When one has reached the age of eighty years it is seldom that the person is not incapacitated. Mrs. Elizabeth REITER (picture), of Hoppenville, has lived to that age and she is still quite active. She was born in Upper Milford township, Lehigh county, on March 4, 1822, and at the age of eight years she entered the family of her uncle Peter HILLEGASS, of near Pennsburg, and remained with that family until June 4, 1843, when she was married to Thomas REITER. On March 14, 1860, her husband died. Nine years later, Mrs. REITER again entered the family of Peter HILLEGASS and remained there until the death of both Mr. and Mrs. HILLEGASS. After leaving the HILLEGASS home she made her home with her son Edwin D. REITER, of Hoppenville, with whom she still resides. Mrs. REITER is the mother of Mrs. Matilda ALTHOUSE, of Pennsburg; Mrs. N.S. KASE, of East Greenville, and Mrs. Nathaniel DEISCHER, of Old Zionsville.
Mrs. Abner WALTERS, of Boyertown, was at New Berlinville, Tuesday, assisting Randolph HENRY in moving into the residence recently vacated by Frank MOYER. While going down stairs she was attacked with vertigo and fell down the steps almost from top to the bottom, bruising herself badly about the head and receiving a number of cuts; also an ugly gash at the knee, which required a dozen stitches in dressing it, besides being hurt internally.
John FLUCK, track walker for the Philadelphia and Reading Railway company, between Shelly and Coopersburg, fell on the track and broke his leg. After assistance arrived Mr. FLUCK was removed to his home and a physician summoned. He found that the leg was fractured at two places, above and below the knee.
Flora J. DICKINSON, formerly of Souderton, now residing in New York State, has brought suit against the Philadelphia and Lehigh Valley Traction Company for $10,000 damages for injuries received in the accident at Sell's Corner, below Souderton, last June, whereby a car was derailed and thrown into a ditch. Her husband, W.H. DICKINSON, has also brought suit for $2500 for loss of services.
Mrs. Amanda BOYER on Wednesday fell down the cellar steps at the home of William XANDER, of near Hoppenville, where she is employed. She had a lighted lamp in her hand and when she stepped on the top step the entire stairs loosened from the fastenings and dropped to the floor. Mrs. BOYER fell with the lamp, it struck the floor, was broken and luckily extinguished. When she was able to get up she found that she received severe bruises and sprains in her back. A physician was summoned and she was compelled to take to her bed for several days.
Charles DERR, the carpenter of Pennsburg, met with a mishap on Wednesday while whittling wood with a pocketknife which will prevent him from attending to his duties for some time. The knife slipped and he cut an ugly gash in his left hand between the thumb and forefinger.
Nicholas SHINGLOUGH and Melvin NICE of near Shelly Station, Bucks county, were out gunning on Monday when Mr. SHINGLOUGH met with a painful accident. A rabbit was chaced under a rock and Mr. NICE tried to chase it out. Mr. SHINGLOUGH thought he would make sure of his game placed the muzzle of the gun under the stone and fired. The concussion was so great that the gun bursted. Nineteen shot struck his face, one penetrating the nose and the rest took effect in his windpipe, neck and his left hand was also badly lacerated. Dr. GERY, of Coopersburg dressed the wounds which were very painful, but not serious.
Daniel REITER, of Schwenksville, is lying in St. Luke's Hospital, Bethlehem, as the result of a compound fracture of the skull received while working along the Philadelphia and Reading Railway near Coopersburg. REITER is section foreman of the Coopersburg division and while standing with his force of men working along the tracks, was struck upon the head by a huge piece of timber which fell from a freight car. He was knocked down and rendered unconscious. The injuries are quite serious and his condition is critical.
Charged with the larceny of $333 worth of cigars from Henry W. REIFF, a cigar manufacturer at Lederachville, Martin RYAN, 2161 Franklin street, Philadelphia was held in $500 bail for a further hearing by Magistrate JERMON. REIFF in his affidavit says that he delivered 10,000 cigars, valued at $333, to RYAN, to sell for him on commission. RYAN failed to return either money or cigars, and on August 26 a warrant was issued for his arrest. He was held for several further hearings upon his promise to pay. RYAN, who formerly kept a cigar store at the northwest corner of 5th street and Girard avenue, says he failed in business and was unable to pay his creditors.
Mrs. Frank RUMFELT, of Coopersburg, dropped dead in her yard on Monday afternoon of heart failure. She was about 48 years old and in apparently good health when she was stricken. She leaves a husband and several children.
The large farm, store and milling property in Upper Hanover township, known as the Jacob HILLEGASS homestead, will be sold at public sale on Saturday, December 6th. The Reading Fire Insurance Company now owns the place and they propose to sell it.
Mrs. John FINK, the oldest person in New Hanover township, is confined to her bed. Her sickness is due to infirmities of old age. She is in her 96th year.
Yesterday afternoon, at Collegeville, Coroner KANE, held an inquest on the death of KREAMER, the farmer killed on the tracks of the Perkiomen Railroad at that place.
