1999, 2000 – 2018 These pages are part of the Schuyler co., NY Genweb page.  Not for commercial use.
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1872 - 1874 Newspaper Clippings,
Schuyler co., NY & vicinity
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Contributed by Dee Watt, unless otherwise noted.
Extracted & typed by Linda O'Halloran.
Most are from the Watkins Review & Express newspaper.

~under construction~

Use the Search page to find specific names here, or the "Find" funcion under "Edit".

January, 1872 - Obit. of Luther CLEVELAND.
Luther CLEVELAND - Died at his home in the town of Reading, Schuyler county, on Wed., January 17th, 1872, Deacon Luther CLEVELAND, at the age of 70 years, 11 months and 14 days.  Luther CLEVELAND was born on Sugar Creek, PA on Feb. 3, 1801, of parents who were of Connecticut birth and training.  Ephraim CLEVELAND the father, and Keziah NOBLE his wife, had settled there in the wilderness on land claimed by the State of Connecticut, and in the County of Bradford, PA.  In 1801 the family left Pennsylvania, and settled in the Chemung Valley within the boundaries of the present town of Montour, in the County of Schuyler.  Dissatisfied with this location they moved down the Ohio river in the Spring of 1814, locating at Cincinnati where the mother died very suddenly in May of that year.  The father returned immediately to Catharine (now Montour), and falling sick of malarious fever, died a few months later, leaving 7 children, the youngest a mere infant, and the oldest under 16 years of age.  Left destitute and without parents or relatives to provide for them, they were soon scattered in different families, where they found such culture and training as their circumstances and the times would afford.
Luther CLEVELAND was the 2nd in age of these surviving children.  At the time of his father's death he was under 14 years of age.  During the remainder of his minority he lived in the family of Judge Phineas CATLIN of Catharine.  In 1823 he married Eliza, daughter of William P. LEE.  They lived 9 years in Crawford's Settlement, in the town of Dix, clearing up a forest farm.  In the Spring of 1832 they settled on the Lake road in Reading, about midway between Rockstream and Watkins, and that place has since been their home.  That town has contained no more enterprising or thrifty farmer, and few citizens of equal moral worth.  Industry was the great characteristic of his life, and his farm always bore the highest evidence of intelligent energetic management.  It was rendered largely productive by the eye and hand of a master who drove his work and was never driven by it; and who put his land under far better cultivation than most of the farmers of the country.  While a resident of Dix he embraced religion and united with the Presbyterian Church, to which his wife previously belonged, and soon after moving to Reading, joined the church at Rockstream.  During nearly the whole time since, a period of almost 40 years, he  has been an elder and deacon of that church, and ove of its most consistent and exemplary members.  At an early period of the Anti-Slavery agitation he was one of its most zealous and unflinching advocates and never hesitated to rank himself an Abolitionist and an earnest friend of the colored race.  He was also an equally devoted friend of Temperance and maintained through life, by precept and example, the sincerity of his convictin on that subject.
While a man of fixed and earnest opinions, he was kindly and social in his nature, and his heart was full of benevolence. His wife, who survives him at the age of 64, has been an unfailing and affectionate supporter of his labors and fortunes, aiding him by the best of housewife accomplishments in attaining the generous competence which they built up from empty handed poverty, and giving  him cordial sympathy and support in his moral and religious aims.  They have been the parents of 5 children, 4 of whom lived to adult age and were married, but none of whom survive.  They all died in early life, preceding their parents to the unseen world, and leaving them to mourn the entire loss of an interesting group of children.  Their only living descendants are 2 grand children, the offspring of their daughter Elizabeth, and 2 great grand children, the offspring of their grand daughter Lucia GABRIEL, daughter of John Plummer GABRIEL and wife of John Wallace CORBETT of Reading.  Their grandson Er Cleveland GABRIEL remains the presiding genius of the homestead with his grandmother.  Of the original family, 2 brothers of Luther CLEVELAND survive.  One still older is Er CLEVELAND of Sheldrake in the town of Ovid, Seneca county, and another, Noble CLEVELAND of the town of Dix, Schuyler co., 3 years younger.  Three sisters, all of whom are deceased, left considerable families of respectability and worth.  - Yates County Chronicle - provided by I.C.J.

December 26, 1872 - Christmas.
There were Christmas Trees at both the Methodist and Presbyterian Churches on Tues. evening last;  and consequently the good little children that attend the Sunday Schools in those churche were exceedingly merry on Christmas.  At the Presbyterian Church Santa Claus appeared in all his glory with long grizzly beard and flowing bear skin robes, hung all over with toys for the children.  Rumor says that he was in town all day, waiting for the festival;  he is said to have been seen lurking about the store of MOORE & STOTHOFF.  There was one feature in th distribution of presents to the scholars in the Presbyterian Sabbath School, that we regard as exceedingly commendable.  The gifts were graded in value according to attendance of the pupils, so that the children of the poorest frequently received a more costly present than their wealtheir neighbors.

