenter, Uniondale, farmer; Alfred H. Jones, Bridgewater farmer; Clarence Southworth, Liberty, farmer; Mark Williams, Bridgewater, farmer. The list of Commonwealth witnesses in this case and their evidence is substantially the same as in the case of James Eagan-Smith. Susie Graham Arrested. A flurry of excitement was occasioned Monday, by the arrest of Susie Graham, who had been prominent in the case. She was formerly a resident of Rush, but afterwards lived with Eagan at Binghamton and Susquehanna. She knew that Jackson Pepper kept money in his house and in Eagan’s confession he said she laid the plans of the robbery, which he and Shew journeyed from Susquehanna to Rush to perpetrate and which ended in the murder of Mr. Pepper. There has been considerable pubic feeling against her. She attended court all of last week as a spectator, remained in town over Sunday, and her arrest, charged with conspiracy to rob, followed on Monday. It will be remembered that the first definite clews pointing towards Eagan and Shew came from Susie Graham, when she told her uncle, Mr. Mersellis, of Binghamton, after the reward of $1000 was offered by the county commissioners. In the meantime Eagan had married his present wife, and whether the offer of the reward or the desire for revenge because Eagan deserted her for another, had the most to do with her making the matter known, is uncertain, but certain it is, she it was who first gave the secret away and caused the information to reach District Attorney Ainey, who let no unnecessary time elapse before he had Eagan and Shew in jail. To be continued next week. The above article is a murder mystery that took place in 1898 in Rush Twp., Susquehanna County, brought to you in conjunction with “Susquehanna County Reads” program.

I saw a news report last week detailing a legal battle in Colorado Springs where 12 female police officers are suing their police department over physical fitness requirements that the female officers contend are discriminatory.  The fitness requirements consist of two running exams, a requirement to perform 52 pushups and 45 sit-ups in a 2 minute period.  The 12 female officers, all over the age of 40, had failed to test and were moved to desk duty.  As a result, they filed a federal civil rights suit contending that the fitness tests discriminated against them on the basis of their gender.

Can an employer use physical fitness tests as a condition of employment?  It is not uncommon.  For instance, the Pennsylvania State Police have physical fitness requirements that must be met as part of the police academy training.  In September 2015, the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania decided a case (Mitchell v. Potter) wherein a female cadet was discharged from the state police academy for not passing the physical fitness requirements.  The State Police have the same requirements for both male and female applicants – not only for physical fitness, but also firearm qualifications and driving requirements.  The district court explained the uniform requirements as follows: “The Academy trains everyone the same because a person that a police officer must deal with in a duty situation is not going to care how tall somehow is or whether they are a female and cadets need to know how to function no matter what the circumstances turn out to be.” 

A female cadet (Mitchell) was discharged – and she filed suit contending that she was discriminated against based upon her gender.  The State Police responded that the discharge was based upon the inability to successfully pass the physical fitness requirements.  In particular, Mitchell repeatedly failed the morning run requirements – and also failed the 300-meter run test by being 7 seconds too slow.  Another male cadet also failed to successfully complete the 300 meter-runt test – and he was also discharged.  The State Police made clear – failure to successfully meet the physical fitness standard resulted in automatic termination.

In order to be successful in an employment discrimination case, one of the elements that a plaintiff must demonstrate is that he or she was qualified for the position sought.  In looking at the record in this case, the district court simply concluded: “The evidence at trial established that Mitchell was not qualified for the position of police officer because of her failure to meet the minimum standards for graduation in physical fitness. . . .  These minimum requirements for graduation were imposed on all cadets at the Academy, and other cadets (male or female) who failed to meet these criteria were not permitted to graduate.”  In other words, the Pennsylvania State Police did not discriminate against Mitchell because she was female; rather, Mitchell was terminated because she could not meet the physical fitness requirements for any cadet seeking to become a Pennsylvania State Trooper.

In May 2015, there was another case filed against the State Police – United States v. Pennsylvania – wherein the United States Attorney General sued the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in federal court that the State Police were engaged in a “pattern or practice” of discrimination against female applicants seeking to be State Troopers.  In that case, the United States argued that the State Police “use of physical fitness tests to screen and select applicants for entry-level PSP trooper positions had an unlawful disparate impact against female applicants.”  The United States pointed to the fact that 98 percent of the male applicants and only 72 percent of the female applicants passed the physical fitness standards.  The district court noted that a “facially neutral employment practice” may be unlawfully discriminatory if its “adverse effects fall disproportionately on a [protected group].”  Because the state police physical fitness requirements facially had a disparate impact, the district court determined that the litigation had to proceed to determine whether the physical fitness requirements constituted unlawful discrimination.  The resolution of this case may end up changing the physical fitness requirements for the Pennsylvania State Police.

