While oiling the machinery in his flour mill on the Skippack creek, mid-way between Skippack and Mainland, on Monday forenoon, George S. FRETZ, was caught in the machinery and was seriously injured. Mr. FRETZ was on the third floor of the mill and was moving about the machinery there applying oil when his coat caught in the cogwheels and he was drawn up against the roof. He called for help and his wife ran into the mill and stopped the machinery. She then hurried through the mill in search of her husband and when she reached the third floor she saw his body hanging in the machinery. She tried to extricate him from this perilous position but could not. Mrs. FRETZ ran to her neighbor, Isaiah HENDRICKS who lives about 400 yards away for assistance. During her absence, the water wheel which is one of the old fashioned over-shoot ones, made a half circle, which was enough to loosen Mr. FRETZ. He fell to the floor, walked down two flight of stairs, through the mill to the house which is about fifty yards away and fell upon the porch, too weak to go farther. He was found here by his wife and Mr. HENDRICKS. When the mill was examined it was noticed that the blood ran down to the second floor. Drs. Newtown HUNSBERGER, of Skippack, GROFF and KEELOR, of Harleysville, were immediately summoned and upon examination they found his left arm torn ???? from its socket, his collar bone and every rib on the left side broken and his right arm badly mashed between elbow and wrist. His entire body was badly lacerated and ground by the cogwheels. The physicians fixed up the injured man as best they could and they had hopes for his recovery. Mr. FRETZ's recovery will be due to his remarkable constitution. He was conscious all the time that he was in the grip of the cogwheels and he said he heard the noise caused by the breaking of his bones. He is about 40 years of age and has been conducting this mill, which is better known as NICE's mill, for the past ???? years. He has a family and five small children.
Through her attorney, Mrs. John HENDERSON, widow of the colored stonecutter of Perkasie, Bucks county, who died from the effects of having two legs cut off by a freight train at Rockhill several days ago while attempting to jump from the train, stopped the funeral on Monday. Mrs. HENDERSON lives in Philadelphia, and, learning of the death of her husband, visited his employer, and, her giving him a tale of her poverty, asked for assistance. Harry WAMSHER told her that her husband had allowed his insurance policy to lapse about three weeks before his death, but he would bury the body and give her $50 as a token of his regard for his late employe. She appeared satisfied and returned to Philadelphia. But later Mr. WAMSHER was surprised to receive a telegram from a Philadelphia lawyer stopping the funeral. It is supposed that some attempt will be made to secure the insurance and damages from the Reading Railway.
Thomas K. LEIDY, L.P.G. FEGELY and Mr. Rufus LEFEVRE, of Boyertown, a commission in lunacy, decided that Mary A., wife of Solomon KNOUSE, Boyertown, is of unsound mind. She will be taken to the Harrisburg asylum. Mrs. KNOUSE is ?? years of age, and was married March ?? 1860. The husband testified that years ago, while living at Fostoria, O., his wife was ill, and since that time her mental condition has been impaired.