January 9, 1873 - New Board of Supervisors Takes Over.
Listed  here are the Board of Supervisors:
Cayuta -- John G. REYNOLDS, Democrat.
Catharine -- Jesse LYON, Republican.
Dix --  J.W. THOMPSON, Democrat.
Hector -- William H. FISH, Democrat.
Montour -- Hull FANTON, Republican.
Orange -- Curtis MALTHY, Republican  (MALTBY?)
Reading -- George J. MAGEE, Democrat.
Tyrone -- Ethan JACKSON, Republican.
John G. REYNOLDS, Chairman and Charles H. FLETCHER, Clerk.

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1874

May 28, 1874 - Misc. news
The Havana Journal says "It is a matter of serious regret that the process of removing remains from the old cemetery near the Cook Academy should not have been thoroughly and speedily  performed.--The leaving of portions of the remains exposed about the grounds, as they still are, is a  most shameful negligence that is entirely inexcusable."

James HATTIS who was shot in the  head by Wm. MORGAN, at the Northern Central House in Watkins, on last July 3rd (1873), but who recovered, and  has since been pursuing his usual vocation, that of boatman, died at Coal Point on Thurs. night last, after a brief illness.--We understand that a post mortem examination was made by Dr. HEDDEN, of Havana, and that the ball from MORGAN's revolver was found lodged on the left side of the skull, and that the brain in the vicinity presented the appearance of inflammation.  It will be remembered that MORGAN was tried at the Circuit Court held in Watkins last December, for assault upon HATTIS with intent to kill, and was acquitted by the jury.

June 11, 1874 - Fire at stable of A. J. QUIGLEY.
A fire broke out in the livery stable of A. J. QUIGLEY, in Havana, about half-past one, Saturday morning last, destroying the barn and burning four horses, a hack and one or two buggies.  The loss is a severe one to Mr. QUIGLEY, as there was no insurance on the property.  The fire is supposed to have been the work of an incendiary and it came near being attended with the loss of human life.  The flames were discovered from the street, and when the first person broke into the stable, he found the hostler sleeping in that heavy slumber which is frequently induced by the heat and smoke of a conflagration, while the burning cinders were already beginning to fall upon his bed.

June 18, 1874 - Thomas BROWN attempts escape from jail, etc.
Thomas BROWN, a prisoner confined in the County Jail, awaiting an indictment for assaulting Policeman WILLIAMS, attempted to escape last Thurs. evening, by throwing salt in the turnkey's eyes, while opening the jail door.  It was luckily prevented, by the presence of William HAUSE, Esq., who happened to be near, and the prisoner now walks about a cell, with shackles on his feet, and eats nothing but bread and water.

Mixed drinks are still for sale at the Arlington House, for we saw inscribed on the mirrors, behind the bar, a legend to the effect that they had 'no license', but no power on earth or in the Board of Excise of Watkins, could prevent their selling Buttermilk.

July 2, 1874 - Anti-Tobacco Group forms in Logan, Hector.
In the early part of last spring an anti-tobacco society was organized at Logan, in the town of Hector.  The object of this Society is by untied effort to attempt the release of its members from the habit of tobacco using and the bondage which this habit imposes.   About 50 members were enrolled, including veterans whose hair was silvered, and youthful tyros just entering upon their teens.  Over half the company have the moral strength and will power to hold out, though several have been obliged to yield to the clamors of an appetite strengthened by  habit.  It costs nothing to become or remain a member in good standing, there are no initiation fees, or quarterly dues.  The funds of the Society are raised by fines.  Whenever a member violates his obligation by using tobacco in any form, he is fined one dollar for the first and second offenses respectively.  For the third offence he is fined and expelled.  And at the end of the each year the accumulated funds are divided among the members in good standing.

July 16, 1874 - "Splendid" MAGEE Home Nearly Completed.
The delightfully located residence of Gen. G. J. MAGEE, on Madison Ave., in this village [Watkins], is now nearly completed, and is to be one of the most costly and splendid mansions in the interior of the State.  It contains an incredible amount of room, much more than is indicated by its exterior appearance, and is finished from basement to tower in the highest and richest styles of woodwork and fresco, embracing a great variety of elaborate designs, which may be studied with increasing interest and pleasure for hours.  [Another article from Feb. 1948 says that a European-styled Youth Hostel is planned for the Recreation Building on the MAGEE International House property on N. Madison Ave., where 25cents will be charged per night.]

Wonderful Steam Caliope and 40 Dens, Tues. Jul. 21 in the Grand Parade.  Don't fail to see the big team of 10 Dromedaries, and their Egyptian attendants, all in oriental costume, and the magnificent Monster Music Car drawn by the Dromedaries in the Grand Parade at 10am.

July 24, 1874 -
Patrick FOLEY, living in the Fall Brook block near the Washington St. railroad crossing, lost a little child about two years old being run over by the cars [ie. train] on Thursday evening last week.

August 6, 1874 - Lafayette JONES' house destroyed by fire;  John SELLEN captures owl.
The house of Lafayette JONES in Havana [Montour Falls] was destroyed by fire early Sat. morning last.  The fire, which was undoubtedly the work of an incendiary, broke out about 1 o'clock AM, and seemed to have been set from the outside.  Mr. JONES was connected with a traveling show and was absent at the time in Indiana.