Mrs. Edwin WALKER, a negress of Reading, celebrated her 100th birthday anniversary on Saturday. She was born a slave near Winchester, Va., and her great age is well authenticated. She is tall and erect, was never ill, never used glasses, can thread a needle, spends most her time in sewing, and has been using tobacco for seventy-five years. Her husband was a drummer boy in the War of 1812, having gone with his young master.
With a lighted candle, seeking for toys under a couch, 11-year-old Theodore son of William BACHMAN, fired his parent's home, at Lansdale, Sunday evening, and came very near suffocating another child, a 1-year-old baby, in a couch near the starting place of the flames. A neighbor, John S. RUTH, rescued the baby and extinguished the flames.
The four-year-old daughter of Preston Y. DAVIS, of Royersford, met with a serious accident in the rear of the yard of his handsome residence on Bridge street. A paper bon-fire had been started, but had almost died out when the little child saw a paper that she wanted, and, in reaching over, her dress caught on fire. Almost in a twinkling the flames spread, going to her hair. With everything ablaze she ran screaming the whole length of the yard. Her screams attracted the neighbors, who ran to her assistance. A piece of carpet was thrown about the child and her clothing torn from her. Carried into the house Drs. Charles BOWER and Jas. C. MEWHINNEY were summoned and dressed the burns. Her back, left side, left arm and armpit were burned in a most frightful manner, the burns going clear through the skin to the muscles which were exposed fortunately she did not inhale the flames, as her dress caught fire from the back. She is resting as easy as can be expected but is in a critical condition.
Howard SCHELL, a plasterer employed by Ackerman & Co., while at work Monday morning on the residence of Harry S. KUMERY, on Madison street, Allentown, was suddenly seized with convulsions and was taken in the ambulance to the hospital. SCHELL steped on a loose board which struck him in the back and as he is subject to convulsion the shock is supposed to have brought on the attack. SCHELL lives at Bally, Berks county, but for the past two months has been boarding at the Pennsylvania Hotel.
Mrs. William KULP, an aged woman residing near Mingo dam, a short distance below Royersford, met with an accident which resulted in her death. She was in the second story of her husband's large barn, and in stepping backward came against the overshoot door, which happened to be unhooked, and as the door flew open, Mrs. KULP fell out and struck on the ground, a distance of about 13 feet. Her injuries proved fatal. Her husband and seven children survive.
Isaac HUBER, one of the oldest residents of New Hanover township was recently stricken with apoplexy. He was unable to speak for a few days and was compelled to remain in bed. He however has improved very much during this week and he is now able to be about and can speak so that his family can understand him. He is about seventy years of age.
Lizzie WAGNER is in trouble again. Lizzie is the Lower Saucon girl who a year ago took $223 belonging to her father and started to blow it in the candy stores and dry goods establishments of Allentown with Traction motormen and conductors. When arrested at that time by Detective DORAN and Chief KELLY, of South Bethlehem, Lizzie dropped a wad of $169 into a cuspidor at the Allentown police station. The father took the $169, refused to prosecute and Lizzie went free. A few months ago while living with Mrs. TRACY in South Bethlehem, Lizzie stole $5, but nearly all the money was recovered by the officers before mentioned. Mrs. TRACY did not want to go to law and again Lizzie went free. This time she is in charge of the Bucks county officials charged with stealing a $65 dress belonging to Mrs. MOSER, wife of the proprietor of a Quakertown hotel. Lizzie had been employed as a domestic at the hotel. She was arrested by Detective DORAN at her home in Lower Saucon and turned over to the care of Constable FUNK, of Quakertown. When asked by Chief of Police KELLY why she stole, Lizzie innocently replied: "I just wanted it." The girl is believed to be weak minded.
Albert FRETZ and wife, of South Perkasie, gave a family reception in honor of their son, Clayton FRETZ, and bride, of Pennsburg, who visited them last Sunday.
Butcher Horace O. WALT, of Pennsburg, met with the misfortune on Monday of breaking his left leg. He was assisting butcher E. WEISS, of this borough in grinding sausage with the aid of a horse power. The horse in some manner got over a trace and started to run away and in so doing Mr. WALT who was close by was hit with one of the extending arms of the horse power. The force was enough to shatter one of the bones below the knee. Dr. Wm. H. HUNSBERGER was called who reduced the fracture.
Jacob SHELL died on Sunday at noon at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Amos WOLF, near Emaus. He was ill for some time and succumbed suddenly. The funeral was held yesterday, with services and burial at the Lutheran Church at Zionsville. Rev. I.B. RITTER, of Emaus officiated.
David FRY, an eighty-three-year-old resident of Centre Valley, Lehigh county, who as a cattle drover and later as a tree agent had traveled over a great portion of this section of the state and generally walking on railroad tracks, was struck by an extra freight train at WAGNER's crossing of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad between Hellertown and Bingen on Tuesday morning and received injuries from which he died on the caboose of the train in South Bethlehem soon after. When struck the old man had two small trees on his shoulders and was carrying them to customers. Every bone in his body was broken. The dead man's wife died twelve years ago. Two sons, the Rev. Sylvanus D. FRY and Merchant Henry FRY, of Centre Valley, and a daughter, Mrs. Maria HARTMAN, of near Centre Valley, survive. Three grand-children, Calvin Fry of South Bethlehem; Dr. R.B. FRY, of Allentown, and Mrs. Alice FULMER, of Centre Valley, and five great-grand-children also survive. In the pockets of the dead man were two pocketbooks and a wallet containing $10 and a mortgage for $1409.
