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100 Years Ago This Month

October 1917

October 5

Charges For Selling Booze Dismissed

The three Emmitsburg men who were tried on charges of selling booze to United States soldiers from the Gettysburg camp, in violation of federal law, were dismissed. There was not sufficient evidence to convict the accused.

Reifsnider Gets Four Years

Four years in the Maryland penitentiary was a penalty inflicted on John Reifsnider after he had been found guilty of stealing a beef hide worth $11.52 from Gillelan & Son in September.

Automobiles Left Along Roadside.

This week, starting Sunday, several automobiles have been left along the roadside in the neighborhood. One, in badly damaged condition, was seen at the foot of Payne’s Hill, another was discovered near Hollinger's orchard on the Waynesboro Pike, and a third was towed into a local garage from a point between Emmitsburg to Mount St. Mary's.

Robberies In The Open Now

Robberies these days are being done out in the open in Emmitsburg. The failure to apprehend the thieves who, heretofore broke into premises, have emboldened them to pilfer under the glare of the electric lights. Saturday night Mr. Maurice Topper’s buggy was hitched in front of Fraley’s store, two persons lifted a lot of groceries out of the back of it and were about to return for a twenty-pound bag of sugar when they were frightened off by the return of the owner.

October 12

French Creek Home Burns

A log house occupied by Mrs. Catherine Hardman and daughter, situated near French Creek, was completely burned to the ground Sunday. The fire was first noticed by the neighbors. Some furniture on the second floor was consumed in the blaze. Some paper money was also lost. Neighbors rendered all the assistance possible. Mrs. Hardman is a nonagenarian and was assisted from the house with difficulty. They spent the night with relatives in the section. There was no insurance on the property.

Enormous Pumpkins On Display

Mr. Kerrigan has on display in one of his spacious windows of his store on East Main St. three enormous pumpkins of the sweet potato variety, weighing 40, 45, and 50 pounds respectively. Mrs. Kerrigan prides herself as being a good horticulturalist but these pumpkins surpass all other vegetables of this class she has ever raised in her garden. On Tuesday, a very large stalk of corn eleven-feet tall and bearing three large ears was presented to the Chronicle office.

T. J. Frailey Receives Appointment

Among the appointments of noncommissioned officers in the 313th infantry of the Maryland Regiment, the name of Thomas Joseph Frailey is announced as corporal. It will be remembered that Mr. Frailey is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Frailey.

October 19

Soldiers In Altercation

All Monday night several soldiers from the Gettysburg camp got into an altercation which developed into a free-for-all gash fight that resulted in smashing craniums, decorated faces and slit ears. On Tuesday night a soldier from the Gettysburg camp was arrested, charged with stealing an auto robe from a car standing on West Main Street.

Schoolchildren Give Entertainment

Before a large and appreciative audience, pupils of St. Euphemia's school gave an entertainment on Tuesday afternoon in honor of Christopher Columbus. The stage and Hall were decorated in the national colors, ferns and cut flowers, and presented a beautiful spectacle. The program was well rendered even from the smallest child to the largest member participating. The dramatic numbers were highly commendable and received rounds of applause.

Maryland Draft Men Transferred

The first of the drafted men from Camp Meade who have been assigned to train at Camp Gordon arrived in Atlanta Wednesday. The first arrivals are all Marylanders and even though they have already been examined and equipped there was little of the regular routine for them to follow when they were marched into the reception posts. They were assigned to different companies and started work as if they had been in Atlanta from the beginning of training. Those from Emmitsburg, members of Company I, who have been removed to Camp Gordon are: Martin Hall and, Clarence Baumgardner, Joseph Kriets, and Guy Knott. William Shuff, who remained at Camp Meade, was raised to the rank of Corporal.

October 26

Camp Gettysburg Disbanded

The monster military athletic tournament, which was to have been held at Mount St. Mary's College next Wednesday, was called off at the last moment because of orders from Washington to the Gettysburg Camp to break camp, and move to Camp Green, South Carolina.

This tournament was to have been the biggest military athletic event of the year. An entire regiment was to have hiked in from Gettysburg to Emmitsburg. There would have been three regimental bands, over 100 contestants, football and baseball games, track events in the regimental drill-all. Proceeds were going to the Gettysburg Camp Athletic Fund.

Preparations on elaborate scale were being made for this big event and an enormous crowd was expected. The disappointment at the unavoidable upsetting of the plan is disappointing to the officers and to the people here. But as these are war times all understand change orders may come at any moment so everyone accepts the situation philosophically.

Narrow Escape From Death

Messers. Roy and Jack Oden, of Emmitsburg, narrowly escaped death from drowning on Wednesday morning. The young men were crossing Flat Run, which was in a turbulent state caused by the heavy rains of Tuesday night, and were washed down the stream some 50 yards. After floundering for three quarters of an hour they were washed ashore. The buggy they were driving was completely demolished but the occupants and the horse escaped injury. Meanwhile, automobilists were put to some inconvenience by having to make a detour owing to the fact that a new floor was being laid in the bridge over Tom's Creek and all stream crossing was impassable.

Runaway On Saturday

During the Frederick Fair Mr. Mead Patterson, of Emmitsburg, bought a very fine mare, a spirited animal with plenty of speed. Saturday night it broke loose from the hitching post in front of Mr. Patterson's house and came up Main Street at a 2 10 gait, having in tow an empty runabout. The horse was eventually stopped at the western edge of town and no damage to the animal or vehicle occurred.

Attempted Robbery

It was reported that on early Sunday morning an attempt was made to rob the 5 & 10-cent store on Frederick Street. Report has it that a key was broken off in the front lock and that the glare from a flashlight was seen in the place by neighbors in the vicinity. An examination of the stock did not disclose any evidence of a "hall."

"Strong Men" subdued.

Strong Man In Town

Saturday evening there was a real melodrama, a "strong man" was in town itching to knock someone's block off, beat up a prizefighter and shed gore generally. He was a soldier, or rather a fake "bad man," wearing a soldier’s uniform hidden under overalls. He was big enough to put a crimp in Jess Willard and used more fiery language then "Deadwood Dick," of ancient dime novel fame, but as it usually happens when a bluff was called by the constable he became as docile as a lamb, paid a fine and moved on like a real nice little boy.

Committee Formed For Food Conservation

Cooperating in the movement for food conservation throughout the county a waste campaign will be held in Emmitsburg district. Every housekeeper will be visited by members of the committee and the aid of each housewife will be solicited. Mr. Lewis Motter has been named captain for the county, and Mrs. Andrew Annan has been appointed chairman for the Emmitsburg district. There will be pictures of food conservation at the moving pictures in St. Emphenia’s Hall on Friday night.

Humerick’s Celebrates Golden Wedding

The golden anniversary of the wedding of Mr. and Mrs. George Humerick was celebrated on Monday at their home near Emmitsburg. The old couple are in excellent health and were overjoyed to see all their descendents gathered around them. Every member of the family came to visit their parents during the course of the day, within the event was a series of glad meetings of old-time friends and a general good time for both young and old. The Humericks have ten living children, who are always delighted with the prospect of visiting the home on the mountainside. Most of them have scattered to different parts of the country, and this was the first instant in a long time every one of them visited their parents at the same time. The Humerick’s received many presents during the day and at the luncheon a monster cake on which 50 candles burned brightly occupied the center of the long table around which her ten children were seated.

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