County News – Andrew B. Smith has been chosen Judge of Susquehanna Co. by a majority of around 600 votes.  There are one or two more districts yet to be heard from, but they will not materially change the figures.  Fred A. Mack, who has served as Deputy in the Prothonotary office for several years, was elected to succeed W. H. Foster. ALSO Every farmer in the county should breed every sow he has.  Even if he doesn’t have the feed for an unusual number of little pigs, there will be a ready market for all he can raise and at prices that will be highly profitable.  The country is crying for fats today and hogs are the quickest medium through which the demand can be supplied.  And we can’t have the hogs unless we get the little pigs first.  Don’t butcher a sow this fall.  Have her do her bit.

Hallstead – The “booze” gang of the “Hollow” is getting to be regular Saturday night events.  The running of horses and loud shouting, disturbing residents along their route, should give the State Police some business.

Susquehanna – Walter Miller visited his brother, Allan D. Miller, for one day.  Mr. Miller recently received a commission as lieutenant in the Aviation Corps, and he esxpects to be assigned to service in France.  ALSO The Erie Hose ball to be given in the interest of the Red Cross is going to be the big event here in November.

Springville – A well-attended Hallowe’en social was held at the school house, Wednesday night.

Nearly all were in mask and were laughable in their many kinds of “make-ups.” A grand march, prizes and refreshments and entertainment were all very good.

Montrose – Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin F. McKeage, Sr., celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary at their home last Saturday.  They were married in Brooklyn, N. Y. in 1857 and after a wedding trip went to Clarksville, Tenn., where they made their home.  Fifteen years ago they came to Montrose and settled here.  Mr. McKeage was a commissioned officer of the Confederate army and was one of three men chosen by the authorities to stay at Clarksville and protect the women and children, the men of the town being in the service.  After many threats to burn the town, Mr. McKeage surrendered to General Grant. They passed through many thrilling experiences and Mrs. McKeage states that the grey nosed gun boats coming up the Cumberland could produce as varied emotions as the modern battle ship.  She tells of some of the residents being so anxious that the signal of the white flag should not be misunderstood, when the ships rounded the curve in the river, rushed out and waved sheets as a sign of peace.  After the fall of Fort Donolson, Mrs. McKeage spent many weeks caring for wounded confederate and federal soldiers.  Sixteen children blessed this home and nine are living.  Mr. and Mrs. McKeage have a large circle of friends who join in best wishes for many happy returns of the day.

Brooklyn – The Brooklyn Orchard Ass’n. has been loading a car of apples to send to Indiana.

South Montrose – The South Montrose Red Cross will hold a pie social at the Red Men’s Hall, the evening of Nov. 14.  Each lady is requested to bring her favorite pie.

Glenwood – Friday afternoon five young men, all strangers in this vicinity, between the age of 21 and 25, removed a window glass and entered G. N. Bennett’s store, helping themselves.  They started for Scranton, the Deputy Constable, Will Bennett and C.W. Hoppe following them in pursuit, overtaking them near Waverly.  They were brought to Hop Bottom for a hearing before the Justice, pleaded guilty, and were taken to Montrose and placed in the care of Sheriff Taylor to await the action of the grand jury.  Their excuses were that they could not find work and were hungry and wanted tobacco.  Whether they are evading the draft act is not known, but hope Uncle Sammy can find employment for them. ALSO The G. A. R. veterans of Captain Lyons Post, No 85, and families, the Sons of Veterans of Russell Phillips camp, 189, and families, held their annual oyster dinner at the old hall last Saturday.  About 150 were present.

Uniondale – W. D. Webster, of Scranton, has purchased of R. W. Tennant, a half interest in the feed and coal business here and the firm hereafter will be known as Tennant & Webster. ALSO

Steps were taken to remove a citizen of this town to the asylum at Blakely. It is alleged that he is suffering from an unbalanced mind.  He seems to be possessed of the idea that he is possessed of great wealth and for the past week has purchased considerable real estate, wagons, and trucks.  The poor authorities took him in charge.  He was regarded as an industrious citizen and it is hoped he may soon recover.