A car of the Philadelphia & Lehigh Valley Traction Company, containing seventy-seven passengers, including the foot ball team of the Perkasie High School, which was on its way to a Thanksgiving Day game with the Lansdale High School team, overturned a short distance below the village of Hatfield, on Thursday, instantly killing one person and injuring most of the other passengers to a greater or less degree. The passenger killed was Wallace CROUTHAMEL, 14 years old, of Perkasie. The injured include: Joseph DETWEILER, 19 years old, of Souderton, whose injuries were mainly internal and so severe that he is not expected to recover; William SPRINGER, of North Wales, head and face cut and shoulder injured; Mrs. John H. HILLEGASS, of Quakertown, arm and hands cut; Minnie BENNER, 18 years old, of Hatfield, head and face cut; Elizabeth FREED, 15 years old, of Reliance, fracture of the nose and scalp wounds; George ANDREWS, a salesman of Philadelphia, arm injured and shoulder sprained; Louis SOUDER, 18 years old, of Souderton, face cut and burned from the car stove; John R. SPIEGELHALTER, of Perkasie, head cut and burns; John ESSER, the motorman, of Souderton three ribs broken; Mrs. McALLISTER, of Quakertown, severe cuts about the head; David YERGER, of Souderton, bad cut on ankle; Mr. HERMAN, of Philadelphia, about 60 years old, cut about the head; Ferris LEIDY, of Souderton, cuts and bruises; Mrs. Harry DETWILER and child, of Quakertown, cuts and bruises. These are only those who came under the care of the physicians, most of the passengers being able to continue on their way without surgical attention. At SHELLENBERGER's crossing there is a sharp curve. The motorman, John ESSER, of Souderton, formerly of East Greenville, applied the air brakes, as he approached the curve, but the brake refused to work. The car struck the curve at full speed, left the tracks and rolled over in the roadbed. The occupants were hurled in a struggling mass, and were badly cut and bruised by bits of broken glass and timbers. Some of them were hurled against the stove and seriously burned. Thrilling Scene Of Rescue - The work of rescuing the injured was commenced at once; and the neighboring houses were turned into miniature hospitals. Drs. ALBRIGHT, BIGONY and CROUTHAMEL were soon on the ground. The car was streaming with blood after the dead and injured had been removed. A number of those not hurt at all were overcome with shock, and fainted in the car. Quite a number of Quakertown residents were on the car, who later returned by the Reading Railway. Mr. ESSER, the motorman claims that, owing to a broken or disconnected rod, the mechanism of the air-brake would not work, and he was unable to reduce the speed of the car before the curve was reached. Mr. DETWEILER who was seriously hurt, had shot two fingers from his hand while out gunning a few days ago. Many of the passengers were on their way to Philadelphia, the new express schedule, three hours from Allentown to the Quaker City, having gone into effect on Tuesday. The average speed required for this run, with more numerous stops than steam trains make between the same cities on a schedule of an hour and a half to two hours for express, can readily be understood. That more passengers were not killed, therefore, seems little short of miraculous.
A crowded trolley car on the Pottstown Passenger Railway jumped the track near Sanatoga while going at terrific speed Thursday afternoon. Harry MOYER, of Frederick, this county, was seriously injured and may die. The car left the track on a steep grade and plunged into a stone wall. MOYER's left leg was badly crushed and he sustained internal injuries. Many other passengers were more or less seriously injured.
With the impressive rites of the Catholic church, the funeral of Rev. Anthony NATHE, late rector of the Church of the Most Blessed Sacrament at Bally, was held Monday morning in the church over which the dead priest had presided for several years. The church was thronged with mourners from Reading, Pottstown, Philadelphia, Ashland and the surrounding country and many were unable to get into the small structure. Father NATHE's remains were conveyed from the rectory to the church, where they were exposed to view from 8 a.m. until the hour of the services at 11 o'clock. The members of the congregation and others for miles around came to the church to take a last view of the remains of the kindly priest who had ministered to the parish for a number of years. Eighteen members of St. Joseph's Beneficial Society acted as a guard of honor. Six