Airplane Flies Over County – Much interest was excited on Thursday and Friday last in the airplane flight between Chicago and New York. The aviator was Victor Carlstrom and he was making an attempt to fly from Chicago to New York, between sunrise and sunset. At the speed he was going, averaging 107 miles an hour, he could have easily made it. The loosening of a pipe on his engine caused him to descend at Erie, Pa., and he did not reach Hammondsport, N. Y. until nearly nightfall. The following morning he made the distance to New York in a little over two hours. His actual time in the air was about 7 hours. Residents of Susquehanna, Honesdale and Binghamton saw him in flight. Two observation men, in the employ of the Bell Telephone Co., came to Montrose, Thursday, to take observations of the plane, but were unsuccessful in seeing it. They stationed themselves on the roof of the court house. Scores of other people spent most of their time Thursday afternoon and Friday morning on roofs and highest points of vantage craning their necks northward.
Howard Hill, Liberty Twp. – Your correspondent and family witnessed the aeroplane flight of Victor Carlstorm on his flight from Chicago to New York. He went over the hills here early Friday morning and was close enough so we could hear the hum of the machine. Surely quite a treat. Seventeen years ago, last July, I saw the first automobile driven through Dimock, enroute for Tunkhannock. I wonder what the next few years will do in the improvement in flying machines in view of what the last few has done in the improvement of automobiles.
Franklin Forks – Miss Mina Birchard and friend, Mr. Bert West, of Montrose, were calling at D. L. Birchard’s on Sunday. On their way back to Montrose they met with a narrow escape from serious bodily harm. They were in a carriage and were struck by an auto which was driven by Miss Caterson. The couple jumped from the conveyance, which was quite badly smashed, and the horse, which belonged to L. H. Sprout & Sons, in Montrose, was badly bruised.
Forest City – Dr. F. L. Grander, who moved from here to Scranton a few months ago, killed himself on Saturday after shooting his wife in the arm while in a fit of rage. Dr. Grander had returned from a hunting trip near Uniondale and told his wife he proposed to dress two rabbits he had shot. The doctor, who was addicted to the use of a drug when advised by his wife to defer dressing them until later, flew into a rage, hurled an earthen crock at her, and as she fled, fired a revolver, causing a wound in the arm. Neighbors called the police and Dr. Grander was found cowering in the basement. Evidently believing his wife was dead he took his life. Dr. Grander, had been melancholy for eight years, following the death of a little son, and had used a soothing drug to relieve his remorse, it is stated.
Montrose – “Shall These Bones Rise Again,” is an old Southern jubilee hymn that for many years was a standby during Rev. Dawson Edwards’ pastorate at Zion African Methodist- Episcopal church, and he used to lead the song with that swing characteristic of his race. And it would now appear that the query is being answered in Zion’s fold which for quite a while has been sleeping, and the interest at very low ebb. The dry bones are awakening to new zeal, under the pastorate of Rev. W. R. Thomas, who believes in going out by the day and working. Mr. Thomas says: “I can do anything, and I want all my friends to employ me.” Last week, with the aid of a few others, he kalsomined the interior of the church, removed the old carpet, painted the floor and the entrance door, and placed strips of new carpet in the aisles. It requires both time and money to do this, but he is willing to do his share in this respect if only others will co-operate with him. To do this he has called a rally service in his church next Sunday evening, at which the principal speaker will be Rev. Mr. Lesh, pastor of the First Methodist-Episcopal church. Mr. Thomas wishes for the presence of every church member to come and give a dollar toward the church improvement project. Others may give what they desire. Rev. Edwards will also be present at the service and he may sing one of his old melodies, and a word or a song may be heard from one of Zion’s oldest members—Uncle William Spence, who sings with such enthusiasm, “I am Thine O Lord.”
Jackson – Edward B. Gillet, a farmer of this place, has brought suit against the borough of Susquehanna Depot to recover damages for alleged personal injuries, medical expenses and injures to a team in the total sum of $5,800. Gillet alleges that he and his team fell over an embankment on Erie avenue, Oct. 30, 1915, and that the borough had failed to erect proper safeguards at the point of the accident. He declares that his injuries will prove permanent. The damages filed were claims of $500 for medical expenses, $5,000 for personal injuries and $300 for damage to his team. The borough claims that the street was in proper condition and there was no negligence.