In order to prevail, the State Police are going to have to demonstrate that the physical fitness requirements are job-related to the position and necessary for being a law enforcement officer.  Even if the State Police prevail in convincing the fact finder that the physical fitness requirements are a job-related necessity, the State Police could still end up losing the case if the United States could still prevail “by showing that alternative practices would have less discriminatory effects while ensuring that candidates are duly qualified.”

Thus, the story out of Colorado Springs is not unique - this is a debate going on throughout the Nation – and right here in the Commonwealth where the State Police are currently attempting to defend their physical fitness standards in federal court.

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.

Just recently the House of Representatives attached a small provision to a bill (Omnibus Budget) making its way through Congress. The provision suspended the federal government’s debt limit until March of 2017. I missed the exact shenanigans on this bill as it wound its way through Congress, but I know that it used to be a big deal to raise the debt ceiling—lots of arm twisting because nobody, particularly Republicans, wanted to be seen as a big spender. Congress apparently decided the stealthy, sneaky route was ever so much better than having an open high-profile vote. And notice that they only suspended the debt ceiling until a future date; they didn’t actually raise the debt ceiling. No wonder Americans are so suspicious and cynical of their government. By the time this debt suspension expires America should be on the road to a national debt of 21 trillion dollars, unless of course, catastrophic economic collapse has already occurred.

Nearly 23 years ago a Congressman from Ohio correctly gauged the character of our government on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives. It was only this week that I came across his speech from March 17, 1993 in the Congressional Record. I had never heard of or read this speech before. I’d like to share Congressman Jim Traficant’s speech with you. The title is “The Bankruptcy of the United States.”

Speaker-Rep. James Traficant, Jr. (Ohio) addressing the House:

“Mr. Speaker, we are here now in chapter 11... Members of Congress are official trustees presiding over the greatest reorganization of any Bankrupt entity in world history, the U.S. Government. We are setting forth hopefully, a blueprint for our future. There are some who say it is a coroner’s report that will lead to our demise.

It is an established fact that the United States Federal Government has been dissolved by the Emergency Banking Act, March 9, 1933, 48 Stat. 1, Public Law 89-719; declared by President Roosevelt, being bankrupt and insolvent. H.J.R. [House Joint Resolution] 192, 73rd Congress in session June 5, 1933 - Joint Resolution To Suspend The Gold Standard and Abrogate The Gold Clause dissolved the Sovereign Authority of the United States and the official capacities of all United States Governmental Offices, Officers, and Departments and is further evidence that the United States Federal Government exists today in name only.

The receivers of the United States Bankruptcy are the International Bankers, via the United Nations, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. All United States Offices, Officials, and Departments are now operating within a de facto status in name only under Emergency War Powers. With the Constitutional Republican form of Government now dissolved, the receivers of the Bankruptcy have adopted a new form of government for the United States. This new form of government is known as a Democracy, being an established Socialist/Communist order under a new governor for America. This act was instituted and established by transferring and/or placing the Office of the Secretary of Treasury to that of the Governor of the International Monetary Fund. Public Law 94-564, page 8, Section H.R. 13955 reads in part: “The U.S. Secretary of Treasury receives no compensation for representing the United States.”

Gold and silver were such a powerful money during the founding of the united states of America [“united states,” purposely non-capitalized and meaning “the republic”], that the founding fathers declared that only gold or silver coins can be “money” in America. Since gold and silver coinage were heavy and inconvenient for a lot of transactions, they were stored in banks and a claim check was issued as a money substitute [evidence of deposit]. People traded their coupons [deposit certificates] as money, or “currency.” Currency is not money, but a money substitute. Redeemable currency must promise to pay a dollar equivalent in gold or silver money. Federal Reserve Notes (FRNs) make no such promises, and are not “money.” A Federal Reserve Note is a debt obligation of the federal United States [corporate] government, not “money.” The federal United States [corporate] government and the U.S. Congress were not and have never been authorized by the Constitution for the united states of America [republic] to issue currency of any kind, but only lawful money, -gold and silver coin.

It is essential that we comprehend the distinction between real money and paper money substitute. One cannot get rich by accumulating money substitutes; one can only get deeper into debt. We the People no longer have any “money.” Most Americans have not been paid any “money” for a very long time, perhaps not in their entire life. Now do you comprehend why you feel broke? Now, do you understand why you are “bankrupt,” along with the rest of the country?

Federal Reserve Notes (FRNs) are unsigned checks written on a closed account. FRNs are an inflatable paper system designed to create debt through inflation (devaluation of currency). When ever there is an increase of the supply of a money substitute in the economy without a corresponding increase in the gold and silver backing, inflation [debasement of the currency - loss of purchasing power] occurs.

Inflation is an invisible form of taxation that irresponsible governments inflict on their citizens. The Federal Reserve Bank who controls the supply and movement of FRNs has everybody fooled. They have access to an unlimited supply of FRNs, paying only for the printing costs of what they need. FRNs are nothing more than promissory notes for U.S. Treasury securities (T-Bills) - a promise to pay the debt to the Federal Reserve Bank [which is a privately owned bank and not a Federal Government entity].

