Spirit of the Times Batavia, Genesee Co., NY Saturday, December 18 1886 WHAT WE SEE AND HEAR. Five assignments have been made in this county during the two weeks ending Monday last. Episcopal service at Pavilion next Sunday night, the 19th inst., at 7:30, and morning service at Wyoming. It is said that a new newspaper is to be started in Oakfield by a New York man. Don't believe it will pay very big. New chairs take the place of benches in the M.E. sabbath school room. A great deal of space is saved by their use. State and county taxes are being received at Geo. E. PERRIN's cigar store on Jackson street, opposite the Times building. Fred A. LEWIS, son of editor LEWIS, of the Batavian, has entered District Attorney NORTH's office for the study of law. Francis H. BROWN, of this county, was granted a judgment of absolute divorce from Ida V. BROWN at Buffalo last Monday. Mr. Chas. G. PURDY, proprietor of PURDY's Hotel, hopes to have the house open and ready to receive guests on Monday next. A.G. NEGUS, of Dunkirk, has bought out John E. GLENN's barber business, furniture, etc. GLENN has gone to Rochester. Patrick NEAL, who was so badly burned by the burning of his dwelling, north-east of Le Roy, last week died on Monday last from his injuries. The SMYTHE Family concert at the Presbyterian church last Friday evening was a very enjoyable affair, and a profitable one, as well, netting some $40. Next Tuesday--December 21st--is the shortest day of the year: Sun rises at 7:26 a.m. and sets at 4:31 p.m.--day's length, nine hours and five minutes. The toboggan slide will be put in operation on Saturday of this week and lovers of the exhilarating and hair-raising sport will be glad of the chance to slide. Rev. C.W. WINCHESTER will discourse on "Moses" at the M.E. church next Sunday, this being one of his series of sermons on "Characters of the Bible." The assets of Stephen D. BASOM, the Alabama farmer who recently made an assignment, amount to $882 and the liabilities are $3,110.42, a discrepancy of $2,238.42. The Ladies' Mite Society of the M.E. church will meet at the residence of Mrs. Dr. D. PALMER, No. 11 Wood street, next Friday evening. A cordial invitation is cheerfully extended to all. John FOWLER was engaged in piling lumber at the Wood Works last Friday and, slipping, fell to the ground, some twelve feet, striking on his head and producing a fracture of the skull at its base. The Le Roy Gazette says "it is probably that Batavia will soon have a free postal deliver." Hope so, but guess the rumor is without foundation in fact, Postmaster PECK knows nothing about it. Last Friday evening thieves stole blankets from the horses of Fayette MINOR and James WILSON, hitched in front of the Walker block. George GREEN was arrested for the offence and sent up for 60 days. We have heard it said that Senator WALKER contemplates the erection in Batavia of one of the finest residences in any country town in Western New York, and also that he will erect a fine business block if a suitable site can be had. A number of Batavia young men have organized as a singing society under the name of Arion Club. They have about twenty members and will pursue the study of vocal music under a competent leader. The officers are, F.J. CROWLY, President; Roger DEAN, Secretary; J.J. CLUNE, Treasurer. The club will occupy rooms over 68 Main street, Good Templars Hall. Week before last the Le Roy Gazette put a very pointed question to the Times, of that village, concerning the publication of the session laws. The Times could not answer it without putting itself "in a hole" nor could it refuse to answer the question without a similar consequence. The Times chose not to answer the query, went into the hole, and is now evidently trying to pull the hole in after it. Harding E. NOTT, a former resident of this county, who was arrested in Chicago a few weeks ago for forgery, an account of which was published in the Times, was sentenced on the 9th inst. to the Jollet, Ill., prison for eight years. When he gets out at the end of that time he will have served eighteen years in prison, having been sentenced twice in this State for three and seven years. Some two hundred men are now employed in the Harvester Works and over one hundred at the Wood Works. At the former place a large quantity of material has been turned out and the force of men will be gradually increased as may be required. The company have a special order for a number of machines for an industrial exposition and as they are to be shipped by the 26th, a large force of men is kept at work every night until 12 o'clock to complete them. At the meeting of the Relieve Association, held at Mrs. E.L. ENSIGN's on Monday evening last, a large quantity of clothing and other articles of wear, groceries and provisions and $24.20 in cash were contributed. Five dollars were received from a good old lady in Albany, name torn off. The people of Batavia are becoming more and more interested on the work of the association and more fully appreciate its needs. Remember your own blessings and show that you appreciate them by contributing something to this worthy object. + + COUNTY COURT RECORD. The December term of the County Court and Court of Sessions convened in the Court House on Monday morning last, Myron H. PECK, county judge, and H.C. CURTIS and Chas. F. LEWIS, sessions justices, on the bench. The trial of the case of C.H. TURNE & Son vs. Lucy A. HARRIS, to recover $70 on a promissory note, was had before his honor, who rendered a judgment for the plaintiff. The defendant was not present. The trial of August SCHARF for manslaughter in the second degree was begun Monday afternoon. It will be remembered that on the 6th of July last SCHARF and several other men were in front of Charles BLUMERICK's saloon on Ellicott street, and that he, SCHARF, loaded up an old musket with paper and wad, shooting if off. The second time he shot it the wad struck Wm. ENRIGHT in the back and entered his body, killing him almost instantly. SCHARF was arrested and placed in jail and was indicted by the grand jury last month. Several witnesses testified on the trial, but no new features were brought out. After an hour's deliberation the jury returned a verdict of not guilty and the prisoner was given his freedom. Chauncey L. RUSS, the old man indicted for stealing a horse from John F. STILES, of Corfu in June last, withdrew his former plea of not guilty and pleaded guilty, throwing himself on the mercy of the court. He made an appeal for leniency, saying that he was the father of ten children, four of whom depended upon him for support. He also said that it was he who warned sheriff of the attempted jail break several weeks ago. Judge PECK extended to the old man all the clemency the law would permit and sentenced him to Auburn for two years. RUSS is 63 years old. Abram CHILDS, an aged offender of Bergen, was to have been tried for an assault upon Edward JENKINS, but it being certified by Dr. ANDREWS that he was too ill to attend court, the ease was put over. The trial of Francis B. COMISKY on an indictment for assault in the third degree was begun Tuesday. COMISKY has his tailor shop under L.D. ALLEN's picture frame shop and there was a very bad feeling between them. One day COMISKY's temper got the better of him and he hurled a stone at ALLEN, through a window. Judge PECK thought that little diversion worth at least $50 to the tailor and he accordingly imposed a fine of that amount. The affair was not worth a cent to the county and yet it cost the tax-payers more than the fine amounted to. Wednesday several cases were dismissed, put over or reported settled. The suit of M.M. KIBBE against S.A. McCULLOCH was tried and a verdict of $130 rendered for the plaintiff. The suit was brought to recover commissions of the sale, through the plaintiff's agency, of real estate. The trial of the action of Robert W. HAIR against Wm. O'Keef, for foreclosure on a mechanics lien, was had before the Court and was the last case on the docket. + + -coverage for this date to be cont'd.- submitted by Linda C. Schmidt