relieved each other every half hour. Rev. Father BRUGGEMAN and Mary and Elizabeth BRUGGEMAN, nephew and nieces of Father NATHE, were the last to view the remains. The remains were exposed to view on a catafalque erected in front of the sanctuary. They were attired in full clerical vestments and reposed in a black velvet casket. On the lid of the casket was a plate bearing the name and age of the departed priest. The services were in charge of Bishop Edmund F. PRENDERGAST. The divine office for the dead was chanted by the assembled priests before the solemn requiem mass was celebrated. The chanters were Rev. John REGNARY, of Easton, Rev. B. CORVED, of Philadelphia, Rev. George BORNEMANN, of Reading, was celebrant of the mass. Rev. Fred W. LONGINUS, of Pottsville, was deacon, and Rev. James F. FLANAGAN, of Reading, sub-deacon. The master of ceremonies was Rev. Henry ADAMS, O.S.A., of Villa Vova. Rev. Father STAUSS, of Reading, delivered the oration, which was in German. There were fifty priests from the Philadelphia and Harrisburg dioceses. A number of the members of Father NATHE's former congregation, at Ashland, were present. The choir was under the direction of Miss Katie STENGEL, organist, assisted by Miss Myra KANE, soprano. The remains were interred in the cemetery nearby, alongside of Rev. Father BALLY, who had been pastor 44 years. Among the priests present, in addition to those named above, were: Monsignor F. PIEGER, of the Harrisburg diocese; Rev. Henry SCHUTTELHOFER, of Shenandoah; Rev. Herman DIETRICH, of Mahanoy City; Rev. E. NERTZ, of South Bethlehem; Rev. Henry STOMMEL, of Philadelphia; Rev. John ENGLERT, C.SS.R., of Philadelphia; Revs. W. and Theodore HAMMEKE, of Philadelphia; Rev. John SIMETZ, of Catasauqua; Rev. Bernard PHILLIPS, of Philadelphia; Rev. Gustavus COPPES, of Jersey City; Rev. Ignatius SAURS, of St. Clair; Rev. Joseph SHAEFFER, of Bethlehem; Rev. Henry GRANTERT, of Manayunk; Rev. Germanus KOHL, of Littlestown; Rev. M.J. CRANE, of Philadelphia; Rev. A. MALUSECKI, of Reading; Rev. John SCHLEUTTER, of Bridesburg; Rev. Ignatius DELAUX, of New York; Rev. A. KERTKORN, of Bally; Rev. John John BRUGGEMAN, of York.
A little child of Mr. and Mrs. Timothy McAVOY, of Pennsburg, was badly burned on last Thursday. Had not its mother come to the rescue it might have been fatally burned. One of the children was playing at the stove with a stick. The stick caught fire and the child in a playful manner held it against another one of the children. In an instant the dress caught fire and the pain caused by the fire made the little tot scream which attracted the attention of the mother. She immediately extinguished the flames but not before the one arm of the child was badly burned. A physician was summoned and the little tot was placed in as comfortable a position as possible under the circumstances.
While Charles D. MOYER, of Boyertown, with a number of other employes of the Consolidated Telephone Company, were unloading the long poles at that depot, to be put up within the borough limits, he was thrown from the top of the car by being struck with one of the poles, and had one finger broken, besides sustaining several wounds on the head.
During the absence of Mrs. Catharine SMEDLEY, near Montgomery Square, east of Lansdale, from the house, for a few minutes on Wednesday, her three-year old daughter, Agnes, crawled to the table and seizing a bottle of muriatic acid, which had been left standing thereon, poured the contents over herself. The burns inflicted will probably disfigure the child for life.
Jared HOCH, of Pennsburg, on Saturday sold about forty building lots in this borough at public sale. The prices ranged from $5 up to $65 per lot. Some of the lots are located near the silk mill and others front on a street which is not open to the public. The land belonged to the late Elias HOCH. The small frame house in which Mr. HOCH, Sr., lived was sold at private sale to Benjamin BENDER, of Pottstown for $200. The farm proper was offered for sale and bid up to $18 an acre but was withdrawn. It will now be sold at private sale.
Dr. John A. ROTH, of Siesholtzville, Berks county, will move to Red Hill next spring and practice his profession in that borough. Dr. ROTH, on Monday purchased a lot, with a frontage of 60 feet, between G.M. WELKER's store and J.S. MOSER's home from Wm. WELKER, upon which he will erect a double dwelling house. He expects to move into the one part himself. Dr. ROTH is a well-known practicioner and his patients at Siesholtzville reluctantly see him leave that vicinity.