Harford – Mr. and Mrs. Fred Bell are moving from the F.E. Moore house to Dimock, where they will have charge of the Norris farm in that place.
Uniondale – The Woman’s Suffrage club held their annual banquet at Hotel Orce, Nov. 3. Mrs. Ort, of Carbondale, looked after the culinary affairs which were delicious. Six waiters looked charming in yellow gowns and white caps. The decorations were simply fine, carrying out the color scheme of yellow and white. Much credit is due the president, Mrs. Bronson, for arranging the same. Proceeds of evening, $26.50.
News Briefs: The world has known that John Howard Payne, who wrote “Home Sweet Home,” was himself a man without a home but few people have understood how completely alone in the world he was. Only last month, 64 years after his death, was the United States government able to find a collateral heir to whom it could pay the $205 that was due him from his salary as consul at Tunis, the post that he occupied when he died. ALSO Few people realize that there are over 7,000 miles of underground tunnels in the anthracite mines of Pennsylvania. The Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Co. has more than 800 miles of timbered gangways and drifts. Over $5,000,000 a year is now spent by the operators for mine timber and lumber.
200 Years Ago. The Centinel, Montrose, Pa., November 12, 1816.
*The Patrons of the Centinel will please take notice that Produce of almost all kinds will be received in payment—and we should not be offended if a little CASH was to be paid.
*SLAVERY. Fellow Citizens – Lend me your attention for a moment. Are you aware that forty years have elapsed since the declaration of American Independence was announced to the world? –Do you reflect upon the profound principles, and solemn promises, set forth in that instrument? –Have you forgotten that “all men are born equally free?” Pause! Blush! When the degrading truth is uttered, that more than a million of human souls, within the jurisdiction of this boasted asylum of Liberty, inhabited bodies, not so free nor so well treated as many of your hogs or your horses! –It is high time, that as a nation, we should see to this offending—“God will not be mocked—Remember that “justice and judgment are the inhabitants of his throne.”
*Went away from the Subscriber, my son, Ephraim, without my consent. This is to forbid all persons from harboring or trusting him on my account, as I will not pay any debts of his contracting after this date. EPHRAIM KNOWLTON, Rush, November 4th, 1816.
There is a specific criminal statute that makes it unlawful for any person to retaliate against a prosecutor or a judicial officer for actions taken in their official capacity. In order to prove a defendant guilty of a criminal retaliation against a prosecutor or judicial officer, it must be shown beyond a reasonable doubt that (1) the defendant acted in retaliation for the lawful actions of a prosecutor or judicial officer done in his or her official capacity; (2) the defendant harmed, or attempted to harm, the prosecutor or judicial officer, or that individual’s property; and (3) the harm or attempted harm was done through an unlawful act. The central component of this statute is that the need for proof of a retaliatory act aimed at harming a prosecutor or judicial officer.
The Superior Court recently considered what constituted a retaliatory act in the case of Commonwealth v. Walls. In that case, Salim Walls spotted an assistant district attorney (ADA) in a local shopping mall. Walls then proceeded to yell, “Hey, ADA,” identified himself, approached the ADA and continued to shout at the ADA. Wells yelled that the ADA had prosecuted him and put him in jail – though it was later discovered that this particular ADA had never actually prosecuted Walls. Then, Walls shouted that his incarceration had caused his grandmother’s death. Walls eventually got within one foot of the ADA before store security took him into custody and removed him from the store. As he was being dragged away by the security team, Walls reiterated that the ADA had caused his grandmother’s death and that the ADA should be next. The ADA was never injured in the incident.
Walls was charged with retaliation against a prosecutor, as well as terroristic threats and harassment, and he was convicted of all counts at the conclusion of a judge trial. He received a sentence of 11 ½ to 23 months of incarceration. On appeal, Walls argued that he could not be convicted because the ADA had never actually prosecuted him, i.e., he could not retaliate against someone who had never had an official involvement with him. The Superior Court rejected this argument and found that the statute did not require retaliation against the specific prosecutor or judicial officer who took the official action. The Superior Court concluded that it was “sufficient that the retaliatory action be taken against any individual in retaliation for the action taken by any prosecutor or judicial officer in his or her official capacity.”
