USA > Pennsylvania > Clinton County > Historical and biographical work, or past and present of Clinton County, comprising a sketch of every town and township of the county from date of settlement up to the present time > Part 37
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The twelve men selected, in whose hands was to rest the life of Luther Shaffer, were as follows:
Emanuel Robbins, farmer, Pine Creek township.
John Pluff, farmer, Chapman township.
Frank Barnhart, laborer, Colebrook township.
Miles Caldwell, laborer, Bald Eagle township.
Samuel Smith, laborer, Woodward township.
William Eyer, farmer, Beech Creek township. Thomas Burke, laborer, Noyes township.
Frank A. Heydrick, barber, Second ward, Lock Haven.
Jacob Messerly, laborer, Dunnstable township.
Frederick Amm, farmer, Green township.
Charles Shoemaker, clerk, Second ward, Lock Haven.
George Iler, carpenter, Dunnstable township.
The trial of Shaffer ended on Thursday afternoon, December 8th, 1887. The jury were out but a few moments, and returned with a verdict of guilty of murder in the first degree. A new trial was asked for, but re- fused by the Court, and Shaffer was sentenced to be hanged for the mur- der of Nora Colby.
The day set apart by Governor James A. Beaver for the execution of Luther J. Shaffer was Wednesday, April 4th, 1888. The gallows built for Nelson E. Wade, the murderer of the McBride family, was brought from Williamsport, and erected in the jail yard at Lock Haven, and upon this structure the murderer was executed. Previous to his death he pro- fessed religion; embraced the Catholic faith, and was buried in the Cath-
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PAST AND PRESENT OF CLINTON COUNTY.
olic cemetery on Susquehanna avenue, Lock Haven. The execution of. Shaffer was conducted by Sheriff W. J. Leahy. The Klines were after- wards discharged by an order of the Court, and allowed to return to their homes. Johnson was tried for being an accomplice of Shaffer, as the threats he had made against the Colbys led people to think he was guilty. He was, however, ably defended by his attorneys, W. H. Clough and John B. Myers, and was acquitted.
The farm of the murdered Colbys remained untenanted. The place was visited by the great flood of June Ist, 1889, and every vestige of buildings and fences carried away. Cherry run, made historic by the tragedy, is all that is left to mark the spot.
NOTE-We are indebted to the publishers of Pennsylvania Grit for the facts given above, as the points were taken from a history of the Colby tragedy, published by them at the time when everything was fresh in the minds of the people.
THE CLEARY MURDER.
The Cleary murder occurred at Renovo, Clinton county, Pa., March 12th, 1889.
Policeman Philip M. Paul was shot and killed by Charles Cleary. Paul had arrested Cleary for boisterous conduct, and had taken him to the lock-up. While the officer was in the act of opening the door, Cleary drew a revolver from his pocket and fired; the ball took effect in the officer's body, and he died in a short time. Cleary escaped for a time, but was captured and brought before Hon. C. A. Mayer and his associates, James W. Crawford and W. Kipp Chesnutt, at the May term of court, 1889.
The commonwealth was represented at the trial by Dis- trict Attorney Brungard and Hon. T. C. Hipple. The at- torneys for Cleary were W. C. Kress and C. S. McCormick. The jurors were as follows: D. C. Chambers, Byron Van- dersloot, C. Smith, Robert Miller, Harry E. Evans, E. E. Chambers, N. C. McCloskey, Adam Earon, Thomas Arm- strong, Stirling McKean, Stewart Law and Jesse Ricker.
The trial began May 14th, 1889, and a verdict of murder in the first degree was rendered May 17th, 1889. The de-
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PAST AND PRESENT OF CLINTON COUNTY.
fense applied for a new trial, which was refused. The case was then carried to the Supreme Court, and the judgment of the lower court set aside.
The second trial of Cleary occurred at the April term of 1891, before Hon. C. A. Mayer and his associates, James W. Crawford and James W. Clark. The commonwealth was represented by A. W. Brungard and Hon. John H. Orvis, and the defense by Messrs. Kress and McCormick.
A verdict of murder in the first degree was rendered, May 2d, 1891, and Cleary was sentenced to be hanged. The case was again carried to the Supreme Court, and the judgment of the lower court sustained. June 7th, 1892, was appointed by Governor Pattison as the day of execution. The case was then taken before the Board of Pardons, and the sentence commuted to imprisonment for life. Charles Cleary was then taken to the Western penitentiary, where he is now serving the first year of a life sentence.
THE LOVETT MURDER.
On the morning of December 14th, 1889, two brothers, William and John Lovett, left their homes in Gallauher township, and drove to Lockport, opposite Lock Haven, where they left their team and wagon, and crossed the river bridge to Lock Haven. Upon their arrival in the city they fell into the company of two brothers, William and Charles Brown. A feeling of enmity existed between the Lovetts and Browns, and during the day a quarrel took place. Wil- liam Lovett was a large, powerful man, greatly feared by the Browns, who had on several occasions been roughly handled by him. On this occasion the bitter feeling re- sulted in murder. The Browns crossed the bridge during the evening, and there awaited the coming of the Lovetts, who were accompanied by a man named Sweesey. Charles Brown took the brake stick from Lovetts' wagon and awaited their coming at the end of the bridge. At the ap- pearance of the Lovett party, who were unaware of their danger, Brown raised his club and brought it down with
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PAST AND PRESENT OF CLINTON COUNTY.