Uncle John SELLEN of Reading captured in his hen-house one morning this week, 'alive and well', a monster horned owl, which had been too intent on picking chicken bones to 'get out' before the old gentleman, who is an early riser, got around to feed and look after his poultry.  His owlship is now safely caged at the Arlington House in this village, and it is safe to predict that the sedate and solemn-visaged prisoner will keep up a brisk rivalry with the summer visitors at that popular hostelry, on the 'chicken question', for the balance of the season.

August 13, 1874 - Hannah WOOD's letter about her husband; Sheldon BASSETT description.
Dear Sir:--Under the caption of New Advertisements in the Express of July 30th, I find myself advertised as a fugitive from the bed and board of one Milton WOOD, and believing the Express to be the exponent of fair play, allow me to say through your valuable paper, to Mr. WOOD, that his insinuations as to "bed and board", are absolutely false.  First, as to the bed, we had none, except the one my father gave me, and upon which I have allowed him to lodge his poor, drunken, worthless carcass, already quite too long; and as to board, he had not furnished enough for the last 2 years to pay for his salt.  He talk of board!  Why the children have always assisted me in buying bread to keep his poor soul and drunken body together. --He caution people not to trust me!  It would have been more fitting that I should have posted him; but that would have been superfluous as no one who knows him would trust him, or possibly we could have kept the family together longer than we did.  One thing, and only one thing in particular is true, and that is that I have left the miserable man.  When, by the use of whisky, the once Milton WOOD transformed himself into everything contemptible and vulgar, forgetting every pledge of earlier life, forgetting his obligations to me and his children, forgetting himself, and at last forgetting God, and still not sated with havoc,  he pursues me with the malevolence of a drunken fiend--leave him I did.  Oh, liquor!  How many homes hast thou made desolate?  How many broken-hearted wives and homeless children has thou cast upon the cold charities of an unfeeling world?  Oh, thou mightly transformer of intellectual man into everything devilish!  But I am trespassing too much upon your space, and will close, wishing Mr. WOOD all the health, happiness and comfort he can ever expect to flow from his drunken carcass.  Very respectfully, I am Hannah Jane WOOD, Reynoldsville, Aug. 7, 1874.

Mr. Sheldon BASSETT, of Hector, is perhaps the oldest man living in Schuyler co.  He resides about a mile and a half from Peach Orchard.  He was born in Connecticut in the year 1780, and is now, consequently, in the 94th year of his age.  For upward of 50 years he has been a resident of Hector.  Mr. BASSETT has scarcely a gray hair in his head, and what is even more remarkable, reads without spectacles, and has a hearing and mind as good as ever.  The old gentleman is still about doing various kinds of work on his pleasant farm and takes great pleasure in social and friendly relations with  his neighbors and friends.  He sleeps well.  (Havana Journal)

August 14, 1874 - Unknown Irishman Drowned in Watkins (probably of Buffalo, NY)
An unknown man was found drowned in the slip at the Magee transhipment works, on this village [Watkins], on Sunday evening the 10th inst.  Coroner SKINNER was at once notified, an on his order, the body was taken to the engine house, for identification, and an inquest, which was held Mon. morning.  No papers or other articles were found on the body, by which his name or place of residence could be ascertained.  It is supposed that he belonged at Buffalo, as he was heard during the afternoon of Sat. inquiring the way to the tow boat bound for Geneva, from which place he said he intended to go to Buffalo on the canal.  Having been somewhat intoxicated, he seems to have mistaken his route to the steamer, with the result stated above.  He was a stout built man, of medium height, 5ft 6in, and an Irishman.  He wore a checked blue and white shirt, snuff colored pantaloons, heavy boots, had a rough, short beard, brown hair, and was probably 45 - 50 years of age.  Verdict of accidental drowning.

August 20, 1874 - Picnic on Lamoka Lake (Tyrone); Dressing for Watkins Glen
The Masonic Picnic held this week Tuesday, at Fleet's Grove, on the banks of Lake Lamoka, in the town of Tyrone, was an affair of much interest to the large body of Masons in attendance.  The grove, with its tall, stately trees adorned with a most bounteous and luxuriant foliage, situated on the east bank of one of the loveliest little inland lakes in all this beautiful lake country, is indeed, one of nature's most romantic and enchanting spots.  The lake is about two miles in length, and has an average breadth of about 3/4 mile.  The water is clear, pure and sparkling, varying from 10 to 50 feet in depth, and abounds in fresh fish of almost every variety found in our freshwater lakes.  How this beautiful little sheet of water could have once been misnamed "Mud Lake" is more than we can imagine, for there is nothing in or around it that suggests impurity of any kind.  It is estimated that there were not less than a thousand people on the ground that day, and we judge that at least half the number were ladies.

