5 j .frackville edition - pennsylvania state universitylas8/oftpdfs/1976/1976-05-07… ·  ·...

5 J

Squire Connelly

Michael 'I. Connelly was born"in Branchdale, January 5.1870,

the second son of Edward andMary (Driscoll) Connelly. Hisfather was, the first taxreceiver in Reilly Township.proprietor of the hotel, generalstore, owner of extensive coallands, and boats on theSchuylkill Canal. Othermembers of the family were:Margaret ( Mrs. Corn eli usMurphy) Larkin; Edward,William and Mary <Mrs. John)Dormer.

Edward attended West Pointand Margaret went to EdenHall, but Michael received acommon education because hisfather died and he took over thefamily business. When heattended school at Branchdale,an uncle, James Turley, wasone of his teachers who later

.became a squire.The family often reminisced

about the good old days at'Connelly's Grove. A poemwritten by Frank King of

. Minersville brought backmany memories when theConnelly reunion was held!

CONNELLY'S GROVEWe often look back to the daysof our youth.The happiest time in life.For the older we grow and themore we know,Is sure to cause trouble andstrife.

,Now my heart grows so light, itthrobs with delight,When I come within sight ofthose pines,Called Connelly's Grove.where so often I rovedWhen I was a boy in NewMines.

I mind that green spot where sooften I sat;

I 'Neath the soft silken fringe ofthe pines, 'Where the breeze kiss Itheflowers that embellish thebowersIn Connelly's Grove in 'NewMines.

Oh, what made me leave thatbeautiful placeThe spot where the sun alwaysshines.'Tis the place of my birth, 'tisthe dearest on earth.My own darling village NewMines'.

When God created Heaven and 'Earth, 'He was pleased with this granddesign,The architect's brush gavethe finishing touch,To the place we now call NewMines.

Tho' thousands of years havepassed away.And rolled into that abyss oftimeYet the track of that brush canbe seen today.On our beautiful village NewMines.

Oh. if 'twere my lot to o~n buta cot,Where the zephyrs breathethrough the green pines, 'In Connelly's Grove with thosethat I love,It's all that I'd ask in NewMines.

When the sun of life is going toset,Never more for --me to shine,I'd like to be laid in that pine-covered glade,In Connelly's Grove in NewMines.(In the old days, Branchdalewas known as New Mines.)

Mr. Connelly. was a sport-sman, a lover of hunting dogsand horses and trapshootinglive birds. He shot bear inLycoming County,' travelingthere by train with his dogs in

.FRACKVILLE EDITIONFRIDAY, MAY 7, 1976

~-ICentennial doingsCentennial headquarters open Thursdays and Fridays

6-9 p.m., Saturdays 3-6.

Belles of St. Peter meet May 11 at 7 p.m. in church hall.Polish Star Belles meet 7 p.m. May 11 in St. Ann's Hall.

Spojia Belles meet 7:30 p.m. May 11 in St. John'sPNC Hall.

"Mr. Connelly's ledgersbegin in 1928and, at least thoseI've seen, continue till 1944.

"The great majority of thecases were assaults andthreatened assaults Punch-upsat home, knives in bars, pot-shots at the neighbors ... all of itmust have been as dull for himto listen to as was to read. Onlyrarely did Frackville'spugnacious citizens doanything really interesting.Generally, it was the samesordid round: The punchers'punched; The knifers stabbed;The shooters shot, and GodKnows, the drinkers drank,Mr. Connelly pretty much hadit down to a system: Ifsomeone was seriously hurt,

Brothers of the Brush square dance 8-11 p.m. May 15 inAnnunciation Hall. All welcome. \ '

Trinity Belles meet 8 p.m. May 18 in church hall.Doe Belles met 8 p.m.'May 18 at Elks.Zion Belles bazaar starting 10 a.m. May 22 on church

grounds'. All welcome. 'Oldies Night May 23 at Good Will Firehouse. Admission

$6.50 includes dinner at 6 p.m., dancing 8-11 with musicby Fat Robbie & Mudflaps. Tickets from any brushmember.

Old Fashioned Ice Cream Parlor opens May 24.

In charge of the 50th jubilee banquet of the Frackville Catholic Daughters on May1 at Ace Hall were (frontfrom left) Regent Lenore Yashln, Helen Martin, DorothySolinsky, (rear) Dolores Medvetz, Jean Tyson, Evelyn Wagner and EleanorBluge. (Klinefoto).

