Clippings from the Pennsburg Town and Country newspaper, Saturday, June 28, 1902

BIG CROP OF CHERRIES

William SALLADE, of Hereford, sent specimens of cherries from three of his trees to this office. The cherries are exceedingly fine and are the largest we have seen this year. The varieties represented are Schmidt's Bigareau, Yellow Spanish and Dye House. Eight bushels were gathered from these trees and one of the cherries brought to this office measures three and one-fourth inches in circumference. Mr. SALLADE obtained the trees from the Department of Agriculture at Washington, D.C., a few years ago.

BURGLAR BEATEN BY MINISTER

A burglar tried to enter the residence of Rev. BUXTON, of Sharon, on Monday night. The robber was caught redhanded by the minister who sailed into him and after beating the robber to a standstill the minister permitted him to depart.

FIRE AT RED HILL

A fire causing but slight damage broke out in the kitchen of Cyrus BEARD, of Red Hill, on Wednesday soon after dinner, Mr. and Mrs. BEARD being away from home. The children discovered the fire and at once raised an alarm. Jacob PFLEIGER was the first on the scene, but was immediately joined by a number of the neighbors. A bucket brigade was formed which soon brought the fire under control. One of the window sills and a part of the floor were damaged and a shade destroyed. The fire is supposed to have originated by a hot coal falling out of the stove. The building and contents are insured.

TOLLING FOR DEATH CRACKS CHURCH BELL

The bell on the Longswamp Church was cracked on Sunday while tolling the death of Mrs. F.W. SCHWARTZ. The crack in the bell is about six inches long and affects the sound of the bell very much. It is customary in case of a death of a member of the church to toll the age of the deceased. The bell has been in use for 50 years. It was put in the church in 1852 and was cast by Henry N. HOOPER & Co., of Boston.

TOOK PARIS GREEN

One of the employees of the Thomas Iron Company of Hockendauqua, John ALLEN by name, attempted to commit suicide last Sunday by taking paris green. He regretted his rash act immediately after it was committed and called loudly for a doctor. Medical aid was summoned and a vigorous effort was made to save the life of ALLEN, and with the aid of the stomach pump, much of the poison was taken from his system. The doctors feel hopeful for his recovery. It is supposed that family troubles prompted the deed.

THIEF SHOT AT BY WOMAN

Miss Jennie WOOD, a teacher in the Bryn Mawr public schools, fired several shots from a revolver, alarming residents early on Wednesday morning. An attempt was made to enter the house of Washington WILFONG with whom Miss WOOD lives. The family was awakened by noises and a colored man was observed stealing around the house. He had failed to gain an entrance on his first attempt, and was about to make an other trial, when he was put to flight by the pistol shots.

CHICK HATCHED BY PIGEON

A pair of pigeons belonging to George M. MACK, of East Greenville, having their home in the chicken house, made a nest therein and this week hatched out a healthy chick. The egg must have been laid in the nest by one of the chickens, and the pigeons, without laying any of their own, proceeded to hatching the contents of the nest.

WOMAN NEARLY CHOKED TO DEATH

On Saturday while Mrs. Margaret EHLE, of West Catasauqua, was eating at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Joseph MERTZ, she accidentally swallowed a small bone which lodged in her throat and nearly choked her. Dr. Thomas A. SHERER was hastily summoned. He was unable to extract the bone and pushed it down. The doctor then ordered her removal to St. Luke's hospital, but the surgeons there were also unable to do anything and Mrs. EHLE was returned to her home in West Catasauqua. Her oesophagus is frightfully swollen and she is in such a bad way that it is feared she cannot recover. She is 68 years old.

PHOSPHATE WORKS DESTROYED BY FIRE

The phosphate works of F.K. WALT, located about a mile south-west of town were destroyed by fire on Tuesday night. The origin is a mystery, but Mr. WALT supposes it to have been the work of an incendiary. The building was a frame structure and contained about 2000 bags of phosphate and large quantities of chemicals used in the compounding of the well known WALT fertilizer. The plant and its contents are entirely destroyed. The insurance covers the loss but a little more than half. Mr. WALT says the works will be rebuilt at once.

