The grim reaper death on Saturday evening at 9.45 o'clock visited the home of Mr. and Mrs. Henry KERN, of Red Hill and claimed their only child. Lotta E. KERN (picture) was born at Red Hill, May 4, 1880, and at the age of two years her parents moved to Philadelphia, remaining there until about three years ago, when they moved to Pennsburg. Here Miss KERN conducted the millinery business; after conducting the business successfully at Pennsburg for about two years she and her parents moved to Red Hill. During her stay in the country she had been in failing health. She was a member of the St. Mark's Lutheran church choir, of Pennsburg, a teacher in the infant department of the Sunday-school, a member of the P.O. of A. Lodge, No, 28, of Pennsburg, and its Secretary up to the time of her illness. Miss KERN had made many friends during her short stay in these boroughs and a large host of citizens deeply sympathize with the bereaved parents.
After ransacking the home of Mrs. John C. KERST, at Douglassville, Berks county, on Monday night thieves made an ineffectual attempt to burn down the building. After going into all the rooms in search of plunder and not finding much, the thieves scattered coal all through the house, then dashed a burning lamp to the floor and fled. Fortunately, the flames did not spread, but went out after burning a hole in the carpet.
A check three feet long and nineteen inches wide was received at the West Branch National Bank, at Williamsport. It was for only $10, and was from J.W. MANCHESTER, of Bristol, R.I., in favor of his daughter, Annie, who is visiting friends, at that place. The check, while valid and regularly accepted and paid by the bank, was a practical joke played on Miss MANCHESTER by her father. She had written to him asking that he send her "a big check."
Miss Kate H. TROXELL, of Mt. Penn, a suburb of Reading, on Tuesday brought suit in court at Reading for breach of promise of marriage against Harry H. HEINES, of Reading. She claims $5000 damages, saying she had been engaged to HEINES since August, 1903, and was always since then been ready and willing to marry him, although she says he refuses. The defendant entered bail in the sum of $500.
After a season's sojourn in Ireland, his native land, Rev. Philip MCENROE, pastor of the Church of the Holy Infancy, of South Bethlehem, returned very late on Sunday night, and, despite this fact, nearly the whole town with bands of music, turned out to give him a rousing welcome home.
Worried over business cares, Lewis C. GANGAWARE, of Allentown, a cigar manufacturer plugged up the holes in his small establishment and then turned on the gas full force. His body was found on Monday morning. He was 45 years old.
F.M. KELLER Esq., of East Greenville, has had remarkable success in raising onions this year. He raised sixteen and one half bushels of onion sets from a space of ground 1224 feet square. This would be about 600 bushels to an acre.
Floyd C. LEWIS, an attache of a snake show at the Allentown Fair, was arrested on Monday on a charge of having defrauded the Rhode Island Traction Company, of Providence, R.I., by feigning to have been injured in a wreck and claiming $1000 damages. He was taken back to Providence, where Harry MCKAY and Herbert J. BACH, the alleged conspirators and wreckers of the car, are under arrest.
Mr. and Mrs. Isaiah ZIEGLER, of Pennsburg, on Sunday returned from a two weeks trip to St. Louis and the World's Fair. Both were highly pleased with the trip. Mr. ZIEGLER thinks the Pennsylvania exhibit is not near up to that of other states. While on the exposition grounds they met Rev. G.W. LUTZ, of Pennsburg, and Mr. and Mrs. Jacob B. ESSER, of Kutztown.
R.A. NEITZ, proprietor of the Continental Hotel at Macungie, on Friday morning shot a splendid specimen of the fresh water or fish crane on the banks of the Swabia creek at that place. The bird measures 5 feet 10 inches from tip to tip of wings, and stood 4 feet 8 inches in height.
By the fall of a scaffold at the new office building of the McClintic-Marshall Construction Company, Pottstown, William OISTER was severely bruised and four other bricklayers saved themselves a 30-foot plunge by clinging to the wall.
After having bitten six persons, a mad dog belonging to Mr. VANMETER, a Chester Valley farmer, was killed. The victims of the rabid beast are the owner, his wife and three members of his family, and a visitor from Atlantic City.
Edward W. FOSTER, a salesman of Philadelphia, has sued Dr. S.W. RIDGEWAY, of Coatesville, a former Spring City dentist, for $1,000 for defamation of character.
George SCHAFFER, of Royersford, a resident of Pennsburg up to last Spring was arrested at the home of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. William J. SCHAEFFER, of Royersford, on Monday, at the instance of his wife, for non-support. The couple were married about fourteen months ago and have one child. Mrs. SCHAEFFER is a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. G.W. RICHARDS, of Red Hill, and since her husband has deserted her she lives with her parents. Daniel J. SNYDER, the constable of Upper Hanover township, secured the warrant for young SCHAEFFER's arrest and when it became known that he was back at his parents' home Mr. SNYDER served it. Young SCHAEFFER was given a hearing before Justice of the Peace John P. KLINE, of Red Hill, on Monday. The matter could not be amicably adjusted so the justice demanded $500 bail for his appearance at court and in default of that he was committed to the Norristown jail the same day. Young SCHAEFFER made an attempt to escape from Constable SNYDER when he boarded the train at Red Hill for Norristown. It appears the constable left him go on the train first, Mr. SCHAEFFER's father next and when Mr. SNYDER entered the car in the rear, young SCHAEFFER was noticed making a run for the front door. Mr. SNYDER caught him just as he was ready to leap from the now moving train.
