Michael, the four-year-old son of Paul MIORSKI, of Phoenixville, was kidnapped by gypsies in the heart of that town on Friday evening. The country for miles was scoured for several days and no trace of the boy was found until Sunday when a party of boys found his murdered body in a deserted farm house within a distance of a mile and a half of the parents home. At the time he was kidnapped he and another boy were playing near the parents home. The gypsy band drove up to the boys, grasped the boy and threw him into their wagon, whipped up their horses and escaped. An alarm was soon raised and a searching party was made up but without avail. When found the boy had his skull crushed, and his throat cut. A gypsy band was encamped within a short distance of the house in which the child's body was found and after investigating into the matter the authorities decided to take them into custody. Five male members of the camp were arrested and a knife with blood stains as well as a coat with similar stains were taken from one of the prisoners.
Clerk of Courts, Henry G. GROFF, this county issued the following marriage licenses to parties in the upper end: J. ???en EVANS, Limerick and Katharine ???ett, Royersford; Jeremiah CONRAD, Green Lane and Mrs. Mary M. EDELMAN, Marlborough; Edwin L. MOYER and Lizzie M. NYCE, Harleysville; Jacob D. RUSS, Towamencin and Amanda B. NYCE, Lower Salford; Joseph O. GAUGLER, Collegeville and May A. FRY, Fagleysville.
Alvin SHOEMAKER, the hostler and liveryman at the Perkiomen Hotel, Schwenksville, is the owner of several odd looking cats. They are a cross between a cat and a rabbit. The forepart is catlike and the hind part rabbit. They have a great liking for mice, but Mr. SHOEMAKER has not yet been able to find any Easter Eggs which they laid.
Huckster Harry TOMS, of Boyertown, was out over his huckster route gathering his produce and when near the Hill Church an egg crate slipped off the wagon against the horse, which frightened him and he ran to one side into a gutter where he fell, striking against a post. The animal broke its neck and died in a short time.
Jacob AUSTIN, of York, Pa., aged 68 years, who is the owner of a dozen houses and reputed to be work $20,000, on Saturday went to jail for ten days rather than pay a fine of $5 imposed upon him for disorderly conduct. He remarked that the ten days he will spend in will be the ???on happiest days of his life.
Harvey SMITH, of Finland, has a pumpkin vine, which has twelve large pumpkins. The largest measured five and seven and one-half inches in circumference and weighs eighty-eight pounds. He beats the record in the vicinity in which Mr. SMITH lives.
The blazing barn on the farm of Wm. WRIGHT, on the mountain back, of Emaus on Monday set fire to the woodland surrounding it and a conflagration begun which the well-directed efforts of a large party of farmers were unable to check up to an early hour the next morning. The fire broke out in the barn about 4 o'clock Monday afternoon. Its origin is mysterious. Before much headway was gained the cattle were rescued but the farming implements and the crops of hay and grain were completely destroyed. A high wind carried the flames in the direction of the forests on the mountain side and soon the masses of dried leaves and dead branches were, in a crackling blaze and a forest fire of no mean proportions started. Efforts to save the barn were diverted to preventing the spread of the forest fire and most of the fuel was removed from the progress of the flames. The woodland that was burned is on the DAUBERT and SHULER farms. The barn, which burned, was a small frame structure and the loss on it, as well as on the implements and crops, is partly covered by insurance. The farm is tenanted by Harvey LONG and experienced a fire eight years ago when the barn, which this later one replaced, was burned down.
Merchant Geo. W. WELKER, of Red Hill, met with an accident on Friday afternoon while conveying goods from the depot to his store. He was seated on top of a number of boxes and a young son of Oliver ERB, of the same town, was seated lower down, when the horse made a sudden start throwing both as well as some boxes from the wagon. Both Mr. WELKER and the boy sprained their wrists and ever since the accident they are compelled to carry their arms in slings. The injuries were quite painful.
The installation of Rev. W.U. KISTLER as pastor of the St. Mark's Lutheran church of Pennsburg was exceptionally well attended and the church was filled to its utmost capacity. Rev. C. KISTLER, brother of the pastor spoke in German and directed his remarks to his brother and his duties towards the church, while Rev. C.C. BOYER spoke in English and directed his words to the congregation and its duties towards the pastor. The church choir sang several well selected anthems.