Catholic Daughtersnote' golden [ubilee

By LENORE YASHINCDARe,gent

Catholic Daughters ofAmerica, Court St. James 1029celebrated their 50th jubileeMay 1with mass in St. Joseph'sChurch and dinner at the AceHall.

One hundred thirty fourattended. including 60 auestsfrom other courts.

Visiting dignitaries includedState Regent Blanche Powers,State Ecumenical DirectorKay Greinis, four districtdeputies and ten regents fromthe Allentown Diocese plus onefrom the Harrisburg Diocese.

The speaker was Mrs. RitaBurke of Carbondale, pastpresident of the NationalCouncil of Catholic Women anda member of the board ofmanagers for the 41stWorldwide EucharisticCongress to be held thissummer in Philadelphia aspart of the bicentennial ac-tivities.

Mrs. Burke served as co-leader of the PennsylvaniaAbortion Law Commission, onthe board of trustees for theNational Shrine of theImmaculate Conception inWashington and last yearreceived the pro ecclesia etpontificie award from Pope

Paul. Her topic was how faitlrcan help overcome tragediesand troubles. She alsodiscussed abortion.

Rev. Willaim Conely, courtchaplain, gave the invocationexpressed congratulations, andtold the court members tocontinue their endeavors. Rev.Floyd Caesar, assistant at St.Joseph's, presided atbenediction.

Mayor JAmes Nahas andKnights of Columbus leaderLeo Luciani offeredcongratulations to the courtand lauded its ac-complishments. Regent LenoreYashin extended the officialwelcome, and Vice RegentDorothy Solin sky was. thetoastmistress.

Participants in "The HolyYear of Mary" were DoloresMedvetz as Mary, EleanoreBluge as the child Jesus, MaryAnn Barrett as Joseph, JeanTyson as Gabriel. SuzanneRemus. Charlotte Neiberger asangels, Mary Theresa Muchaand Dorothy Solinsky assoloists.

Partcipating in the choirwere Helen McAndrew, MarieCosta, -JUne Anthony, VirginiaPastula, Helen Marie Martin,Evelyn Wagner, Mary AnnDeeble, Rosalie Miller.

Accompanist was DianneDecker, while Helen Mengelwas' the narrator, director,composer and writer.Materials were credited toSiste Josepha.

Each person attendingreceived a favor of small plantand miraculous medal. Floralarrangements and decorationswere by Evelyn Wagner, HelenMarie Martin and DorothySolinsky. The Blessed Mother'sshrine was decorated by JeanTyson. \

Pearl Zeigler was honored asthe oldest living chartermember, and each chartermember received a mother ofgrace floral centerpiece, as didAnna Marie Ha.~, a past regentand member of 24 years who isleaving the area, and StasiaCoughlin as the non-charter-member for the most con-secutive years.

Bicentennial remembranceswere given to Blanche Powers,Rita Burke, Kay Grelnis, HelenMengel and Dianne Decker.

Historian Mary McGrewread the court history, and theguest list included SistersAngela, 'Aloysisus and Ursulaof the Sisters of Jesus'Crucified, and Sister Regis ofthe Sisters of St. Casimir.

Scouts take historic hikeFrackville Boy Scout Troop

91 took their spring hike May 1to Mountain Tavern, a relic ofSchuylkill County's pioneerdays where stagecoachescrossing Broad Mountainstopped to change horses orrest overnight en route bet-ween Philadelphia and pointsnorth. All that remains of thishostelry is part of the foun-dation. '

The scouts reached theirdestination at noon, going via

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~~~Doi ngs ~~~~ll in area II

Bicen displayThe third grade children of

Frackville Lincoln School,students of Mrs. Jean Jones'social studies class, areexhibiting their Bicentennialprojects in the window ofFrackville Public Library. Thepublic is invited to view thedisplay.

Minibike meetingFrackville Police will hold a

meeting with all borough mini-bike riders May 10 at 7 p.m. atthe police station, to discusstrails to be used for riding. Allbicylce riders must followestablished rules and,all bikesmust be licensed.

Midget signupsThe Frackvllle- Midget

Football registra'tion 'for mini'spee wee's and midgets will beheld on Sa turday, May 8 from 9to 12 in the Town ClockBuilding. All players are askedto bring birth certificates.Early registration is requiredto order equipment.

Going to AlbrightFrackville's Larry

Rakowsky ,has accepted agrant-in-aid to study and playfootball at Albright Collegenext season.

Son of Mr. and Mrs. StanRakowsky of 536 West Springstreet, he chose Albright fromamong numerous collegesinterested in him.

