Page:History of the newspapers of Beaver County, Pennsylvania.djvu/110

 86 HISTORY OP BEAVER COUNTY PAPERS. Jury found a true bill against him, and on November 14, 186Y, the case was called in court. Judge Acheson on the bench. A jury composed of Silas Moore, J. W. Smith, John Scott, Valentine Sohn, William Murphy, William Shallenberger, Michael Killinger, Samuel Blair, William Springer, James H. Springer, Nathan McPher- son, and William Laughlin tried the case. Mr. Odell plead not guilty and was defended by Samuel B. Wilson Esq. The case went to the jury at 12 o'clock noon, and 2:15 o'clock the same day, returned a verdict of guilty. The sentence of the court was : "Pay a fine of $2.00 to the Commonwealth, costs of prosecution, and undergo an imprisonment in the jail of the county for 60 days, and stand committed until this sentence is complied with." Mr. Odell edited and conducted the paper from his cell until the expiration of his sentence, and made it warm for his enemies. On the day of his release, the Demo- crats of the coimty turned out in crowds and had a grand jubilee, carrying the editor on their shoulders from the jail to his home. While Odell was in jail, he was prosecuted for libel by John Caughey, then Prothonotary of the county, and the papers were served on him through the bars of the main door of the corridor. Some merriment was created at the time by Odell asking the officer if he would have to give bail or go to jail. The officer thought neither course would be necessary. This case was settled out of court. December 1868 the paper came out in a hand- some new dress, and was enlarged. In December 1868, Thomp Burton sold the material of the "Champion" of New Castle, a paper which he started in December 1867, to J. H. Odell in part payment for the Beaver "Local," and Mr. Burton took possession in the spring of 1869. With the "Champion" outfit, Mr. Odell went to Youngstown, O., and in June 1869, started the "Vindicator." Mr. Odell married a daughter of Hugh