A thief entered the corn field of Allen DILLINGER, of Dillingersville, one night this week and stole about five bushels of corn which had been husked the day before. Suspicion rests on some one in the neighborhood and as soon as Mr. DILLINGER will be convinced that he was the guilty party, he will prosecute him. An example made of such a citizen may be the means of putting a stop to such petty thieving in this neighborhood.
Dr. J.R. UMSTAD, of Norristown, is afflicted with a serious case of blood poisoning on the hand. A cut on the finger, made by a ring, evidently became poisoned, following an operation performed a few days ago. The hand has swollen to a great size, and is causing the physician no little apprehension.
Charles H. RHOADES, a 22 year old farmer of Schwenksville, this week secured a license to wed Miss Mary STYER, the 16 year old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Alfred STYER, of Salfordville. The parents gave their full consent in order to get the license.
Percy OTT, a 9-year-old Emaus boy, had a very close call from death. He attempted to jump on a freight car while the train was in motion. He fell in front of the wheels, but was pushed aside just in time. Besides a few bruises from the cinder he was not hurt.
John CONNELLY, of Pittsburg, aged 15, died on Tuesday of gunshot wounds inflicted by his mother. The boy was a somnambulist, and was groping about the house early Sunday morning when he was shot in mistake for a burglar.
Falling through some rotten boards into a lime kiln, a valuable horse owned by James M. MEREDITH, of Calcium Berks County broke his back and was killed.
One of East Greenville's oldest residents, Jonas WIEAND (picture), quite recently showed remarkable vigor for a man of his age, by doing a day's thrashing of grain with a flail. He had as an assistant Daniel DOTTERER who is less than half the former's age, and when evening came Mr. DOTTERER, who is less than half the former's age, and when evening came Mr. DOTTERER felt the effects of the day's labor more than did Mr. WIEAND. Earlier in the season Mr. WIEAND cut the grain with the cradle and housed it. During the day a thrashing with the flail they cleaned one hundred and fifty large sheaves. Mr. WIEAND was born on June 4, 1823, and is an exceptional hardy man. He lives retired at East Greenville. He keeps a horse and attends to the care of him himself, besides doing various work around his lot. He was a miller by trade and learned this business at KUMMERER's mill, near Bechtelsville. After he left there he worked at ROEDER's mill (now KUMMERER's) near Trumbauersville. At this place he stayed ten years. After leaving there he engaged in the same business at WEINBERGER's mill, near Hosensack. In 1857, after leaving Hosensack, he conducted the milling business at Hillegass, at what is now SCHULER's mill, for seven years. In 1864 Mr. WIEAND purchased the farm in Upper Hanover township, which he still owns, near Pennsburg, now tenanted by Mr. KLEINSMITH, and engaged in farming. He conducted this farm for twenty-eight years. Twelve years ago he moved into his house in East Greenville and decided to retire from the active farm work. Since he lives in East Greenville he cannot refrain from doing farm or hard labor whenever an opportunity presents itself. Only this week he walked to a cornfield near his home, where he saw huskers at work, and it was not long before he sat down and had husked several shocks of corn. Mr. WIEAND was twice married, his first wife died about a year after the wedding. The family is childless. They adopted Mrs. Daniel DOTTERER, of East Greenville, when she was three years of age and she was with them until she was married. In fact, she still is with them, for the DOTTERER family lives in the same house.
An ice house and carriage house at Henry CHARLES' hotel, Salford Station, were destroyed by fire Wednesday evening. The fire broke out at about 5 o'clock. The hotel sheds and the buildings of M.H. WALTERS was saved by a bucket brigade. The buildings were almost new and not insured. The loss is about $250. The origin of the fire is unknown.
Caught in the act of throwing stones at a school house at West Catasauqua on Wednesday night, and threatened with arrest by a White Hall township policeman, Frank McCANN, 18 years old, ran into a nearby cornfield and committed suicide by shooting himself in the head.
William S. RAHN, proprietor of the Hereford Hotel is the champion cabbage raiser of Berks County. One of the largest heads raised weighed twenty-three pounds. The head had a circumference of forty-three inches one way and thirty-three inches the other way.
The oldest tortoise in Pennsylvania was found by Samuel LESHER, of Moslem, Berks County crawling in one of the fields. On the shell was the inscription, nearly obliterated, "April 30, 1703," and if the date is correct the turtle is 201 years old.