full force upon the head of John Lovett. William Lovett, who attempted to assist his brother, received a blow which felled him to the earth. After he had fallen Brown con- tinued to beat him until his own strength failed, when he walked away, leaving Lovett in a dying condition. The Browns went to their homes, and the brother and com- panion of the murdered man, not realizing the full extent of his injuries, dragged him into a shed near by, and built a fire. About daylight on Sunday morning a man named Lindsay came along and discovered the men, who were asleep. Upon investigation he found that William Lovett was dead. His companions were aroused. Lewis Hoover, who resided near, was awakened and called to the scene, and Sheriff Leahy was sent for. Upon arriving at the spot and learning the particulars of the murder, he at once took steps to prevent the escape of the Browns. He secured the assistance of Constable Ellis Myers, and together they pro- ceeded to Dunnstown, to the home of the Browns. The home of William Brown was first visited, and himself taken into custody. They then proceeded to the house of Charles Brown, who was arrested and both lodged in jail.
Coroner J. S. Mader empaneled the following jury : Orrin T. Noble, Lewis Winner, X. B. Ringler, A. L. Mer- rill, S. McIsaac and P. W. Keller. After viewing the body the jury adjourned until Monday morning, when they met at the office of Alderman J. W. Harris, and rendered their verdict, as follows: "That William Lovett came to his death from wounds received at the hands of Charles Brown." William Brown was afterwards released from custody, and at the next term of court, beginning Monday, February 24th, 1890, Charles Brown was convicted of the murder of William Lovett. The verdict of the jury was murder in the second degree. Brown was sentenced to the Western peni- tentiary for a term of ten years and six months. It is said that since his incarceration he has increased the length of his term by bad conduct toward the prison authorities.
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PAST AND PRESENT OF CLINTON COUNTY.
William Lovett, the murdered man, was aged thirty-eight years. He was a married man, with a wife and two chil- dren. Charles Brown, the murderer, was also a man of about the same age. He has a wife and three children, who yet reside in Dunnstown. In this trial the commonwealth was represented by District Attorney Brungard and T. T. Abrams, and C. S. McCormick and H. T. Harvey for the defense.
NOTE I .- In the sketch of Gallauher township the name Jack Lovett appears by mistake; the name of William Lovett should be used.
NOTE 2 .- Several other murders have occurred in Clinton county, one of an Irishman, who was killed at Ferney's Run, and another of a man who was killed at the Washington Iron works. The true facts in these cases could not be obtained. The person or persons who did the killing in both cases escaped, and their names remain unknown.
NOTE 3 .- As we intend issuing a second edition of this work, we will consider it a favor if our readers will call our attention to any errors of facts or dates.
CONCLUSION.
It was the intention of the Author to add many other points of history before concluding this volume, but space will not permit. Hoping our efforts to make this work one of interest and usefulness will be understood and appre- ciated by its readers, we remain,
Very truly yours,
THE AUTHOR.
INDEX.
PAGE.
Sketch of author.
5-6
Sketch of Jerry Church 6-15
Sketch of Clinton County 15-23
Associate Judges 23-24
Representatives
24-25
District Attorneys.
25-26
Sheriffs. 26
Prothonotaries
26-27
County Treasurers. 27-28
28
Commissioners 28-30
30
County Auditors.
31-32
County Superintendents. 32
Population of County. 32
Present County Officials 33
Fish and Game Protective Association.
33
Medical Society
34
Post-Offices.
34
Agricultural Society
34
Pomona Grange
35
Geology of Clinton County.
36-52
Townships of Clinton County.
53-94
Lock Haven. 95-158
Organizations and Corporations. 159-181
City Officers and Biographies. 182-185
Biographies of County Officials. 186-193
Members of Clinton County Bar . 194-202
Physicians of Lock Haven. .203-206
Dental Surgery 207-209
Prominent Citizens. 210-220
Prominent Business Men. .221-229
Renovo 230-256
Corporations and Organizations of Renovo. 257-266
Hotels of Renovo. .267-269
Professional Men of Renovo. 270-282 Loganton Borough .283-288
Corporations and Organizations of Loganton. .289-292
Prominent Citizens of Loganton. .293-297
Beech Creek Borough. .298-303
Registers and Recorders.
Coroners
PAGE.
Biographies of Beech Creek. 304-308 Mill Hall Borough. 309-315
Hotels and Organizations of Mill Hall. . 315-316
Biography 317
Westport.
.318-323
Prominent Citizens of Westport. .
.323-325
Organizations and Hotels of Westport.
326
North Bend.
. 327-334
Hyner
.335-336
Biographies
.336-338
Salona. .339-342
Prominent Citizens of Salona.
342-344
Mackeyville
.345-347
Biography.
.347-348
Rote .. .
348-349
Cedar Springs
349-351
Tylersville.
352
Biographies
353
Booneville
. 353-354
Logan Mills
354
Biography .
355
Green-Burr
.355-356
Rauchtown
356
Biography .
357
Farrandsville. .357-360
Glen Union.
.361-362
Hammersleys Forks. .362-363
Biographies 363-364
Woolrich
364
Lockport
.365-366
Lamar.
.366-368
Flemington
368-370
Biography
370
Dunnstown.
371-373
Clintondale. 374
Pine Station. 374-375
McElhattan.
375
Wayne
375
Keating
375-376
Castanea
376
Deserted Villages. .377-379
Old Families of Clinton County. .380-385
Old Residents of Clinton County .386-390
Floods .391-399
Fire.
400-403
Murders
404-417
Conclusion
417
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