m

C A T S K I L L M O U N i m N E W S fflnnrlin,' tte OsBunanitlM of Ailahwi, Andea, Araoa, Arkville, fidtoayre, Bif Ii^laa, Denver, I>rj Brook, Donnven, FleiMshmmnns, Grand Gorfe> Ailoott Cmter, HaloOttvUle, EOcimioant, Belly Comers, BfsrgvetvfUe, New Kincstom, Oliverea, Phoenicia, Pine mil, Boxbnry, Shsndskea, Skavertown, Union Grove and Other*.

ToL ?«. No. 45. Whole Number 8945. BfABGABETVILLK, NEW YOBK, FBIDAY,vFEBBUABY 10. 19S9 ESTABUSHED IN 186S. Price—live Oeala

I I'i

f

} -

Abraham Ward Shoots Self At

Fleischmanns Despondent Over Health,

Blows Head Off wkh Sho^^un

Body Fo^By Wife Bought Gun Pew Hours Be-

fore. Planned Death in Deliberate Manner

A shotgim 'blast wiiidi tore off the rig^t side of Abraham Ward's liead, killing him instantly, in a vacant Fleisdtmianns' store Mwi-day ni£^t, was self inflicted.

Mr. Wwd, 45, a helper in a re-tail liquor store, was found by his -wife at the rear of the store, in the former John Hedler building, At 10 Monday i^jght. A box of shotgun shells lay under the body and the .gun, a 16 guage, single "barreled weapon Mr. Ward had purdiased (mly a few hours before, was beside him.

Dr. G. A. Tepfer of Fleisch-jnanns, acting for Dr. Julian A.. Oaul oi Roxbury, Delaware coun-ty coroner, gave a verdict of death l}y suicide. TYo(^)ers J. P. Mc-Garvey and Joseph Nolan of this -Yillage investigated and submitted « report to Dis&ict Attorney CUeason B. Speenbur^ It was « dear case of suicide, they said.

Despondency over ill health during the past three or four years was given as the reason for the act.

Mr. and Mrs. Ward made their home over the vacant store and the adjoining liquor ^op, also in the same building. Mrs. Ward acted as clerk in the liquor store, owned by her brother, Abraham Silverstein, and her husband as-sisted her. During the winter sea-son, business at the store is slow -and it is often kept locked. The occasional customers ring a bell and Mrs. Ward comes down stairs, via the vacant store, to wait on them.

It was while on one of these trips that Mrs. Ward ^covered her husband's body. "The right side of his face and head was blown away by the charge of shot Running next door, Mrs. Ward notified Dr. and Mrs. Tepfer. The troopers were called a few moments later.

The troopers learned that Mr. Ward had bought the gun at Hal-pera's at 6 o'clodc. Mrs. Ward and Mrs. Tepfer said that they heard a muffled sound and then a thud about 9 o'clodc but neithn-realized that it undoubtedly was the report of the gun and Mr. Wani's falling body. He evident-ly had placed the gun between his legs, leaned over the muzzle and pushed the trigger with one hand.

The store in wWdi Mr. Ward committed the act is used as FSsdier's tailor shop in the sum-mer, but is dosed for the winter.

Gatskills Lie Under Heavy Snow Blanket

The Catskill lie imder the heaviest blanket of snow in several years. Weather wise folk daim it is seven years ago since there has been so mudi snow as now. Roads are plowed almost daily and it is difficult for the woricers to keep ahead of the constantly falling snow. On the Millbrook mountain the snow is piled 12 feet high on either side of ti»e road. Hiermometers touch zero almost nightly.

TTiousands of people went to Phoenida last Sunday to partake in and wltitess the winter sports. It seemed like the county fair. A thaw last week followed by in-tense c(dd brought a heavy crust that on Sunday would almost "hold a horse."

PARADISE LODGE OPENS WITH CROWD

About Five Hundred Folks Visit New Hotel on Opening Nig^t.

Had a Good Time Paradise L o ^ (the former Wa-

wanda) opened last .Saturday eve-ning with a crowd. Mine Host J. P. Pappas estimated that over five hundred people were his guests during the evening. He was amazed at the number who came. He had never before had an ex-perience with News advertising.