A cow belonging to H.H. WELLER, of Hill Church was so badly intoxicated one day this week that she was unable to stand. She ate rotten apples and for more than a day she was "boozed."
Harvey KULP, a farmer residing near Salfordville, raised some extra large ears of corn. He has many of them that measure sixteen and seventeen inches and anyone can call and see them.
Mrs. Dr. E.F. BENNER, of Salfordville, raised a tomato stalk in her garden that measures eight feet in height. The stalk bore a large number of extra large tomatoes. This is the largest tomato stalk raised in that vicinity.
Mrs. Joseph DELONG, of Topton, on Wednesday had her leg amputated. She has been a sufferer from gangrene for a number of years and quite recently a toe was amputated. Drs. C.D. SCHAFFER and C.D. WERLEY performed the operation.
George F. BAER, of Reading, was on Monday elected president of the Perkiomen, Stony Creek and Philadelphia, Newtown and New York Railroads in place of Colonel James BOYD, recently deceased.
Mrs. W.A. CLEMMER, of Clayton, raised a red beet that is twenty-one inches in length, and measures fourteen inches in circumference. The beet weighs five pounds.
Asher BUSS, of Schoenersville, Berks County, raised a half a million bushels of potatoes this year. Some of these were nine inches in length and tipped the scales at two pounds and three ounces.
The members of the Pennsburg Reformed and several of the Sassamansville and Huber's church, on Wednesday evening, gave a reception to their pastor, Rev. and Mrs. George W. LUTZ. After all the members had congregated in the church the pastor and wife were escorted in the forepart of the church by eight small girls dressed in white. Rev. Calvin M. DELONG, of East Greenville, then made an address of welcome in the English language, after which Rev. O.F. WAAGE spoke in German. Rev. W.U. KISTLER followed with an English address. The Rev. SHORMAN of Perkiomen Seminary, also made an address in German, after which Rev. O.S. KRIEBEL followed with an address in English. Rev. LUTZ responded to the addresses, after which the members of the congregation congratulated the newly married couple. A sumptuous repast was then served in the basement of the church. Ice cream, cakes and fruit were dished out to all present and at a late hour the reception ended and all returned to their homes well pleased with the grand occasion.
Mayer POLLOCK, proprietor of a Pottstown junk yard, and David POLLOCK, his son, were on Tuesday held under $500 bail before Magistrate MISSIMER on the charge of receiving copper bond wire stolen from the Pottsville Traction Co. David POLLOCK was also held under $500 bail on the charge of aggravated assault and battery on Chief of Police Hiram S. DAVIES, of Pottsville, when James SEIFERT, a prisoner brought to Pottsville to identify goods in the POLLOCK yard, attacked DAVIES and escaped. The POLLOCKs furnished bail.
In order to marry the young woman who, for several years, had awaited his trial for success in a new and far away land, Christian BAYER, a former Montgomery county boy but now a prosperous merchant in Bogota, Columbia, South America, on Tuesday ended a journey of about 2000 miles and led to the altar, at her home in Collegeville, Miss Gertrude M., the accomplished daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Francis CLAMER, of that town. Mr. BAUER and Miss CLAMER has been devoted to each other since childhood.
Henry RENNINGER, of Hoppenville, met with an accident one day this week, while he was engaged in cutting limbs off trees in front of W. PATTERSON's residence in that village. He lost his balance and fell from the tree on the hard ground. He was stunned and bruised. A physician was called who attended to his injuries, and he now has almost fully recovered from the shock.
Anna, the 21-year-old daughter of Jacob SHAPPELL, residing a half mile south of Hamburg, was burned to death on Tuesday afternoon. The girl started a fire in the cooking stove with kerosene oil; when the flames suddenly shot up and ignited the liquid. The can exploded and the burning fluid was strewn over her clothing. The mother is suffering from convulsions from the shock. It is feared she may die.
The famous cowboy, "Buck" TAYLOR, who made a record on the plains, was unable to live happily with his wife and on Tuesday, Mrs. Emily R. TAYLOR was granted a divorce from him. The cause alleged was cruelty. For several years past "Buck" has been engaged in breaking mustangs at Betzwood, near Norristown.
