| YEARS GONE BY ARCHIVES |
| Pottsville Republican of June 2, 1911 CONSIDERING NEW ASYLUM BUILDING Conferring with Architect L. L. Stockton and the county commissioners, the court held a brief session today, to take up matters in connection with the erection of the new Almshouse hospital at Schuylkill Haven. The conference was at first called off at the advice from Mr. Stockton, that he could not be present today, but last evening word was sent that he would be here and the judges were summoned by telephone and went to the courthouse to talk over the matters under advisement. Several makes of bricks which were considered by the architect were considered by the judges but nothing was given out for publication as to the character of the building material which will be used. SMALL RIOT AT ALMSHOUSE Being refused an increase in wages from $1.50 to $1.75 a day, a number of foreigners employed on the construction of the new county insane asylum at Schuylkill Haven struck this morning and started a small riot. Some of the men refused to work and while the others were down in the pits digging they were showered with stones. When the bosses attempted to interfere they too were set upon and driven back. The State Police were asked for assistance and sent two men on horseback to the scene. When the troopers arrived the men were still assaulting the other workmen but stopped on the appearance of the officers. Everything quieted down and the men returned to work this afternoon. During the rain of stones a number of the men were struck but not seriously injured. CHARGED PASSING BAD BANK CHECKS On Tuesday a man entered the drug store of W. J. Downs of Schuylkill Haven and asked to be shown some rubber goods. After deciding on a purchase of $3.45, he tendered a check drawn on the Schuylkill Trust Company of Pottsville for $10.00. Nothing was thought of the matter until this check, like one presented in Pottsville, was returned with the same marks, "n. g." About the same time the check was received from the bank by Dr. Downs another was received by Doutrich and Company, the well known gents furnishers of Schuylkill Haven. It appears that the same man entered the latter store and making a purchase to the amount of $2.45 gave a check for $10.00 on the same bank as the others. It was cashed and the fellow given his change. The matter was then placed in the hands of Constable Butz and after a search lasting all day Thursday and yesterday, the constable came across Lionel M. Kocher, who answered the description. He was placed under arrest and taken before Squire C. A. Moyer, of that town, and it was said was positively identified by the two victims. Constable Butz, knowing that the party answering the description of Kocher was wanted in Pottsville, placed the man aboard a car and arrived here shortly after nine o'clock. He was taken to police headquarters and Chief Davies told of the circumstances. The chief in turn summoned the proprietor of the local drug store and the Trust Company. When Dr. Hodgson and the employee of the Trust Company arrived, they positively identified the man as the one who was in the store last Monday. At the time of the arrest the fellow was somewhat under the influence of drink and denied he was the party wanted. He was given a hearing before Alderman McCool and then sent back to police headquarters for the night. This morning Chief Davies and Constable Butz went to Schuylkill Haven where they made a search of the entire house occupied by the man. They found that the wife of the man was sick in bed with a child less than a week old by her side but nothing of a suspicious nature was discovered. The two officers then returned to Pottsville where they took the man into the chief's office. Here he again refused to acknowledge having passed the checks. He was informed by Chief Davies that if he would acknowledge the offense and endeavor to pay back the money, charges would be dropped. Pottsville Republican of June 3, 1911 ATTEMPTED TO PASS OTHER CHECKS Through the efforts of Constable John H. Butz, it has just been ascertained that Daniel M. Kocher, who was arrested Thursday on the charge of passing two worthless checks on Schuylkill Haven merchants and another on a Pottsville merchant, attempted to pass several other checks on merchants in Schuylkill Haven. Several evenings ago he entered the shoe store of William Kline in Schuylkill Haven and asked to be shown several pairs of ladies shoes. The proprietor was away at the time and the man was waited upon by the proprietor's wife. Finally Kocher selected two pairs and tendered the same kind of a check in payment. Mrs. Kline stated that she could not cash the check on account of not having sufficient change on hand. Kocher asked for what change she had and stated that he would call when Mr. Kocher returned. That was refused. Finally he stated that he would leave the check, take the shoes along and return later for the change. That was agreeable to Mrs. Kline and the fellow departed. That was the last heard of