Forest City – The town was startled Tuesday morning by a loud report when J. P. Murray’s gasoline wagon exploded.  Mr. Murray was at J. C. Murray’s blacksmith shop to have repairs made on the tank, which was empty and not thinking of danger had his team hitched to the wagon.  J. C. Murray was on the tank working when for some cause unknown the explosion took place.  He was thrown to the front of the shop in a dazed condition.  His face was burned and the hair fell from his head in chunks.  He did not realize the situation and began rubbing his face until stopped by friends and soon received proper attention.  Charles McCumber and Clark Stanton were in the shop at the time and were driven backwards by the concussion.  Thomas Shaw, the blacksmith, was thrown behind the forge. Singular as it may appear, the horses never moved an inch.  The seat and blankets were thrown over their heads, the seat landing in fragments about 20 ft. from the wagons and the blankets about 50 ft. away. 

200 Years Ago from the Montrose Centinel, November 8, 1817.

*We have had no mail this week, which of course leaves us destitute of any important news.  The failure of it, we do not know how to account for, as we understand it came to Tunkhannock—

But if it did not, it ought not to excuse the carrier for not coming on this route; as he is bound to bring the mail weekly from Tunkhannock to the Great Bend and to convey it from that place back to Tunkhannock. –Now, by his neglect, we not only fail in receiving the Southern mail, but the Northern also; and yet he is paid for conveying both.  Such gross neglect ought no longer to be put up with.  The public suffer enough, at best, in the mail establishment; and if the Carriers are suffered to neglect their duty, we had better have no mail at all. 

*Mr. A. Dart Wishes to inform the public that he has established in the town of Montrose, (at the sign of the Gilded Coach, in Mechanics Hall) a manufactory for making Freight Waggons & Sleighs.  He will also manufacture all kinds of double and single Pleasure Carriages, on the newest drafts and in the first stile of workmanship.  N. B. He will do all kinds of ornamental painting and gilding in the genteelest manner. Montrose. Nov. 8, 1817.

*Sheriff Sales. By virtue of two writs of vend. expo. Issued out of the court of common pleas of Susquehanna county, to me directed, will be exposed to sale at public vendue at the Court House in Montrose on Monday the 24th day of Nov. inst. at ten o’clock A.M. all the right, title and interest of Derick Cobb to a certain tract of land situate, lying and being in the township of Bridgewater, bounded on the east by lands of Ira Conser and Benjamin Paine, on the west by lands of Matthias Smith, north by lands of Nathaniel Stewart and on the south by lands of David Turrel & Lyman Cook, containing 83 acres with the appurtenances.  Seized and taken as the property of Derick Cobb.  AUSTIN HOWELL, Sheriff. Sheriff’s Office, Montrose, November 7, 1817.

Kimberly Kitchen was a partner in the law firm in Huntingdon County and served as the president of the Huntingdon County Bar Association.  She practiced law in Huntingdon County from February 2005 through December 2014, whereupon it was discovered that she was not a licensed attorney in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.  When suspicions finally began to arise in December 2014, Kitchen created a variety of documents to confirm her status as a licensed attorney in an effort to avoid detection and arrest.  She created her own law license, an “official list” from the Pennsylvania Bar Examiners allegedly demonstrating that she had passed the bar examination, and an email that purportedly confirmed that she had attended Duquesne University.

On March 26, 2015, Kitchen was charged with a variety of offenses, including the unauthorized practice of law, forgery, and tampering with public records.  As to the tampering with public records, this particular offense was graded as a felony offense based upon the allegation that Kitchen had intended to “defraud” persons through her conduct.  After a non-jury trial, Kitchen was found guilty of all of the charges, including the felony offense of tampering with public records, and she was sentenced to incarceration in a state facility for a period of two years plus one day to five years.

Kitchen then filed an appeal to the Superior Court contesting the sufficiency of the evidence against her.  In particular, Kitchen contended that she had not intended to “defraud” anyone and that the Commonwealth had not presented any of her prior “clients” who had been injured by her “legal” representation.  Indeed, Kitchen had several clients testified to their satisfaction with her efforts and representation in their cases – even though Kitchen was not a licensed attorney.  The Commonwealth viewed Kitchen’s argument as suggesting that she was “a good fake lawyer” and that this somehow justified her conduct.