Pyranious XANDER, died at his home about a mile east of Hoppenville on Tuesday at 11 o'clock, after an illness of about ten weeks. He was only bedfast for about ten days. He is a son of William XANDER, of near Hoppenville. Mr. XANDER is about 46 years of age, a member of the Knights of Goldon Eagle lodge of Green Lane, and is survived by his wife, nee Mary Samsel, and one daughter, Katie. He was born near Hancock, Berks county. His death was due to rheumatism. His father and the following brothers and sisters survive: Daniel, of Quakertown; John, of Pennsburg; Sarah, wife of William NICHOLAS, of near Geryville; Emma, wife of Henry CARVER, of Ridge Valley; Peter, of Niantic, and Lizzie, wife of Irvin BOOZ, of Argus. The funeral will be held on Monday at the St. Paul's Lutheran church near Pennsburg. Rev. O.F. WAAGE will officiate.
John SHUPE, a veteran newspaperman of Telford, died after a brief illness, on Saturday. His death was due to general debility. Mr. SHUPE was for many years the publisher and proprietor of the Montgomery County Presse, a german newspaper, which at one time was recognized as one of the democratic newspapers in the county. Mr. SHUPE has continued to publish the paper up to this time although his circulation was only about a dozen copies. He was 87 years of age. The funeral will be held from his late residence tomorrow morning. Interment will be made on the Tohickon Reformed Cemetery near Telford.
Mrs. George S. ZIEGLER, died Monday morning at the residence of Fred. PHLIEGER, Lederachville. The decessed was aged 67 years, 2 months and 17 days. Mrs. ZIEGLER was one of a family of eleven children, and she is the first to die. The following children survive: Mrs. Fred. PHLIEGER, Lederachville; Mrs. Isaiah BEAN, Kulpsville; Mrs. John LANDIS and Mrs. Ed. ZIEGLER, of Hatfield. Seven children preceeded the mother in death. She is also survived by the following brothers and sisters: A.L. ZIEGLER, Lederachville; Samuel ZIEGLER, Harleysville; William ZIEGLER, Allentown; Jacob Ziegler, Illinois; Mrs. Henry CHARLES, Rudy; Mrs. Joseph MOYER, Pipersville; Mrs. Fred. BARNDT, Quakertown; Mrs. Harry NACE, Mrs. Fred. GOTTSHALK, and Mrs. Webster CLEMMER, all of Philadelphia. The funeral will be held today. Interment will be made on the Salford meeting house cemetery.
Mary HARTENSTINE, an aged lady of Philadelphia, died at her home last week. She brought her age to 84 years. Mr. Hartenstine formerly resided in the Perkiomen Valley and many of her relatives live here. The funeral was held on Wednesday at the St. Paul's Lutheran church. Rev. O.F. WAAGE officiated.
Mrs. Debia REITNAUER, wife of Levi REITNAUER, of New Berlinville, Berks county, died, aged about 80 years, from dropsy, from which she suffered for some time. Her husband and six children survive: Amanda, wife of George ROTHENBERGER, of Boyertown; Kate, wife of Charles SMITH, of Morysville; Oscar, of Norristown; Peter, of Reading; George, of New Berlinville, and Levi, of Boyertown. The funeral was held on Thursday forenoon.
John L. SCHREIBER, a former County Commissioner of Lehigh county died on Monday at his home in Hosensack, after an illness covering a period of a year. He suffered from gangrene and was confined to bed for six months. Deceased was 66 years of age and was engaged in farming as an occupation all his life. He was born in Whitehall township, Lehigh county, and was a son of Edward SCHREIBER. He was Republican County Commissioner in the '80's and since that time he has been a member of the State Board of Agriculture and for a number of years manager of farmers' institute in Lehigh county. He is survived by his wife, who was Mary FENIDE, of Whitehall, and five children: Harry SCHREIBER, of Shimersville; Allen SCHREIBER, of New York; Edward SCHREIBER, of Bangor, and Frank and Sallie SCHREIBER, at home. He also leaves six grand children and a brother and a sister, Peter SCHREIBER, of Oil City, and Mrs. W.H. MECHLING, of Germantown. The funeral took place at noon yesterday with services at Zionsville Church. Interment was made in Union Cemetery, Allentown. Rev. O.R. FRANTZ, of Zionsville, and Rev. Dr. Eli KELLER, of Allentown officiated.
Miss Sophia HORLACHER, of Philadelphia, died Thursday at her home. Her age is about 67 years. She is a sister of Mrs. Nathan NUSS, of East Greenville. The funeral will be held at the New Goshenhoppen Reformed church on Monday.
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