Watkins Glen - Something about dress - The following sensible hints on the proper dress for lady explorers of Watkins Glen, we find in the Elmira Advertiser:   We have often seen ladies starting for an excursion as neat as wax and fresh and clean as newly fallen snow, and we have seen them emerge from there in anything but that condition.  It is not to be expected, nor should it be so, that a walk through this marvelous construction of nature is like strolling about the trimcut lawn and clean, gravel ways of Eldridge Park.  If you go into Howes Cave or under Niagara Falls, you go prepared for the drip and the wet and the possible mud through which you are compelled to find your way.  Why not prepare when you would visit Watkins Glen?  And we have wondered that no hint has yet been given that it is no place for white skirts, thin shoes or delicate material.  You would most assuredly think so, too, if you had seen such specimens of white skirts make their appearance from the Glen as can be seen every now and then, when a party emerges therefrom.  A dark,  heavy skirt, reaching but little below the tops of the shoes, a shirt waist, no shawls or capes or sacques, and thick heavy walking shoes, is what a lady wants in going to the Glen.  With these, she will be somewhat on a par with her masculine brother, who would be laughed at if he started through the Glen having on a pair of white pants, although they would be as sensible as white shirts.

August 23, 1874 - William SHREEVES injured.
Wm. SHREEVES, of this village [Watkins], while at work in NEWMAN & DRAKE's Planing Mill, on Monday the 11th inst., was struck by the corner of a board which was accidently hurled with great force by the machinery, and a frightful gash nearly 3 inches long cut in his chin and cheek.  The cut extended through into the mouth, and it is a wonder that his teeth and jaw escaped as well as they did.  Dr. BENNETT dressed the wound and the patient is doing well.

Seneca Lake is nearly as high as the highest water mark of last Spring.  A very uncommon thing at the middle of August.

The latest patent is the "solar horse bonnet", a sort of double-decked parasol contrivance, which is stuck between the horse's ears to keep the ardent rays of the summer sun from frying his brains.  Luke ROWLAND, the Seneca Lake Ice Man, has a pair of them.

First Grand Regatta on Seneca Lake was held in 1874.

August 27, 1874 - Letter of Mary BOYES about her husband Thomas BOYES Jr.
Published in the Watkins Express
To Whom It May Concern:  All persons are hereby notified that I have not left the bed and board of my husband, Thos. BOYES Jr., for the very good reason that he never had a bed and board to leave.  But since my marriage I have lived at my father's, and Mr. BOYES has bedded and boarded much of the time at my father's, free of expense, while I have been compelled to support myself.  The entire amount I have received at the hands of my husband during the 16 months that he lived with me, is less than one dollar, in installments from three cents up to thirty.  I mention this as I would do his manhood all merited justice; and if he will pay me for the work I have done for him making his clothes I will gladly refund every penny I received at his hands, and will pay also for the candies he gave me during our courtship.  My friends and acquaintances may have been shocked at a public notification that I had left the bed and board of Mr. BOYES, but I think they have not been more amazed than I was, when, after he had absented himself a few days, he returned as usual to my bed, remained all night, slept quietly, and when about to leave in the morning, astonished me with the intelligence that he was not going to live with me any more, and "would not have returned now if he had not left a 20-cent pail that he wanted."  Mary BOYES

September 3, 1874 - P.T.Barnum's Travelling World's Fair in Watkins, etc.
Burglars are still at work all over the country.  Nearly all of our exchanges have accounts of their operations in their several localities.

A Regatta Hop will be given, under the auspices of St. Mary's Temperence and Benevolent Society, at Freer's Opera House, Thurs. evening, Sept. 10th.  Ticket $1.  (20,000 people expected to attend the Regatta on Seneca Lake).   Also held around this time were Trotting Races and the County Fair.

Henry PHILLIPS, an industrious and worthy colored man of this village - a carman by occupation - met with a serious loss on Sat. evening last by the burning of his stable and horse.  The origin of the fire is not known, but is supposed to have been accidental.

The man with the shortest memory on record is the one who has fogotten that P.T.Barnum's Great Traveling World's Fair will be here on Friday, Sept. 4th.  The large share of attention which P.T.Barnum always occupies in public mind is intensified to almost fever heat in this vicinity just now, and the firmness of the scrap-iron market, the frantic gymnastic efforts of the juveniles, the congregations before the bill boards, the pictorial appearance of the newspapers, the fluttering of numberless Advance Couriers and programmes, and the irrepressible evidence of interest, shared alike by staid citizen and street Arab, serve as constant reminders that the greatest of all amusement caterers, Great Traveling World's Fair, is to pitch its teeming metropolis of tents in Watkins on Friday next.  Ample opportunity will be given to converse with the mysterious Talking Machine, interview the Fiji Cannibals, dwarfs, giants, and other remarkable living phenomena;  study the magnificent collection of animals and amphibious marvels, including the towering living Giraffes, and monster Sea Lions; inspect the marvelous multitude of life-mimicking Automatons, and witness the superb circus performances, given in two separate rings at the same time, in the colossal Hippodrome.
Another article from August 1874 says:  Mr. Barnum has long been, is now, and undoubtedly, during the remainder of his wonderfully energetic and public-spirited life, will continue to be, the great central managerial figure in this great amusement-loving nation.  He is the best known and most talked-about man  of his, or perhaps any, time....Although employing over 1,000 men and horses, erecting canvases, one of which will seat 14,000 spectators, presenting thousands upon thousands of cardinal curiosities, and some 1,500 supurb animals, birds and reptiles, it is much more notable for rarest animate features than for magnitude.  In this wonderful combination of the wonderful Barnum there is nothing to give the slightest offense, but everything to instruct and delight.