Elmer NUSS, of Harlem, farmer on the company's farm is the champion corn cutter in that section of Berks County. In ten hours he cut one hundred and ninety-two shocks and they were no small ones at that. He would like to hear of some one who can beat his record.
The Court has appointed John U. HENDRICKS, of Schwenksville; Charles M. REED, of Pennsburg, and H.W. KRATZ, of Norristown, a committee to view and inspect the newly constructed bridge which crosses the Perkiomen Creek near the road leading from Red Hill to Green Lane to the Hancock ice house.
In trying a new rifle on the farm of Cyrus LERCH, near Bethlehem, Dr. S.J.T. RITTE, of that place, is reported to have accidently shot a horse at work on a farm a mile away from his target. A bullet which missed the target hit the horse's leg.
A Democratic demonstration took place on Saturday evening in Samuel BARNDT's Hall, at Sumneytown, which was one of the most enthusiastic held in the upper end of the county for some time. Committeeman William H. BUCK, of Marlborough, presided at the meeting. Condidate for District Attorney, Charles H. BRUNNER, of Norristown, was the spokeman for the occasion and he very ably presented the issues of the campaign. Among the audience in the hall were a large number of Republicans as well as a few Socialists. Pennsburg Meeting. The citizens of Pennsburg, East Greenville, Red Hill and vicinity on Monday evening demonstrated their allegiance to the Democratic party, by the large number which were present at the open air mass meeting held at the Pennsburg Hotel. The Red Hill band paraded through the borough and later furnished music at the meeting. Many of the residences and business places being illuminated in honor of the occasion. The meeting was presided over by D.K. GRABER, and after the vice-presidents and secretaries were appointed he introduced the speakers.
The following addressed the large and intentive audience: Candidate for Congress, Joseph J. BROADHURST, of Langhorne, Bucks county; County Chairman Charles D. McAVOY, of Norristown; Dr. Titus J. ALBRIGHT, of Hatfield; Candidate for County, Treasurer, George HAMILL, of Jenkintown, and Arnold PHILIPPS, of Abington, Candidates for the Legislature.
Mrs. Samuel E. NYCE, wife of the former Prothonotary, had a ten minutes' battle with a ferocious bullbog at her residence, in Norristown on Wednesday. She was carrying a basket through her yard when a large white bulldog attacked her. She defended herself with the basket as best she could until she secured a clothes prop. Then she threw away the basket and used the prop to good advantage. Several times the prop was broken over the dog's head, and when Mr. ROOP, the owner of the dog, heard the noise and went to Mrs. NYCE's assistance she still retained about three feet of the prop. The woman's clothing was torn in shreds.
Mrs. P.S. REED, of near Hillegass, sold her farm of over a hundred acres situated in Upper Hanover Township near HARING's Hotel, to a Mr. STEVENS of Indiana County, for $4500. The sale was a private one and the transfers were made on Saturday at the office of real estate agent Milton WALTERS, of Salford Station, who was the agent in the deal. Mr. STEVENS will take possession next month. Mrs. REED expects to move to either Pennsburg or East Greenville after she vacates the farm.
Edward GEERS, the veteran driver and horse trainer, was exercising a trotter on the Memphis, Tenn., track on Wednesday, and on turning into the stretch at a fast clip ran into one of several track wagons on the grounds. His sulky was tilted high in the air and GEERS was thrown heavily to the ground. When assistance reached him it was found he had one leg broken and the other badly injured. He was taken to a hospital, where it is reported he is resting easy. His injuries are regarded as serious.
Dr. Lewis ROYER, one of the best known physicians in Upper Montgomery county, died at Pottstown, on Thursday evening, aged 83 years. He was a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, and since 1867 he had been a resident in the county. In 1878 he was elected State Senator on the Democratic ticket. He was president of the Tradesmen's National Bank, of Conshohocken, and also a member of the Board of Directors of Ursinus College.
Columbus KLEINSMITH, of Dillingersville, Lehigh county, this week shot a hawk that measured forty-two inches across the wings.
A jury in Norristown on Saturday declared that Morton CARR, of West Manayunk, is not an habitual drunkard, and is, therefore, capable of conducting his business affairs.