Coach John Potsklan saidLarry is the type player helikes to coach because of hisconstant hustle and l00-percenteffort.

Potsklan expects to use,Rakowsky primarily atlinebacker, with the possibilityof tight end on offense. Withkey linebackers graduating,Larry will have a great op-portunity to play varsity ball as

, a freshman.During 1975Larry made first

team all-cQunty as linebackerand second team tight end, one

. of the few, in the countyselected on both teams. He also

- made the All Lower Anthraciteteam and will play in the SeniorCharity Bowl in June.

At North Schuylkill Larrywas a three-year starter forcoach Bob Oravitz. Last seasonhe called defensive signals,and Oravits says he was one ofthe most dedicated and hardestworking athletes he has evercoached. "Larry always gavemore than one hundred per-

"Watkins Wilderness Trail"and Mud Run Dam, At the oldtavern site they used theirscouting expertise in the colddamp weather to build a fire,on which they cooked theirdinner.

,Mter a thorough cleanup ofthe camp site they departed forhome and arrived at 3 :30, wetand tired but filled with a senseof satisfaction at their in-vigorating experience in the

outdoors.Leading the safari were

Scoutmaster Scotty Bradbury,Senior Patrol Leader RobertBricker and Patrol LeaderWarren Gunderman. Thehikers were Bob Alexander.John Griffin, Mark Herbst,Greg Lahutsky, SteveMalinchok, John Mucha,George Scally, John Seasock,Matt Smiley, Bob Timko, MattCunningham and "WrongWay" Watkins.

) larry Rakowsky

cent," the Spartan coach said,.He led the team in tackles in1975.

In additiQn to football.Rakowsky played varsitybasketball and baseball, (streasurer of the NationalHonor Society, ranks in the top10 percent pf his class. andrepresented North Schuylkillas the scholar-athlete.

____ .__~ • ... .... S _

The Sacred Heart Society ofSt. Michael's Church hasformed a centennial belleschapter ~ith 20 members.

with the hostess to be MargieFelegi, Mary Polinsky andMary Stevens. Twenty-twomembers attended the Maymeeting for which thehostesses were Helen Spotts,Helen Harkay and JuliaPritula. The surprise packageprovided, by MargaretHreshko went to MargieFelegi.

.

I®lb 1J1ratkuille walts 1Jjnrraint~tanton i~ *y ~y ~. ~

the baggage car. He raised the defendant was bound over children and spends his money daughters. The comments infighting roosters and took them to face criminal charges in for drink and will not try to his records are impossible toon matches as far as court; If not, he paid for any provide for them... summarize, but one fact tellsPhiladelphia. A great athlete. property damage. court costs "Mr. Connelly did what he the story: Twice, drunkenhe won many cross country Iusually about $5). and, I could: First time. a stern drivers who had killed peopleraces on Sunday afternoons suspect, received a few words talking-to, a promise obtained, were brought before him andbetween Branchdale and on -the subject of what would costs paid, charge dropped; both received more lenientMinersville. happen next time. second time, off to-court. That treatment than he dished out to

Older residents of Frackville It seemed to work pretty is really all the law can do. It is boy friends who "failed to do theremember the dashing figure well. 'There weren't too many also not enough. They were right thing. (If th~ police couldhe made. six-foot tall with people before him a second back every few months- catch them. During the war.flaming red hair. when he time for assault, More often. same names, same charges. this was often impossible.>drove his team from Bran- the complaining witness and Some of those husbands must "No one now knows- or haschdale to Frackville to court the defendant changed places. have spent more time in Mr. any right to know- whatEmma C. Gottschall daughter The yictim of last Saturday Connelly's office than Miles became of the people in thoseof Martin and Jane Fleming night's punch-up. feeling Forney. It didn't work. (That cases. There is no tellingGottschall. perhaps that he didn't get was not Mr. Connelly's fault, whether the forced marriages