September 24, 1874 - Crystal Springs Hotel Burned; Burglary of Rev. MANN
The hotel at Crystal Springs burned down about 2 o'clock Saturday morning of last week.  The largest part of the furniture was saved.  The building was owned by Mssrs. WRIGHT & SMITH, and was valued at about fifty thousand dollars.  There were some 60 guests at the hotel, who all save their property except one.  The fire was discovered in a closet, and must have been the work of an incendiary.

On Saturday night, the cellar underneath the home of Rev. D. C. MANN, on Sixth St., Watkins, was burglariously entered, and an unsuccessful attempt was made to remove therefrom a crock of butter.  The first intimation the family had tht the premises had been surreptitiously entered was on the following morning.  When the servant girl went into the cellar after some butter for the table, she discovered tht the crock was missing.  Looking about her, she found it standing in the cellar window, where the thief, probably frightened, had left it.

October 15, 1874 - Robberies in Watkins and Montour Falls (Havana)
On Friday evening, about 8 o'clock, as one S.W. HART was about leaving the "Northern Central", a house of no very good repute near the depot, he was accosted by  Charley JOHNSON, a disreputable attachee of the house, who offered to show him a nearer way up town than by way of Franklin St.  His kindness was appreciated by HART, who was muddled with liquor, and the two started up Decatur St.  They had not preceeded far, when JOHNSON seized HART by the throat and gagged him and deliberately rifled his pockets, finding nearly twenty dollars in currency, also a letter which, in his haste, he crammed into his own pocket with the  money.  As soon as HART was released he went to office of Justice HAUSE and caused a warrant to be issued for JOHNSON's arrest.  The warrant was placed in the hands of constable NARES who promptly arrested JOHNSON, and on search, found the money and the letter, which, with the other evidence, was sufficient to warrant his commitment to await the action of the grand jury.  The examination was held before Justice HAUSE on Monday.

Early Friday evening, as a pedlar  named C. FYBUSH sat smoking on the porch of the Montour House in Havana [Montour Falls], Truman ELMENDORF, formerly a baker at the Glen Park Hotel in this place [Watkins], entered the  hall of the hotel and, with the assistance of "pal" Robert CARUTHERS, known as "Hunkadora Jack", made off with two valises containing table linen, etc. to the amount of $200, the property of FYBUSH.  The pedlar soon discovered the theft, and subsequently having reason to suspect the two above named, caused warrants to be issued for their arrest.  The warrants were placed in the hands of constable CALL, of this village, who the next day arrested the parties.  It seems they proceeded with their booty to the side hill and, on becoming assured that they were not followed, walked to Watkins on the railroad track.  Arriving there, they deposited the goods in CARUTHER's house.  Constables CALL and SHERMAN instituted a vigorous search for the stolen goods, and succeeded in finding most of them scattered about in different places where they had been secreted or sold.  In searching for the pedlar's goods the officers identified certain other property as belonging to the Glen  Park Hotel.  ELMENDORF, who confessed that he had stolen the goods, informed the officers that other goods belonging to Glen Park Hotel were concealed in the house of Mrs. HARVEY, a washerwoman, who had at various times done washing at the hotel.  On searching her house, they found a number of plated forks with "Glen Park Hotel" engraved on the handles, also cups and saucers, table linen and other articles readily identified by Col. FROST.  CARUTHERS & ELMENDORF are both State prison graduates and first became acquainted while graduates in that institution.
 

October 22, 1874 - Gang of Counterfeiters Broken Up in Watkins Glen
The Parties Well Known in Watkins.  For several weeks during last summer, three men, Ben BALLARD, Bill BALLARD and Leander CLORIDY were guests of a restaurant opposite the Fall Brook House known as "the hole in the wall".  They had no ostensible occupation, but seemed to have plenty of money and came and went at their pleasure. -- They finally took their departure and nothing was  heard of them more, until the 13th of the present month, when papers were received by a gentleman in this village giving account of the capture of a gang of counterfeiters in Buffalo to which the three above-named belonged, and the discovery of their presses, dyes, and other material for manufacturing "the queer".  On the 17th ult., Special Detective G.B. PERKINS, of the Secret Service Dept., was sent to Buffalo to take the case in hand, a general knowledge of which was in possession of the department.  At Fort Erie (Canada side) is a hotel kept by Jack ALBRIGHT, a rendezvous of rogues of every degree.  Mr. PERKINS spent some time ostensibly fishing near this hotel, but really watching its inmates.  After "shadowing" Ben BALLARD, chief of the gang, who from time to time visited the place, for PERKINS and his assistants finally arrested him and an accomplice named McGLUE with a lot of counterfeit money on their person.  The parties waived examination and in default of bail were committed for trial.  Orville ALBRIGHT and another of the gang were separately arrested, and by presuming to know all about it the detectives shrewdly discovered the headquarters of the gang.  It is a small dwelling on an obscure street in Buffalo.  The detectives made descent in the house early on the morning of the 9th inst.  Its inmates were Tom BALLARD, Ann ADAMS, and Elizabeth BRITTON (reported wife of Ben).  They at first refused admission; but, unable to resist, made a virtue of necessity and opened their doors.  Nothing suspicious was found on the first floor;  but in the garret were found  press, dies, inks, etc.  Fourteen plates were found, one of which was a ten on the Farmer and Manufacturers' National Bank of Buffalo, a transferred plate of the First National Bank of Watkins.  About $10,000 in counterfeit money was found.  The examination before the Commissioner resulted in holding each of the defendants in sum of $15,000, in default of which were committed for trial.  It is suspected that several parties residing in Watkins are implicated in this matter and that other and quite startling developments will be made before many days.