him. It is also reported that the same person attempted to work John Bowman, another shoe merchant of Schuylkill Haven, but failed. From another reliable source it was ascertained that the fellow worked the same tricks in different parts of the county and it would occasion no surprise if at least a half dozen merchants and storekeepers would make known their loss within the next several days. Kocher is still in the Schuylkill County jail, where he maintains a complete silence. Although the home of the defendant has been searched, the goods obtained from the three Schuylkill Haven merchants and the Pottsville merchant have not been found. Either they have been sold to parties in another town or the fellow hid them away for a future time. Pottsville Republican of June 5, 1911 LEHIGH VALLEY CONDEMNS RAILROAD TRESTLE The Lehigh Valley Railroad Company has condemned the trestle at the Almshouse which is made use of in the hauling of coal to the institution and have refused to haul any more coal upon the structure, which is in danger of collapsing. A conference will be held between the controller, commissioners, directors of the poor at the Almshouse on Thursday for the purpose of considering the preparation of plans for a new trestle or the repairing of the old one. Pottsville Republican of June 9, 1911 SCHUYLKILL HAVEN SHORTS The special committee that was appointed to inspect the old hose house in the North Ward, and to determine the changes that should be made in it in order to convert it into a school room reported. This committee was also directed to consider the disposition of the various schools and grades to adjust them to the best advantage under existing conditions. This committee recommended that the seventh grade and the desks in Room Number 3 be transferred to the old hose house in the North Ward; that the third grade class in the South Ward be abolished and those 22 pupils be transferred to Number 9 school in the main building; that Mr. Bensinger's eighth grade school be transferred from the Liberty hose house to Room 11, South Ward building; that 18 of the South ward second grade pupils be sent to the school of the same grade in the main building, Number 3; and that the other 18 be left in Number 15 for a double grade school; that a new sixth grade school be put into Room 3 and new desks be purchased for that room. All these recommendations were accepted by the board. This action saves the rent of the room in the Liberty hose house and leaves the number of teachers for next term the same as the term just closed. Pottsville Republican of June 16, 1911 SCHOOL BOARD NOTES Boys and girls of the high school and eighth grade who have books to read and report on, if they are ready should come to the principal to report before June 28th as Mr. Heckert will leave town about that time. After that date they can report to Mr. Ziegenfus. Any boys or girls between fourteen and sixteen years of age who desire to work or may get a chance to secure employment during the summer should get an employment certificate now while the principal is in town. The law allows no person to employ children under the age of fourteen at any time, vacation or otherwise. Consequently a principal of schools has no legal right to issue employment certificates to any child under the age of fourteen years at any time during the year. The Building and Repairs Committee of the school board inspected the main school building on Saturday and recommended some needed improvements in the building at the board meeting on Monday night. The following motions were approved: 1) The senior class be required to take German as a study, the common term, in order to give them five branches of study 2) That no full new supply of books, "The Pennsylvania Citizen" be ordered 3) That due to changes in state requirements, a change in the English courses in the high school be changed 4) That the use of Dodge's geographics be continued without a readoption 5) That as an experiment, Fred Sterner be given all boys and Miss Cleary all girls for next term. President Jones reported that rumors and reports came to him during the week to the effect that Miss Reinhart was not legally qualified for consideration as a teacher, not being eighteen years of age and yet she was elected one of the corps. The president stated that she was elected because of her strong qualities as a teacher and on the assertion that she was eighteen. The young ladies' father, Bert Reinhart, stated he reported her to be eighteen because advised to do so by legal counsel, that she lacked but a few weeks of being eighteen years of age and under a legal proceeding she would be considered eighteen. He made the assertion in good faith and felt confident in doing so. The members of the board bore him out in this. Legal counsel was present at the meeting and he advised that the position be left open until Miss Reinhart was qualified as to age and a substitute teacher take charge of her school. On motion th position was declared vacant. |
| JUNE 1911 |