They were married \. by enough justice at Mr: Con- by the Wl\Y. These days, we survived and whether theFather James Hogan on nelly's hands, would get his have specially trained judges marriages he could not forceNovember 12. 1902. in the own back the following presiding over special "family would have been tolerable. Forchurch on Broad Mountain Saturday night, and spend courts". assisted by all I know, the ghost of Mr.avenue which was then a Monday morning before Mr. psychiatrists, psychologists, Connelly is entitled to claim anMission of Holy Rosary Church Connelly. social workers. probation incredibly high success rate onof Mahanoy Plane. This is the "Sometimes. too. things officers, family welfare the results ofthese efforts. Hadsite of the present Annun- were less cut and dry. The agencies. and God knows what it been me, I would have ap-ciation Church. Mrs. Connelly ledgers record: else. The results are not any' proached those cases with lesswas born in Branchdale. "On the 20th day of October, different.: assurance.November 27,1869. Her family 1928, Mr. A of the Borough of "Sometimes. something "The rest of the ledgers aremoved to Frackville in 1875 Frackville. defendant. did could be done. Mr. G had his individual events. Some goodwhere her father was hoisting unlawfully commit an Assault son brought before Mr. Con- stories, like the stateengineer at the Lawrence and did battery on the person of nelly on charges of in- policeman from Tamaqua whoColliery. The family previously Mr. B by throwing a bucket of corrigibility. The boy was quite came through one day andlived in Mt. Carmel, Tremont human filth and urine on top of a delinquent land his father arrested a lot of businessmenand Tamaqua. Their home at him, his wife and child as they could do nothing with him. on Lehigh avenue with slot52 North Nice street was were passing his house, Mter hearing, Mr. Connelly machines. Some heartbreakingpurchased from John Haupt in thereby ruining his hat and wrote: Made him take affidavit stories, like the gang of sick1880. coat. his wife's hat and coat for to behave himself and teenagers that another state

Mr. Connelly worked as a and baby's cap... appear monthly before me to policeman arrested for a widecontract miner at Pine Knot "Apparently' this did not report his actions and have a assortment of sexual anduntil he had a serious accident seem as amusing to Mr. note signed by his father to that criminal activities.on his way home from work. Connelly at the time as it d~es effrct. "As far as the ledgers show,During, his three years in to me. nearly fifty years later. . If the boy got in any further Mr. Connelly had nohospitals, his family moved to -Mr. A was held on $300bail for trouble. it was outside 1\.11'. fascination with the law asGrandmother Jane Gott- court.. Connelly's jurisdiction. His such. His interest ran to theschall's home at 52 North Nice. "In the early days, Mr. name never appears again on situation. the people involvedwhere his daughters still Connelly did a thriving charges in the ledgers. and doing what he believed wasreside. trespass business. The zealous "In another case, Mr. fair. I believe he generally

His first employment on guardians of the Reading Connelly received a complaint managed to do just that, andleaving the hospital was night Company's property regularly about the terrible state of the that is no small ac-watchman at' the William caught coal-pickers on corn- home of a 12-year-old boy. complishment.Bellas Shirt Factory, then as pany land and took them before Sometimes his father was "There is. these days, some,clerk for William Haupt at the thesquire. At first. Mr. Con- there; . sometimes not. The sentiment fo\, the propositionMountain CitY,Water Company nelly used to impose a $2 fine, whereabouts of his mother was that all Justices of the Peaceand in 1928 ~e was elected but two years it was down to unknown. Mr. Connelly had the should be attorneys. I don'tjustice of the peace. fifty cents. and, soon he young man arrested for "being think so. There is no question

Although crippled by the stopped all the fines. Right neglected" and immediately thatthe amount oflaw a personaccident and forced to use after that the cases stopped, as put him on probation. There is has to know to do the job hascrutches, he walked to his presumably. the Reading no such crime, but somebody increased over the years. Theoffice daily in all kinds of Company decided to take its) had to keep an eye on what courts have tightened con-weather, was an avid. gardener business elsewhere. happened to the boy and that siderably the requirements forand raised iris. tulips and "Unfortuna tely. court was as good a way to dolt as warrants' and arrests andespecially beautiful roses. congestion was not reduced. any. hearings, and the JP's have toSquire Connelly was a familiar The state police substation in "If Mr. Connelly was enforce those requirements onfigure in town from the late 20's Frackville opened and Mr. solicitous of kids and generally a day-to-day basis. One stateuntil his death in 1946.He was a Connelly found himself reasonable with all sorts of policeman came to Mr. Con-member of St. Joseph's Church presiding over traffic violation problems, he was pure un- nelly about a man who hadand attended Mass almost cases. shirted hell on fornication and been driving under the in-daily, and gave the impression "M 't II bastardy charges. fluence of ,"alcohol or a nar-any cases weren rea y \ d hof strength, vigor. and good criminal. Like Mr. C's com- "It Was-and in many states cotic rug or some ot ercheer. A large portrait of plaint that his neighbor refused still is- a crane for unmarried substance forbidden by law":Franklin Delano Roosevelt had to return the two new tires he people to have sexual relations these days, the officer woulda' prominent spot in the office had borrowed. A warrant was and a further crime to produce have had to pick one of thebecause of his great ad- t d h . hbo a child out of wedlock. As a three to make a case.