October 22, 1874 - Arson Attempted
On Mon. morning, about ten o'clock, as Lewis ROBERTS, milkman, was on his round...he discovered smoke issuing from the windows of the little house recently erected by John WHEATON ("Little John") on a lot near the gas works.  He immediately gave the alarm of fire, and breaking through one of the windows which were boarded up, effected an entrance.  Rushing up the stairs, whence the smoke seemed to proceed, he there discovered on the floor a box containing a can of kerosene packed with a quantity of inflammable material, and the whole on fire.  In the excitement of the moment, he threw the box down stairs, upsetting the oil and scattering the saturated rags along the stairs.  The flames leaped up and Mr. ROBERTS, in order to escape, was obliged to rush through them.  This he did, singeing his hair and whiskers, but not otherwise injuring him.  With the assistance of the neighbors he soon succeeded in extinguishing the fire.  On inquiry, it was found that WHEATON had that morning taken the train for Dundee.  A warrant was issued and he was arrested that same day in Dundee.  He was examined before Justice HAUSE, Tues. morning, District Attorney FLETCHER appearing on behalf of the people, and C.H. EVARTS, esq., for defendant.  The continuation of the examination was delayed until today.  The main facts thus far elicited are these:
WHEATON owed for the lumber of which the house was built;  he had insured the house for $200 with CARD & SMITH;  was "hard up";  went to Penn Yan a few days before, returning with a jug of kerosene;  departed for Dundee on the morning of the fire, having previously deposited his bed-quilts, dishes, etc. in George LONGCOY's coal bin;  had a few weeks previouslly offered LONGCOY a shotgun if he would fire the building and had told LONGCOY's wife the house wouldn't stand there long.  WHEATON will doubtless be committed for trial.

The Democrat has an item concerning Watkins townsman Captain DEY:  D. P. DEY  has purchased a half interest for the United States, in the magnetic flash telegraphic signal patent.  It is an invention designed to communicate intelligence between ships at seas and in places where the telegraph cannot be used.  There  has always been needed some more perfect and certain means of communication between vessels on the ocean, and it is believed that this patent will meet every requirement.

October 29, 1874 - Citizens Aid Firefighters in Extinguishing Blaze (George CLINE's building)
Fire in Watkins.  About 7 o'clock Wed. morning, the tardy sleepers in this village were aroused by a shrill cry of fire and the ringing of fire bells.  In a few moments a crowd collected on the corning near the engine house and it was  discovered that the upper story in the rear of George CLINE's building was on fire.  A cloud of smoke wreathed up from the roof of the building but no flame was yet visible.  Soon the fire broke out and would doubtless have swept everything before it, had not the village firemen, aided by the citizens, with commendable zeal and public spirit, fought the flames and finally conquered them.  Two streams were brought to bear on the fire and in about half an hour the danger was over.  Time was given our citizens to remove Mr. MARKSON's stock of clothing to the engine house opposite.  Most of the goods in Mr. CLARK's cigar store, and the apurtenances of Mr. BEALE's news room and the billiard room overhead were removed.  The billiard tables were considerably damaged.  The building itself was badly damaged and will probably be torn down to make room for a brick building.  The property was insured for $3,000. Too much praise cannot be given the firemen and other public spirited citizens for their efforts in preventing the spread of the flames.

October 29, 1874 - Accident in Funeral Procession
On Mon. afternoon, as the funeral procession, following the body of young MORAN to the Catholic Cemetery in our village [Watkins], was moving along Decatur St., near 7th, a sudden halt frightened one of the horses, causing it to turn quickly about, throwing out both occupants of the carriage, Mrs. John KELLEY and her son, a young man about 23 years of age.  The carriage passed over Mrs. KELLEY who was also badly injured by the fall.  The horse ran down 7th street, narrowly escaping collision with Mr. Daniel BEACH's carriage which stood by the wayside, and finally collided with a wagon driven by Mr. Thomas CARPENTER, and was caught before inflicting any further injury.
Accident & Sudden Death (Thomas MORAN)
Late Sat. afternoon, as a son of Gen. MAGEE was playing near the gorge south of the North District school house on the side hill, he espied the body of a man lying on the rock below and partly submerged in the water.  The attention of others was called and the body, which was discovered to be that of one Thomas MORAN, was conveyed to the home of his parents in this village, and was on the Monday following buried in the Catholic cemetery near the Glen.  The attendance on his funeral obsequies was very large.  The deceased was 24 years old.  He was very generally beloved and respected.  Having been subject to epileptic fits for a number of years, it is presumed thatt his death was occasioned by a sudden attack of the malady while standing or walking near the ledge of rocks from which it was evident he had fallen.