A well-dressed young man, who claimed to be manager of a new store which opened at Reading, lately, engaged board at the home of Miss Emma BALLOCH, of that city. For several days he remained in the house, saying that he could not go ahead with his plans at the store until his stock arrived. He was quiet, sociable and helped the women boarders to erect a fruit pyramid and to arrange the docorations for an evening party to be held in honor of a guest, and soon became immensely popular until he suddenly disappeared. When the various boarders went to their rooms they found watches, jewelry and cash, amounting to several hundred dollars, missing. The stranger said he was from Philadelphia.
Sneak thieves, with several hundred dollars worth of silverware packed up and ready to be carted away, were frightened off at the mansion of William H. WEISS, of Bethlehem. The family were returning from an out-of-town dance in an atuomoble, and in coming up the driveway to the house a tire on the auto exploded. The loud report threw the thieves into a panic. In their flight they took half of the glass front of the conservatory along with them. They got away with no plunder.
A brass sleigh-bell, 1 1/8 inches in diameter, was found in the gizzard of a duck killed by the wife of Dr. D.W. BORTZ, of Jacksonville, Berks County.
Before the adjournment of Lehigh County Teachers' Institute, $55.19 was collected for Mrs. Hannah MARSTELLER, who after devoting her life to training children, now finds herself dependent upon the charity of her fellow-teachers. Every year the Institute makes a collection for her. February 25, 1905, was designated as "Thaddeus STEVENS day," when the schools throughout Lehigh County will hold special exercises to raise funds for a monument to the "great commoner."
The oldest resident of the county applied for a pension at Norristown on Tuesday. The applicant was Mrs. John BUTTESSMA, 96 years old., of Oreland. She told Congressman WANGER that her husband was a veteran of the war of 1812. At that time she resided on Barbadoes Island, in the Schuylkill River, opposite Norristown. Notwithstanding the fact that the aged woman still retains excellent health, today was the first time she ever rode in a trolley car. Mrs. BUTTESSMA is still able to read the newspaper without the assistance of glasses.
D.J. FRAUENFELTER has dastardly enemies in the neighborhood where he resides, which is on his large farm in Albany township, Berks County. He owned a span of fine bay horses. The other morning, on coming to the stable, he found that each had been cut across the breast with a sharp knife, inflicting long and deep wounds, from which one of the horses has since died. The other is in a serious condition. No cause can be assigned for the outrage.
When Mrs. Nathan MURRAY, of King of Prussia, awoke Saturday morning she found that she had no clothing other than the night robe she wore. A thief had visited her room during the night and had taken all of her wearing apparel. Her husband's clothing were untouched, and the officers investigating the case have decided that the burglar was a woman.
The nude body of Elias ERDMAN, an old citizen for whom the people of Shamokin, had been searching for four days, was found on a mountain by three wommmen searchers. ERDMAN's mind evidently collapsed as he was taking a walk, and finding a depression in the ground thought he would go to bed, undressing, he fell asleep and died from exposure.
Samuel KRAMER, a twelve year old Coplay boy made the most number of English words out of the name of the clothing firm of Sourwine, Kuhns and Kerschner, of Allentown. He had 2,059 words to his credit. It is worthy of note he did not make use of the word "and" which would probably have added 500 more words to his list.
William, the young son of Augustus RENNINGER, of near New Hanover Square, found three snakes in one shock of corn, while husking.
Joseph HOFFMAN, a farm hand, employed by Walter FLEXER, near Allentown was working in a corn field Monday morning when he found the body of a woman leaning against a shock of corn. Beside her lay a flask containing carbolic acid, and burns on her lips indicate the manner of her death. The police were notified and the body was identified as that of Mrs. Wolfgang HAEFELI, who had been missing from her home since last Thursday. She had been suffering for some time past with a nervous disorder and left her home, in South Allentown on Thursday to consult a physician. From that time until her dead body was found no trace of her was seen. She evidently took the poison while suffering with an attack of temporary insanity. Her husband and five children survive her. She is 41 years of age.
A German Bible printed in 1738, and weighing eight pounds, is owned by Mrs. Richard WILLS, of Reading.
Calvin, the 3-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. William CHEW, of Centre Square, had a narrow escape from being burned to death at his parents' home. A lighted oil stove located in the room in which he was playing, was upset by the child. The fluid, becoming ignited, set the child's dress afire as well as the carpet and furniture. Mrs. CHEW in an upstairs room heard the crackling of the flames, and rushed into the room and seized the child and gave the alarm. The child was saved from harm, while neighbors extinquished the flames in the house.
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