There is a fundamental difference between “paying” [extinguishing] and “discharging” a debt. To pay a debt, you must pay with value or substance (i.e. gold, silver, barter or a commodity). With FRNs, you can only discharge a debt. You cannot pay a debt with a debt currency system. You cannot service a debt with a currency that has no backing in value or substance. No contract in Common law is valid unless it involves an exchange of “good and valuable consideration.” Unpayable debt transfers power and control to the sovereign power structure that has no interest in money, law, equity or justice because they have so much wealth already. [The international bankers - New World Order Global Elite].

Their lust is for power and control. Since the inception of central banking, they have controlled the fates of nations.

The Federal Reserve System is based on the Canon law and the principles of sovereignty protected in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. In fact, the international bankers used a “Canon Law Trust” as their model, adding stock and naming it a “Joint Stock Trust.” The U.S. Congress had passed a law making it illegal for any legal “person” to duplicate a “Joint Stock Trust” in 1873. The Federal Reserve Act was legislated post-facto (to 1870), although post-facto laws are strictly forbidden by the Constitution. [1:9:3]

The Federal Reserve System is a sovereign power structure separate and distinct from the federal United States government. The Federal Reserve is a maritime lender, and/or maritime insurance underwriter to the federal United States [corporate] operating exclusively under Admiralty/Maritime law. The lender or underwriter bears the risks, and the Maritime law compelling specific performance in paying the interest, or premiums are the same. Assets of the debtor [the corporate United States] can also be hypothecated ([which is] to pledge something as a security without taking possession of it) as security by the lender or underwriter. The Federal Reserve Act stipulated that the interest on the debt was to be paid in gold. There was no stipulation in the Federal Reserve Act for ever paying the principle (sic) [principal = amount borrowed].

Prior to 1913, most Americans owned clear, allodial title to property, free and clear of any liens or mortgages until the Federal Reserve Act (1913) “Hypothecated” all property within the federal United States to the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve [Bank], -in which the Trustees (stockholders) held legal title. The U.S. citizen (tenant, franchisee) was registered as a “beneficiary” of the trust via his/her birth certificate. In 1933, the federal United States hypothecated all of the present and future properties, assets and labor of their “subjects,” the 14th Amendment U.S. citizen, to the Federal Reserve System.

In return, the Federal Reserve System agreed to extend the federal United States corporation all the credit “money substitute” it needed. Like any other debtor, the federal United States government had to assign collateral and security to their creditors as a condition of the loan. Since the federal United States [corporate] didn’t have any assets, they assigned the private property of their “economic slaves”, the U.S. citizens as collateral against the unpayable federal debt. They also pledged the unincorporated federal territories, national parks forests, birth certificates, and nonprofit organizations [which includes the churches], as collateral against the federal debt. All has already been transferred as payment to the international bankers.

Unwittingly, America has returned to its pre-American Revolution, feudal roots whereby all land is held by a sovereign [the Federal Reserve Bank] and the common people had no rights to hold allodial title to property. Once again, “We the People” are the tenants and sharecroppers renting our own property from a Sovereign in the guise of the Federal Reserve Bank. “We the people” have exchanged one master for another.

This has been going on for over eighty years without the “informed knowledge” of the American people, without a voice protesting loud enough. Now it’s easy to grasp why America is fundamentally bankrupt.

Why don’t more people own their properties outright?

Why are 90% of Americans mortgaged to the hilt and have little or no assets after all debts and liabilities have been paid? Why does it feel like you are working harder and harder and getting less and less?

We are reaping what has been sown, and the results of our harvest is a painful bankruptcy, and a foreclosure on American property, precious liberties, and a way of life. Few of our elected representatives in Washington, D.C. have dared to tell the truth. The federal United States is bankrupt. Our children will inherit this unpayable debt, and the tyranny to enforce paying it.

America has become completely bankrupt in world leadership, financial credit and its reputation for courage, vision and human rights. This is an undeclared economic war, bankruptcy, and economic slavery of the most corrupt order!

Wake up America! Take back your Country.”

United States Congressional Record, March 17, 1993 Vol. 33, page H-1303.

As a postscript, Jim Traficant passed away on September 27, 2010 after an accident on a tractor at his farm. He had been released from prison less than a year earlier, after serving seven years in Allenwood Federal Penitentiary here in Pennsylvania. He had been convicted of 10 counts of corruption charges in 2002. Notably, Mr. Traficant was charged under the RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations) Act in 1983, but in a stunning display of courtroom acumen was acquitted while defending himself acting “pro se.” To this day he is the only non-lawyer, acting “pro se” to ever be acquitted while on trial for RICO violations.

Congressman Traficant diagnosed our dire situation over a generation ago. He gave us fair warning, yet we have pushed ever further down the road to serfdom while America slept on. Is it not time we heed his words and awake from our slumber?