November 12, 1874 - Shooting Affray near Cayuta Lake.
The Havana Enterprise gives the particulars of a shooting:  A shooting affray occurred near Cayuta Lake on Thur. evening of last week, in which one man was shot in the head and another seriously injured with a club or walking stick.  The wounded man is Julius STAMP, living at or near Newfield.  The account he gives is this:  Himself, Alonzo PALMER, S. S. FRIESE and Gilbert EDGCOMB had been threshing that day for Abraham LAWRENCE, and started from EDGCOMB'S, who boarded the hands, to go to Peter REDNER'S to a quilting.  On their way they heard two men coming towards them, cursing and swearing, and it was supposed, somewhat intoxicated.  The  party lay down by the side of the road to conceal themselves, and to see what was approaching.  It proved to be Wallace BECKWITH, and a son of  Harry BAKER.  One of them, when opposite the party, raised a stick and struck FRIESE, we believe on the back of the head, making an ugly wound....they rose and cuffed the boy who had struck the blow.  Two boys were chased off and were heard returning with others and a lantern.  STAMP, EDGCOMB, FRIESE and  PALMER sat upon the stump fence and STAMP walked quietly towards them to explain matters...young BECKWITH deliberately shot him in the head.  The ball struck at the corner of the forehead, just over the right eye...lodged in layers of bone.  STAMP was brought to Havana and the wound was examined and dressed by Drs. SHERWOOD, of Cayutaville, and AMES, of Watkins.  The surgeons...could not remove the ball....Justice WAKELY issued a warrant, and constable Archy THOMPSON arrested BECKWITH.

November 12, 1874 - Home Matters.
- P. S. CRANE had his  pocket picked of $85 while at Corning, on the 2nd inst.

-Mr. George ROBERTS recently left in our office a monster turnip which measures 29 inches in circumference.

-Watkins Library Association have recently added...60 new volumes of popular and standard works.  The library, at present located in the office of the Second National Bank, is open Saturday afternoons, and books are loaned to responsible persons for the small sum of five cents per week.

-A little son of John HOLLIS was leading a horse to water, on Mon. afternoon, when the animal jumped and kicked the boy in the head quite severely.

-Frank FARELY [FARRELLY?] was riding a horse water on Sun. evening, when the horse, stumbling, threw the boy off and broke his leg.  Dr. WAGER set the limb.

November 19, 1874 - Fire at STOTENBUR barn, Havana (Montour Falls)
Concerning the fire which, on Sunday the 8th inst., destroyed a barn belonging to Abram STOTENBUR, situated in the rear of the Webster House, Havana, the [Havana] Enterprise says:  the people of Havana desire to present their warmest thanks to the Watkins Fire Dept. ...mere words are not sufficient...The fire was no doubt the work of an incendiary.  The barn was occupied as a stable for the Ithaca and Trumansburg stage lines.  No lights or fire had been in it while it was so used.  Had the fire occurred in the morning, or near midnight, no earthly power could have saved the entire business portion of the town from complete destruction.  The barn was insured for $400 and was the third one of Mr. STOTENBUR'S destroyed within a year.

November 19 - Home Matters
- The Havana Magnetic Spring Sanitarium, under the management of Dr. De BORRA, was opened to the public on Monday last.

-Ed LESLEY committed by Esq. WAKELY on Monday, 9th inst., in default of bail to keep the peace.  LESLEY is a wild young man and had threatened to kill his parents.

-Rumors of the flattering success of the Cayuta coal hunters frequently find their way to this village....but the next day, another resident informs us that all the coal thus far obtained there could be put in a bushel basket, and that the prospects of finding coal in paying quantities in Cayuta are better than the prospect of finding gold, but not much better.

November 26, 1874 - Incendiarism on the rise in Havana (Montour Falls). [no specifics were given]

December 3, 1874 - Mrs. Mary MACKEY death
Mr. & Mrs. Thomas JACK of Tyrone went to Iowa on a visit with relatives in that state....they returned bearing news of the sudden death of Mrs. Mary MACKEY, of Postville, Iowa, sister of Mrs. JACK, sister also of Mr. William N. LOVE of Pine Grove in this county.  The corpse, which was delayed in Chicago by reason of an accident, arrived in Watkins this morning and was conveyed to the residence of Mr. LOVE.  The circumstances attending this lady's death are as follows:  On the morning of the 28th ult., Mr. & Mrs. MACKEY started from home for a ride in the country.  The horses, a splendid team, became frightened and unmanageable and Mrs. MACKEY, in attempting to jump out of the buggy, fell heavily and was fatally injured.  She expired, almost an hour after the accident, remaining unconscious to the last.  Mr. MACKEY made repeated attempts to dissuade his wife from jumping out.  He clung to the horses and finally, with great effort succeeded in regaining control over them.  Funeral services will take place at the residence of Mr. LOVE either today or tomorrow, and the body will be interred in Glenwood Cemetery.