sworn ou ,an t e neig r , hni I tt it "But picking up that muchmiration for the President over was arrested. Faced with tee mea rna er, I was ahis triumph over his physical possible criminal charges, the crime for the woman as well as criminal law simply does nothandicap. neighbor promptly returned for the man; as a practical require three years at law

His small, cluttered office the tires and paid court costs. matter. this law was enforced school. Nor does it require anywas first in the rear of what is only to protect the woman and knowledge at all of most thingsnow the Law Building on.West "There are several dozen at her request. taught in law school: wills,Frack street, and later in the' cases like Mr. C's, and I am far "The woman, once pregnant, trusts, securities, cor-Wagner Building at 116' West from clear about how I feel' went before Mr. Connelly and porations, taxes. contracts.Frack. It served not only for about them. On the one hand, swore out the charges. The civil procedure, etc. Any in-business, but as a sort of club using the criminal processes to man was arrested and brought telligent person willing to putfor his friends, Thomas Sobey, collect private debts is wrong. before Mr. Connelly. At this some effort into studying it canPaul English, Stuart Morgan, On the other hand. it certainly point, his choice was clear: He learn all the Law a Justice ofThomas McGeough, William worked better and cheaper could get married (If the the Peace needs to know in lessKeirn, Kyran Purcell and than any small claims court in couple had no clergyman. Mr. than six months. Indeed.Police Chief Miles Forney. the country today. Connelly would perform the several of the better policeMany others, young and old, "In one of these cases that wedding himself.) or he could forces have developed mar-often stopped in to chat. Mr. Connelly bit off more than face criminal charges and, in velous textbooks on the sub-

Furnishings came from the he could chew. Mr. D. a the meantime, cool his heels in ject.Connelly home and hotel at prominent Frackville citizen, the lockup (In these cases, he "A working knowledge of theBranchdale, and the regulars complained that Mr. E said, set incredibly high bails.) other areas of the law is simplyhad certain chairs which were The only reason I can see for "In short, it was a shotgun not essential to do thetheirs exclusively. After Squire the Council to reject all bids on wedding with the law in magistrate's job. What senseConnelly's .death these chairs pipe is because Mr. D has "general and Mr. Connelly in and fairness. And thesewere given to the families of asked for 20 per cent of the particular being the shotgun. qualities are at least asthe "regulars" and have p~chase price of the pipe to be Mr. Connelly played the part common among the popull!tionbecome cherished reminders returned to him. This request with all the moral outrage of a at large as they are among theof days gone by. was refused. Mr. D further strict Irish Catholic with two Bar.'

One of his youngest visitors. alleged that these words couldwho lived next to the Connelly reasonably be interpreted 110home and never failed to stop mean tha~ he had asked for aat the office to play with the kickback and, in no time at all,Squire's Seal and exchange tall everybody in Frackville hadtales, was Thomas J. McGrew, heard the story. (The last partnow an attorney with a has got to be true.)prominent Washington, D.C. "My own view is that Mr.Law Firm. When he began Connelly should have told Mr.practice, the Seal and ledgers, D to file a civil complaint or,were given to him for his law better yet, go home and forget'library. about it. Instead, he went

As his contribution to this ahead with a criminal libel"OId Frackville Tale", Atty. action, requiring Mr. E to post

..McGrew read the old ledgers $500bail and appear at the nextand wrote his impressions of term of court. Six months later,the informal justice dispensed before the case came up inby Squire Connelly in a home court, Mr. D withdrew thetown atmosphere in his own charge. Either he regained hislittle court. sense of proportion, or decided

that he diqn't want to be cross-examined on exactly what didgo on with those pipe contracts.

"Anyway, that was the onlycriminal libel case during Mr.Connelly's time. Fortunately,it did not set a precedent. Ifeverybody in Frackville whosaid that some politician was acrook had been treatedlikewise, every adult in theBorough would have-an arrestrecord.

"The toughest cases werefamily problems. There werethe wives who' had theirhusbands arrested' for non-support. You can hardly blamethem. Mrs. F's complaint is,alas, typical: Mr. F, defen-dant, will not give her anymoney for the support of her

Anyone else interested injoining may contact HelenAponick. The society namedHelen Harkay and Helen Spottsto the ~ick committee, and will .meet next on June 6 at 3 p.m.,