The Superior Court rejected Kitchen’s argument.  First, the Superior Court noted that Kitchen had engaged in a “decade-long deception” the sole purpose of which was to defraud her fellow co-workers, her partners, her clients and the courts.  As a result of her fraudulent conduct, Kitchen earned substantial financial benefits, including being named as a partner in the law firm where she had been “a good fake lawyer.”  Further, when her fraud was discovered, her law firm was left picking up the pieces, dealing with clients’ situations, reviewing all the work that had been performed to assure it was done correctly, and remedying any defects in Kitchen’s “good fake lawyering.”  Representatives of the law firm noted that its reputation had been damaged in the community when it was discovered that one of its partners was only “a good fake lawyer” as opposed to a licensed attorney.  The firm provided evidence that it had suffered a loss of business as a result of Kitchen’s deceptive conduct.

As to Kitchen’s suggestion that her clients were not harmed, the Superior Court strongly rejected this assertion: “[T]hose clients affected by [Kitchen’s] deception suffered a tangible loss: the breach of trust central to relationship between an attorney and client.  The role of an attorney is not merely transactional and [Kitchen’s] attempt to argue as such demonstrates an ignorance of the nuances of the profession.”  In other words, Kitchen was not even a “good fake lawyer” as she never understood that the relationship between an attorney and a client is far more than a typical consumer transaction; rather, it is a special relationship with heightened ethical obligations related to trust, loyalty, dedication and zeal in promoting and advocating for a client’s interests.

Kitchen’s conviction and sentence were affirmed by the Superior Court.

How tattoos can cause cancer

Rebecca came into the pharmacy with a prescription for an antibiotic. “I got another tattoo the other day and it’s now infected,” she told the pharmacist. Rebecca has many tattoos, thought the pharmacist. And recent information about the possibility of tattoos causing different forms of cancer has surfaced. 

Tattoos are fairly common among the younger crowd. About 30% of Americans have at least one tattoo, up from roughly 20% just 4 years ago. In addition, 70% of those with any tattoos have 2 or more. From a generational perspective, nearly half of Millennials and over one-third of GenXers say they have at least one, compared to approximately 1 in 8 Baby Boomers.

Getting inked has its plusses and minuses. A tattoo can make someone feel edgier or sexier than before. Some want their partner’s name to be engraved on their neck – unless, that is, they break up and then it’s a problem. Getting a tattoo after slamming down vodka martinis all evening can be a surprise the next day. Sure, the Japanese calligraphy on your arm looks cool and the tattoo artist said he thought it meant “peace and love.” But then the guy at the sushi stand told you it means “fecal breath.” Regrets? They’ve had a few. In fact, a 2015 survey revealed that 1 in 6 tattoo-bearers regretted a current tattoo and 1 in 5 wanted one or more tattoos to be removed; 21% received a tattoo while intoxicated.

Then, there are the health consequences, as Rebecca is now experiencing. Side effects associated with tattooing include infections, allergies, scarring, and granulomas (small knots or bumps that can form around particles of tattoo pigment). However, other health questions associated with the ink used in tattooing are emerging.Health concerns about the presence of toxic chemicals in tattoo ink first emerged in 2011 when studies showed that benzo(a)pyrene, a chemical used in black tattoo ink and found originally in coal tar, could induce skin cancer in test animals.

Titanium dioxide, a white pigment that is often mixed with other colors is another potential problem. Scientists now speculate that tiny toxic particles from the inks, called nanoparticles, can travel throughout the body and accumulate in the lymph nodes, small glands important for the proper functioning of the immune system, acting as filters for foreign particles and cancer cells. The FDA has deemed titanium oxide to be safe. The group has issued guidelines on using the chemical as a food colorant and how much of the compound can be found in cosmetics. Even so, scores of independent reviews suggest that the chemical is dangerous in general. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified titanium dioxide as a possible carcinogenic.

It’s worth remembering that the vast majority of tested tattoo inks contain nanoparticles, which may be capable of evading the body’s natural defenses more easily. In fact, black tattoo pigments are almost pure nanoparticles, which have been shown to migrate away from the skin, damage collagen, and accumulate in the spleen and kidneys, with possibly harmful effects. Now there are 2 factors to consider when contemplating getting yourself inked: You want to use a licensed tattoo parlor, and you want to inquire as to the composition of the inks that the parlor uses.  The pharmacist suggested that Rebecca consult a dermatologist about tattoo health and minimizing adverse reactions associated with tattooing.

Ron Gasbarro, PharmD, is a registered pharmacist, medical writer, and principal at Rx-Press.com. Read more at www.rx-press.com