December 1874 - Home Matters
-Willard Asylum for the insane has over nine hundred inmates.

-Work on the foundation of the new Masonic Hall at Tyrone is begun and will be continued as long as the weather will permit.

-We take this earliest opportunity to inform our readers that the "Dr. TALMADGE" who  has been sued for slander is T. Dewitt TALMADGE of Brooklyn Tabernacle, and not "Doc" the retired stage driver of this village (Watkins).

- Rev. John CRAVEN authorizes the Geneva Courier to state that he will pay a reward of $100 for the recovery of his brother Cornelius CRAVEN, drowned in Seneca Lake on the 13th [Nov.], by jumping while insane, from the steamer Onandaga into the Lake.  The reward can be obtained at James HIGGINS' store, Geneva, by any one producing the body...It is said that Cornelius CRAVEN, the insane man who jumped from a steamer on Seneca Lake, while en route to the Willard Asylum, became insane by reason of religious excitement.  His sister became insane in like manner... 5 incurable lunatics were being transported from the Marshall infirmary in Troy, including Cornelius CRAVEN from a Poughkeepsie asylum...he conducted himself in the best manner...a few minutes before he jumped overboard, he was engaged in conversation with a passenger who did not know he was a lunatic, so sensible was his conversation.

-Tom BALLARD, the notorious counterfeiter, whose operations in this village (Watkins) and Buffalo were recently chronicled in the Express, and his female accomplices--Julia Ann & Elizabeth BRITTON, alias Elizabeth BALLARD, his mother, and Ann ADAMS, his mother-in-law--were arraigned in the US Court at Auburn...they entered pleas of not guilty.  The case was put over to the Albany district US Court and Ballard's bail fixed at $10,000 and his accomplices at $5,000 each.

-The next annual meeting of the "Reading Anti-Thieving League" will be held at Reading Center the first Mon. evening in January 1875 (Jan. 4th).

-The Barrington [Yates co.] Homicide--Mrs. CAMPBELL acquitted...Homicide Trial Draws Crowd of Hundreds.   The trial of Mrs. Mary Ann CAMPBELL for the murder of her husband, Martin CAMPBELL, in Barrington, on the night of 6th February last, was commenced in a Court of Oyer and Terminer for Yates County on Tues., Dec. 1st, and was terminated on the Friday following, resulting in a verdict of "Not Guilty".  The Jury were out 12 hours....The prosecution was conducted by Dist. Attorney STRUBLE assisted by Charles S. BAKER, Esq.  George E. BAILEY, of Barrington, was attorney, and Hon. E. G. LAPHAM, of Canandaigua, counsel for the prisoner.  The testimony showed that the homicide was committed under very aggravating circumstances, by the son....testimony was given by Thomas BUSH, father of Mrs. CAMPBELL...[Summary: Stephen Wesley & James N. were sons of Mr. & Mrs. CAMPBELL.  Son James N. (about age 13) was a witness.  Mr. CAMPBELL was enraged first at his son Stephen, and then at his wife, and attacked her, and Stephen hit him in the head with a large stick of wood for the fire.]

December 10, 1874 - Misc. News.
A son of Freeman G. AULT, living near Moreland, recently broke his leg while wrestling with another boy.

The dwelling house of Mr. MORSE, about a mile and a half south of Moreland, was destroyed by fire on Fri. evening, the 27th ult.  Loss of $1,000; insurance $500.

A Tyrone correspondent of the Havana Enterprise thus chronicles an accident:  In our little Mud Lake (Lamoka) are many islands.  WELLER Bros own two of them.  They also own an old boat (called 'Old Scow') to take teams and men to the island.  On Fri. last the following started for the island:  Hod. SEBRING, Charley HANMER, Reuben BULLOCK, Phil. SEBRING and John LIBOLT, a span of horses belonging to WELLER Bros, and another team to Phil SEBRING.  When quite a distance out, the 'Old Scow' tipped up and all found themselves in the cold waters.  Mr. WELLER was some distance from them in a row boat, and before he could render the necessary assistance, Mr. LIBOLT was nearly drowned, as he could not swim.  One of WELLER's horses and one of Mr. SEBRING's swam to the shore, the other of Mr. WELLER's took the wrong direction and tangled in the weeds and was only extricated by the most strenuous efforts.  The other horse of Mr. SEBRING became excited and swam in various directions and was finally drowned.  Mr. SEBRING feels his loss keenly.

Unknown date; Approx. 1874 or so:
[Marriage]  "At the residence of Augustus ELY, in Hector, on the 30th of ___? , by Rev. C.H. CHESTER,
Rev. C.C. CARR, of Horseheads, NY and Mrs. Olive M. CHEEVER."

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