James YODER, who resides with his brother-in-law, Augustus CLEAVER, a farmer of Douglass township, this county, was arrested on Saturday last by Constables John SMALE and H.K. RHOADS on a warrant issued by Justice of the Peace C.G. BAIR, charging him with assault and battery and also cruelty to animals. At the hearing Mr. CLEAVER and his wife, the latter a sister of the accused, testified that James acted queer at times and they were afraid that he would do further acts of violence than those which he was charged. A few days ago he was detected in the act of attempting to burn the cattle in their stalls by applying burning paper to their tails and it required the utmost exertion on the part of the members of the family to prevent the barn from being fired. He also made a desperate assault upon his sister Mrs. CLEAVER, by striking her and he would probably have killed her, but for help which came quickly in response to her screams. Within the last few weeks the family was in dread all the time lest he commit some terrible act. He is about 25 years of age and unmarried. At times he imagined that he was a preacher and he would then sing, pray and preach in the German tongue and with much earnestness. These periods were invariably followed by fits of melancholy, and it was when in the latter condition that the family had to watch his movements. When the two constables attempted to arrest him he fought like a demon and they found it necessary to handcuff him, but after this was done he became docile and made no further trouble. After his last outbreak, when he attempted to burn the cattle his brother-in-law and sister decided to ask the court for a commission in lunacy, but they were fearful that before such a commission could act he might, if left at liberty cause damage or loss of life and the criminal action was brought for the purpose of placing him under restraint and beyond the power of doing himself or others harm. After listening to the evidence "Squire BAIR issued a commitment and Officers SMALE and RHOADS took the unfortunate man to the county jail, where he will remain until his case receives legal attention.
Last Thursday morning about two o'clock the six-year-old child of Louis LANDENBERGER, of Perkasie, awakened her parents and grandparents, Samuel MARTIN and wife, who live in the same house, by the cry of fire. The rooms were already filled with smoke when the family were awakened, and the rooms down stairs were found to be in flames. Mrs. MARTIN did not respond to the call of fire, and she was found unconscious on the floor of the bedroom. Word was sent to the neighbors for help, and in the meanwhile Mr. LANDENBERGER, clad in his night clothes and with nothing on his feet, carried water into the room, and discovered that the chimney was fiercely blazing, that being the cause of the fire. C.P. FOX, one of the neighbors, brought a piece of garden hose with him and this was attached to a force pump, a ladder procured and the hose taken up to the roof and run into the top of the chimney, with the result that the flames were drowned out. The wood work in the lower part of the house was burned away and it was a miracle that the house was saved, for had the fire had ten minutes more headway, the house would have been totally destroyed, and lives might have been lost.
Four young Sellersville men left for the West last week. Two, Lafayette ROUNSAVELL and Tobias HARR, are going to Chicago, and Thomas and Howard WEIDEMOYER are going to the Pacific coast, their destination being Los Angeles, California. They will investigate opportunities for young men and if everything is satisfactory they may decide to remain in the western country. The California tourists will go via Sante Fe and Albuquerque, with a stop-over at Kansas City.
Several weeks ago little ten-year-old Emily MELLOR, daughter of David MELLOR, until recently a resident of Conshohocken, this county, but now of Wissahickon, scratched her foot slightly in some unknown manner. On Friday night she died as a result of blood poisoning. No attention was paid to the wound, which had but the appearance of a slight scratch and which at first gave the child no trouble whatever. A few days later, however, the foot began to swell and gave the little girl some pain. A physician was summoned who pronounced the case one of blood poisoning. Despite the heroic efforts made to effect a cure, all was in vain.
Mrs. Rosa NEWMAN, of Perkasie, who was removed to the Evangelistie Home in Germantown about six weeks ago, died there last week from consumption. Mrs. NEWMAN was possessor of some property which she deeded to the Home when she entered and their finances will be bettered by several thousand dollars.
Letters of administration were granted to Milton Y. KRAUSS, of Palm, this county, in the office of Register of Wills McKEEVER, of Lehigh county, on Friday, in the estate of Dr. Jonas K. GERHARD, deceased, of Lower Milford township.
A.B. CLEMMER, of Philadelphia, was appointed administrator d.b.n.c.t.a. of the last will and testament of William WESCOE, of Lower Macungie. The latter made a will February 25, 1869, and named as executor Benjamin K. KECK. The executor died, hence the letters testamentary.
The funeral of David GRING, who was killed in a gunning accident, was the largest ever held in Berks county. The interment and services took place at Sinking Springs. Over 100 vehicles were in line, making a procession a mile long. Over 2000 people attended the funeral.
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