1913 Feb 13 – Baran Committed For Murder

The adjourned preliminary trial of John Baran, under arrest for the murder of Constable Rooke, was concluded on Saturday. Magistrate Munson remanded the prisoner to Portage la Prairie, to stand his trial at the next criminal court on a charge of murder.
The court was called to order at eleven o’clock, the court house being crowded by a throng who were anxious to hear the outcome of the trial.
The prisoner had to be assisted into the court by two officers and appeared in a very weak condition. Later he fell from his chair to the floor, where he was allowed to lie during the trial.
Dr. Harrington gave evidence as to his attendance on Constable Rooke, and stated death to have been caused by the bullet wound, and resultant weakness.
When the charge was read the prisoner declined to make any statement. Bertram Ryan, for the defence, admitted that Baran had fired the shot which killed Constable Rooke, but pleaded justification on a plea of provocation, claiming Baran could not have known it was an officer of the law who was demanding entrance and then breaking in the door of his house, and that Baran had a right to defend his home and had fired the shot with the intention only of frightening away whoever was forcing his door. He asked to have the charge at least modified to one of manslaughter.
In passing sentence, Magistrate Munson severely criticized the past character of the prisoner and had no hesitation in committing him on a charge of murder to stand his trial at the Portage spring assizes.

1913 Feb 13 – Salt Wells to be Worked

That there is abundance of salt in the Lake Winnipegosis region is well known. For years the springs there have been running freely with brine and thousands of tons of the best salt going to waste each year. It is now proposed to tap the springs and install machinery to reduce the brine and manufacture the output into salt for various uses. The quality of the salt, after it has gone through a purifying process is reported by those who have made experiments with it, to be of the highest grade. It is probable that a salt reducing plant will be built at Winnipegosis town. The salt can be brought down the lake in its raw state and later manufactured into various grades to suit the market demand. During the past three months three entries were made at the Dominion Lands office here for mines and as the capital to develop them is already assured the enterprise will undoubtedly be established.

1913 Feb 13 – Section Foreman Loses His Life

Harry Mushynski, section foreman for the C.N.R. at Pine River lost his life on Saturday in a peculiar manner. The pipes at the water tank froze up and Mushynski and another man descended into the well with a pot of live coals to thaw them out. When the two men got down the well the gas from the pot became too strong for them and Mushynski was overcome and fell into the water and was drowned. His companion managed to get out of the well. Coroner Harrington held an inquest on Mushynski on Sunday and the jury rendered a verdict in accordance with the above facts.
Mushynski was highly spoken of by Supt. Irwin as a faithful employee of the company. He was 28 years of age and leaves a wife and two children.

1913 Feb 13 – Fork River

Howard Armstrong left for a trip up the lake teaming.
Herman Godkin, one of Dauphin’s energetic real estate agents, is spending the weekend at W. Williams.
C.E. Bailey and Wm. King returned from attending the county L.O.L. meeting at Dauphin.
Pat Powers, who has been running a threshing outfit at Winnipegosis, returned and is renewing acquaintances.
Henry Benner left here with a car of cows and young cattle for his ranch at Lloydminster.
Professor G. Weaver of East Bay, passed through here en route to the North Pole to lecture on diversified farming, etc.
Mr. and Mrs. C. White, of Winnipegosis, were visitors at D. Kennedy’s on Sunday.
Mrs. Theo. Johnson is visiting her daughter, Mrs. D. Kennedy.
Mr. and Mrs. Cameron, of Neepawa, returned home after spending a few weeks with A. Cameron at Mowat Centre.
Mrs. Rice, teacher of North Lake School, was in town on business lately.
Sid Howlett and family have returned from the north end of the lake, where he spent the winter fishing and reports fishing good. He is going out on his homestead at Million.
“Say, Pat, it seems too bad the Mowat correspondent cant’s get his proper rest lately.” “What’s the matter now Mike?” “Well, he says the blooming politicians at Ottawa will keep haggling over the $35,000,000 Borden is sending to the dear old mother country after the assistance she has given us financially and otherwise for years. You remember a short time ago in the Press the M.C. wanted and howled for an all-Canadian navy. Now he turns around and poses for peace and spend the money in P.O. and roads.” Pat, “Well, I prefer it in Dreadnoughts as we have had enough of the sort of roads he has been instrumental in dishing up to us the last two or three years. I wonder which way he will jump next.” Mike, “Don’t be too hard on him, chure you know he handled the Liberal cheque book for years and there is a few blank forms left and our friend expected to be Admiral of Sir Wilfy’s dinky navy, but the election knocked that into a cocked hat and the blank cheques are no use now and the P.O. is like the elevator he twitted us about some time ago lost, strayed or stolen. When dear T.A. got licked we lost our telegraph office here and now we are getting the peace racket put up to us. Now someone has got to the end of their rope.” “Say, Pat, did yees notice divil a word does our Liberal friends print or say regarding the dredge contract let by the late Liberal government and that is being looked into by Borden.” “Oh, that’s a horse of another color.” M.C. stop grouching.
Wm. Amos, of Deloraine, travelling agent for the Ontario Wind Engine and Pump Co., was a visitor at Wm. King’s.
Miss Lizzie Clark paid a short visit to her parents here.
J. McAulay, traveller for the Massey-Harris Co., stopped over to see D. Kennedy on business for that firm.
Service will be held in All Saints’ Anglican Church every Thursday evening at 8 o’clock during Lent and next Sunday, Feb. 16, at 3 o’clock, D.D. at 2 o’clock.
Geo. Dickason, of Dauphin, is around soliciting patronage for the Laurentia Milk Co., at Neepawa, and offers these prices till Mar 1st. $2.50 per hundred lbs, of sour cream; thirty-seven cents per pound of butter fat; sweet cream; forty-two cents per pound butter fat.
Our genial friend, Andrew Powers, is wearing a broad smile these days owning to the arrival of a new baby girl and Bob Rowe is also the happy father of a little baby girl. We wish them both the best of luck.
We notice in the correspondence from our Mowat friend in the Press of last week’s issue some very sensational items, more especially the one referring to so much grouching at outside points on account of the high cost of living and would like to say the prices quoted are far from correct. We always were under the impression that our Mowat friend was at all times ready to advertise this district at its truth worth and endeavor to get more land settled up, but by the remarks referred to we are at a loss to know just what is meant by this sarcasm and would refer him to some time ago and his remarks regarding the loss of the late P.O. at Oak Brae to the district and the damage it would do to this part of Manitoba in the way of getting this land settled up. For the benefit of our Mowat friends and the public in general we would like to give the correct prices of the products of the farm and forest at Fork River today. He quotes wheat 50c to 60c, barley 25c, potatoes 35c, pork 9c, beef 6c, seasoned wood $1.65, greed wood, $1.25. Now the correct prices of these are as follows: (Elevator prices), wheat 89c, 88c, ble, according to grades. Barley 32c and 40c being offered by outside parties and refused. Green pole wood $1.75 a cord and season poplar $1.75; butter 30c, eggs 30c, pork 10c, beef 7c and 7 ½ in trade.
Council meets at Winnipegosis on Thursday, the 20th inst.