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, NY; 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.