NEW PROFESSOR FOR PERKIOMEN SEMINARY

Mr. M.H. KRATZ (picture), who has been unnaimously elected to be Professor of Latin and Greek at Perkiomen Seminary for the coming year, was born in Frederick, Montgomery county, Pa., November 17, 1875. He received his early education in the public schools of the State and later attended the Sumneytown Academy under Prof. Henry HARTZEL and also West Chester State Normal School and prepared for public school teaching. He began to teach at the age of 16 and taught two very successful terms in Montgomery county. In the Spring of 1894 Mr. KRATZ entered Perkiomen Seminary to prepare for College and graduated in 1895 with the highest standing in his class. In the Fall of the same year he entered Princeton University without conditions and ranked first, general Group, i.e. one of the first half dozen best men in his class, throughout his course. He also won high honors in both Classics and Philosophy, and secured the Chancellor Green Fellowship in Mental Science, worth $500.00 a year and spent the year after his graduation in post graduate study at Princeton University, securing his A.M. degree in 1900. Mr. KRATZ ran on the Princeton Track Team for three years, covering the hundred yards in ten seconds. He was also elected a member of the Honorary Society, Phi Beta Kappa. He has been an instructor of Greek and German in the St. John's Military Academy, Manlius, N.Y. for the last two years and was asked to remain another year at a considerable increase in salary. He has also been head of the Summer School at Perkiomen Seminary for the last three summers. Mr. KRATZ has had some very fine offers since graduating from College. He is an unusually thorough and successful teacher, a man of the highest character and the widest influence, who has a great future before him. The students and friends of Perkiomen Seminary are to be congratulated in securing the services of so able a superior a man.

THE DEATH LIST

Just at the break of one more glorious day the family of Mr. and Mrs. Charles RITTER, of Dillingersville, lost by death their son Robert R., who was buried on Monday at the Chestnut Hill church. The deceased was their only child and brought his age to 8 months and 1 day.

Mrs. Josephine KLINE, of Tylersport, died early on Sunday morning at Tylersport, of consumption. She will be buried today at the Scheetz's church near Spinnerstown. She leaves a husband and two children.

Henry SNYDER, aged 82 years, 4 months and 9 days, was buried at the Sumneytown cemetery, on Wednesday last. Rev. W.B. FOX, officiated at the house and Rev. J.L. ROUSH, at the church. Jacob G. GEISINGER, of Old Goshenhoppen, officiated at the organ.

STATE FISHERY TO BE ABANDONED

The State fish commission has decided to abandon the eastern hatchery, located near Allentown, as they are unable to purchase the Reuben TROXELL farm on which same is located, at a reasonable price. The effects of the commission will all be moved to Corry, where the western fishery is located. The Salisbury grounds are in a very dilapidated condition and the State refuses to repair them.

BURIED ALIVE TWO DAYS

A grave is being dug at the Berks county fair grounds, just inside the race course, in which W.W. KRETZ proposes to be buried for forty-eight hours while in a hypnotic state, commencing today. Two watchman have been engaged, who will guard the grave while he is buried, as he says that he has enemies who would stop at nothing to spoil his experiment. Two bloodhounds have been secured as an additional safeguard.

BURGLARS ROB POST-OFFICE

The Postoffice at Montgomery, Pa., was entered on Tuesday night by robbers who have become emboldened by the recent successful operations in that vicinity. Entrance was gained by cutting out a pane of glass. Everything in sight that seemed to promise a yield of money was thoroughly ransacked. The mail of the First National Bank was rifled, but the exact amount taken can not be ascertained. The burglars were heard by Mrs. S.F. KLINE who lives over the postoffice, but being alone, as her husband is a night operator, she was too much frightened to give an alarm. After rifling the postoffice the burglars crossed the street, and gained an entrance into the Hotel Houston in a similar way. A large quantity of fine whiskey was carried away. The cash register was taken to a field nearby where it was broken open and its contents taken.

THIRTY-ONE MURDERS COMMITTED

Jane TOPPAN, of Barnstable, near Boston, was this week tried for murder, and sent by the jury to the Taunton Insane Asylum. Miss TOPPAN confessed to her counsel, Judge Fred. M. BIXBY, that she had killed thirty-one persons who had at various times been patients under her charge. In her admission to Judge BIXBY she stated that she had set fires and committed other serious acts. She argued that she was not insane, yet she said she could not help committing the crimes, although she knew she was doing wrong when she was administering poison to her victims.

A TINY HUMAN ATOM

Cuddled up in warm cotton at the foot of his mother's bed, on the top floor of the rear tenement at No. 110 Eldbridge street lies the smallest baby in New York. The youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. Israel WEISSBEERST weighed one and three-quarter pounds when he was born at 6 p.m. on Monday, and from the crown of his head to his heel, the size of a thumbnail, he measures only 10 inches. He cries lustily when things do not please him. He has taken nourishment as if he had a healthy appetite. The WEISSBEERSTs have been married 14 years and have six living children, all of whom weighed from eight to ten pounds at birth.

BIG PRICE PAID FOR GRASS

At a public sale on grass, wheat and corn held by Granville GERHARD last Saturday on one of his Finland tracts, 15 acres of grass were sold for $79; 1 1/2 acres of wheat for $23, and 1 1/2 acres of corn for $12.25.