Next, Walls argued that he never caused or attempted to cause any “harm” to the ADA. The Superior Court noted that the retaliation statute failed to define what constituted “harm.” While the Superior Court agreed that Walls had made a statement suggesting that the ADA should be the next one to die, it determined that there was no evidence that Walls had ever harmed the ADA. Because Walls never took any substantial step toward carrying out his threat, the ADA suffered no actual harm or injury and the conviction for retaliation against a prosecutor was reversed.
As to the conviction for terroristic threats, the Superior Court also found the evidence insufficient to demonstrate that Walls intended to terrorize the ADA. The Superior Court found that the Walls “made a spur-of-the moment threat as a result of anger during a random confrontation at a local shopping mall. [Walls] did not specifically threaten harm to [the ADA] presently or in the future. Instead, [Walls] made a very brief statement that the trial court construed as a threat while being led away from [the ADA].” The Superior Court found that the statement that the ADA “should be the next to die” was not sufficient to demonstrate “a settled intent to terrorize.”
The Superior Court did affirm Walls’ conviction for harassment as it was clear that Walls had a settled intent to harass, annoy or alarm the ADA for no legitimate purpose. The matter was remanded to the trial court for a new sentence, but given that the harassment charge is only a third degree misdemeanor, the maximum period of incarceration will be 12 months – so Walls’ successful appeal will result in a fifty percent reduction from the sentence he initially received.
When whooping it up has its down side
A very pregnant Katy came into the pharmacy for some items. “When are you due?” asked the pharmacist. “In 4 weeks,” she replied. “But let me ask you something. My friend’s baby, who is 5 months old, got whooping cough at 6 weeks. He gradually recovered but it was a couple months of a horrible barking cough that sounded like a dog barking. He would cough so much he would turn blue. But she told me that she did not think it was OK to get a whooping cough vaccine while she was pregnant. What are the facts?”
The pharmacist told Katy that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and organizations that represent children recommend that the vaccine be given to the mother when she is in her third trimester, between 27 and 36 weeks gestation. That way, the mother’s antibodies against pertussis can enter into the fetus’s circulation is born. That will give him short-term protection during his first few weeks when all your coughing and sneezing relatives are fawning over him. He will still need to start is 3-series pertussis vaccine regimen at 3 months of age.
Whooping cough, or pertussis, is a highly contagious bacterial disease, caused by Bordetella pertussis. Initially, symptoms are usually similar to those of the common cold with a runny nose, fever, and mild cough. This is then followed by weeks of severe coughing fits. Following a fit of coughing, a high-pitched whoop sound or gasp may occur as the person breathes in. The coughing may last for 10 or more weeks. A person may cough so hard that they vomit, break ribs, or become very tired from the effort. Children less than one year old may have little or no cough and instead have periods where they cannot breathe. The time between infection and the onset of symptoms is usually 7 to 10 days.
The vaccine works. Before the pertussis, vaccine was invented in the 1940s, there were 250,000 cases of whooping cough in the US each year. That plummeted to about 1,000 by 1976. But, the CDC cautions that whooping cough is a growing threat. In 2014, 32,000 cases of whooping cough were reported – especially troubling news for infants. Babies less than 3 months old are very vulnerable to the devastating outcomes from pertussis and are most at risk of dying from the disease. Yet, newborns do not receive their first dose of the pertussis vaccine until they are 2 months old and are not fully protected until they are 6 months old. With less than 15% of the population receiving the vaccine, there are more circulating bacteria that the infant cannot escape.
The childhood vaccine is called DTaP (diphtheria – tetanus – acellular pertussis). The whooping cough vaccine for adolescents and adults is called Tdap (tetanus – diphtheria – acellular pertussis). Both DTaP and Tdap protect against these three diseases. The expectant mom should get the Tdap and should receive it during every pregnancy.
Katy had a Tdap before college. But the pharmacist suggested she get another one within the next week to give her baby the edge on whooping cough. “Having a new baby is a lot of work as it is,” said Katy. “It would be easy to take this one dangerous thing off the table.” She got her Tdap the next day.
Ron Gasbarro, PharmD is a registered pharmacist, medical writer, and principal at Rx-Press.com. Visit him at www.rx-press.com.