The crowd danced to the strains of the Melodians, enjoyed the good food and drinks served by the hotel and had a general good time. The bar ran out of gin, so great was the crowd beyond the expecta-tions of the hoteL Mr. Pappas did everything in his power to make his guests at home and gave a favorable impression as to his ability to operate a hoteL

Dr. Frisbee's Car Skids on Icy Road

Dr. J. D. Frisbee had an acd-dent Saturday wliile on his way to Dowasville. Slippery condition of the roads ma<te it inspossible to stop before running into the rear end of a car, damaging both.— Andes Cor.

Braved the Snow to Eat Good Turkey Dinner

In spite of another three-indi snowfall several local Dairy league members and their families at-tended the annual banquet given by the assodation at - the M. E. church parlors on Tuesday, Feb. 7. The turkey dinner, which by the way was most enjoyable, was served by the Ladies' Aid sodety after which two very interesting talks were given by Directors Leslie Stahl of Margaretville and Frank Guernsey of Oneonta. Offi-cers for the ensuing year were elected before the dose of the meeting.—^Dry Brook Cor.

Four Girls WiU Receive Pins Next Tuesday Evening

The Girl Scout Investiture cere-nkony when four girls will be given their tenderfoot pins will be held in connection with the month-ly Red Cross meeting n^cf Tues-day evwiing in the home economics room. The regular meeting of the Red Cross wiU be held at the Court of Honor. Girl Scouts are sponsored by the local Red Cross and this is a get-together meeting.

Thousands Visit Phoenicia Sunday For Winter Sports New York Fdks Mingle

with Locals in Grand Jam

Andes Dog Sentenced to 90 Days' ConHnement

The last case to be heard in Justice Ferris' court .was last Wednesday nig^t It was a case of eat dog." One dog tried to make viray with his neighbor. Result, dog is now serving ninety dags in confinement.—Andes Cor.

Many On Slope Spit-Cat-Spit Race Watched

by Two Thousand People

Tlie Siuiday morning snow train to Phoenida brought the biggest ski crowd that ever left the metropolis. When they arrived at Phoenida that village was filled to more than overflowing. There were cars and skiers everywhere.

The hundreds of cars parked on the roads leading to the trail and the Simpson'Memorial ski slope presented a most difficult prob-lem for state police and traffic officers.

At Simpson slope there was one of the biggest crowds ever as-sembled there. Parking conditions were poor and it required the services of several state trooMrs to keep cars moving.

•niere were 68 entries-for the race which was sanctioned by the U^ted States Eastem Amateur Ski a^odation but only 48 of the entries negotiated the difficult trail ^hidi required all of the skill of the most daring skier.

Spit-Cat-Spit trail designed by Otto Sdmeibs, former Dartmouth and Olympic team^coach, proved to be just what the famous de-signer intended it to be, a trail which called for the utmost in skill and daring-and a trail not designed for fast open downhill running.

The 2,000 people who witnessed the race from vantage points along the trail and at the finish were treated to many thrills. Coming into the difficult turns the con-testants were compelled to brake suddenly on the hard packed trail or take a tumble and there was msmy a fall between the start and the finish.

Skiers were started from the top at minute intervals by Starter Carroll Simpson, who was station-ed at the finish Ime. He started

(Continued on page 12)

WiU Local School FoUow State Trend?

A promment state educa-tor told a News man last week that he expected the Margaretville-ArkviUe locali-ty to have a fifty per cent gain in population and in assessed valuation within a few years after the new central school is completed. "I have checked up on dozens of similar situations through-out the state," he said, "And I have yet to find one that did not reach nearly a fifty per cent betterment."

Please add to this the real-ization that New York dty is to spend many millions in

. this valley within a few years and you can build a boom just as big as your imagina-tion. New York figures are in another column in this issue of the News.

Pays Fine and Makes Good for Bad Check

David Condon, 36, Shayertown farmer and truckman, paid a $5.(X) fine and made restitution of $12 Monday aftemqon after pleading guilty to issuing a fraudulent check before Justice of the Peace J. A. "niomson of Delhi.

Condon was arrested by Troop-ers J. P. McGarvey and Joseph Nolan on comi^eunt of Morris Af-fron, Delhi junk dealer. The com-plainant said that Condon gave him a check for $12, dr^wn on the National bank of Andes last July and that it developed that Qnidon had no account there.

Valley Schools Closed Two (tf the valley district sdiools

are dosed due to illness of teadi-ers, Miss Aim Starley in Winter Hollow and Miss Gladys Whitney of Th(Hnpson Hollow.—New Kings-ton Cor. _

STAMFORD MAN FAILS AT SUICIDE

45 CaUbre Bullet Through Skull Misses Vital Pohit

Ernest J. Hager, 45, a prominent resident of Stamford and for sev-eral years assistant postmaster there, is in the Bathgate hospital at Stamford suffering from a self-inflicted wound when he tried to committ suidde last Friday night. He has a dvance of recove^.

Trooper Knapp, who questioned Hager at the hospital, said the wovmded man told him that de-spondency over financial affairs was the reastm for the desperate act.

Hager went to work at the post office as usual Friday morning and other employes noted nothing strange in his behavior, ^ t e r in the morning, he left for a' short time and returned about 10. A few moments later, Harold O'Con-nor, post office ^ r k who was near the window, Mard a shot. He turned in time to see the victim who was at the rear of the work-roOTn, fall to the floor. A 45 cali-bre revolver, owned by the post office, was found nearby.

O'Connor ran upstairs to the office of Charles Mattice, and ask-ed tiim to phone for doctors and an ambulance. He then returned to the post office. Dr. Jerome Kogan and Dr. W. H. F. Newman arrived in a few minutes later and after giving first aid, ordered Hager removed to the hospital.

Examinatioii reveeded that the heavy calibre bullet had entered Hager's head in front of the rig^t ear, and missing the brain, emerged through the left cheek bone.

HI I II Days Seen Not Far Away For This VidnHy

Millions of Dollars Arc to be Spent Between Here

and Downsville

Fifteen Million Yearly Estimates of Cost of Various.

Operations. Inhabitants Win Move

Referring to the portion of the East Brandi valfey whidi is to

Supervisor Smith Enters Hospital for Observation

Supervisor (Seoi^e Smith enter-ed a Kingston sanitarium the first of the week for observaticm and treatment. His condition at this writing is undianged.—^Pine Hill Cor.

Attend League Dinner A niunber of our farmers were

in M£u: £u:etville Tuesday taking in the Dairymen's league diniwr.— New Kingston Cor,

Seniors Announce Dance The Senior dass of the.Mar-

garetville hig^ sdiool announces a dance to boost the Washington fund, at Dugan's^ haU on Feb. 18.

know the great New York dun the Hancock Herald says that forward-looking people in this sec-tion are already beginning to count their chickens which must hatdi within the next two or three years and that prosperity is coming tliis way with a capital P. ^

No section, it would seem, ia the state has a more roseate pros-pect. When all the contracts have been let there will be more m m at work at Downsville and in the territory between that village and Margaretville than in all the rest of the county put together.

When the big dam is completed the towns of Qdchester, Andes and a small part of Middletovm will lead all in assessed value cfvet the rest of the county and N««r York will carry a large part of the tax.

A contract was let two weeks ago to Sam Rosoff for $19,000,000 for some 18 miles of tunnel. Within a few weeks there will be a letting of the contract for the timnel undemeath the Hudson river. The Rondout reserved at Lackawa<^ is well under way*-' The second reservoir, the Neversink, a f e w miles from Liberty will soon be under contract and imder con-struction. The Downsville reser-voir is in the second stage of con-struction. With the first stage so well under way it seems that the time might not be long before the other begins. The Board of Water Supply has the other big dams under way and will have time to devote to the major job which is the Downsville dam and the tunnel leading therefrom.

It may be two years, maybe three, possibly less before tha contractors begin to move dirt in this valley. Politicians have al-ready picked the commissioners

(Continu^ on page 7)

James P et Foreman Of Jury at Catskill

James Peet, William D. Griffin and Charles Macy were called to Catskill on Monday to serve on jury duty. Mr. Peet was chosen foreman of the grand jury and is serving in that capadty. Mr. Griffin and Mr. Macy were ex-cused and returned home.—Halcott Center Cor.

Arkville Guest Impressed With Mountain Scenery

The Rev. Mr. King returned to his home in ^^rginia last Friday after ^ n d i n g several days here with his son and dau£^ter-in-law. This was Mr. King's first visit in this section and he was greatly imin-essed with the beauty of the Catskills.—ArkviUe Cor.