James GALLAGHER, of Centralia, aged 24, was shot near Spring Valley, Berks county, Monday afternoon. He is said to have been a tramp, and with Henry SESBENDER, of Philadelphia, was walking toward Reading along the East Penn Railroad. At the place of the tragedy they saw a party of men and women, picnickers, in the woods. GALLAGHER yelled to them, and was warned away. He refused to go, and three shots were fired at him all taking effect, and he died instantly.
About 11 a.m. last Thursday, the barn of Harry BARTMAN of Gilbertsville, this county, was discovered to be on fire by Harvey SHANER. He gave an alarm and the citizens responded promptly but the building, which was of frame about 25 by 35 feet, was entirely destroyed with all its contents consisting of hay, straw, sleigh, wagon and other things. The loss is about $1000 partly insured. How the fire originated is a mystery.
The will of Charles BILLMAN, an eccentric farmer of near Pottsville, was admitted to probate and caused great surprise the valuation totalling $35,000. It developed that BILLMAN on his deathbed disclosed a secret to his son, who subsequently found many thousands of dollars of gold hidden about the house. Most of the money was under the rafters and consisted of $20 gold pieces.
Harry WILSON, a 12 year old boy of Pottsville, while playing in his father's yard, was shot and seriously injured by a companion from an adjoining yard. The rustling of some dry leaves gave WILSON's companion an idea that there were some squirrels there, and he shot his playmate, the ball lodging in WILSON's scalp.
To discourage divorce Judge TREXLER, of Lehigh County, issued an order to go into effect October 1, raising the cost of getting one. Masters and examiners are hereafter to receive $25 instead of $15, and will be allowed to charge $10 for each hearing after the first one. Judge TREXLER is opposed to divorce and the fewer divorce cases the better he will be pleased.
Frank FOX, an Italian peanut vender of Pottstown, was suffering from toothache, when he wandered into a cafe. The bartender volunteered to extract the molar free of charge. Frank sat down on a chair and in a minute a champagne cork puller had done the work.
A badly-battered automobile wobbled through Allentown carrying four automobilists, who said they had come from Ballietsville, but who refused to give their names because they didn't want their friends to know that their "red devil" had come off second best in a battle with a Kentucky mule. The automobilists admitted that several miles out of town their searchlight discovered a big mule grazing by the roadside. The French tooter whooped a warning and the chauffeur decided he'd see how close he could steer to that mule without hitting him. The animal paid absolutely no attention to the machine until it was within three feet of him, and then he let go his hind legs. One tire and the engine hood were kicked clear off the machine and the steering gear was put out of commission. The mule kept on grazing, while the autoists spent several hours putting on a new tire and making other repairs.
A cow driven by Augustus ESPENSHIP, of Lederachville, leaped over the wing wall of the county bridge near GROFF's mill, Lederachville, on Saturday evening and broke her neck. She fell a distance of about twenty-five feet. The animal was hurriedly moved to a nearby slaughter house and killed. She was owned by Jonathan P. HILLEGASS, of Pennsburg.
In the Berks County Orphans' Court Tuesday, Judge BLAND filed an opinion, making distribution of the $50,000 left by Jesse G. HAWLEY, proprietor of the Reading Eagle, to his employes at the time of his death. There are about sixty beneficiaries, and they receive amounts ranging from $30 to $8000. There is only one of the latter, the majority receiving from $500 to $1500.
James HANNPHOE, 28 years old, is in a critical condition in St. Joseph's Hospital, Reading, with his throat cut with a razor. He was attacked on a lonely road in the southern outskirts of Reading on Sunday night. His assailant was accompanied by a woman and became enraged because she stopped HANNAHOE to talk with him.
Charged with cruelty of an inhuman type, J. MENNICH, of Manayunk, was arraigned before Magistrate LENHARDT, at Norrisown, severely scored and made to pay the costs of the action brought by Mr. MCCREARY, an agent for the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. It was charged that the accused threw a cat into a furnace at Pencoyd.
Judge SWARTZ, on Monday handed down an opinion in which he decided that justices of the peace cannot collect fees from the county for viewing bodies.
M.M. MISSIMER, of Pottstown, acting as deputy coroner, viewed several bodies and decided that no inquest was necessary. His application resulted in the decision.
Jacob LONG has exchanged his home, corner Sixth and Broad streets, Lansdale for a double house at Tylersport, formerly belonging to H.R. HARTZELL, of Souderton. Mr. LONG will move to Earlington, where he will manage the farm of an uncle.
Julio FERNANDEZ, the son of a wealthy New York cigar manufacturer, and a student at Ursinus College, Collegeville, was arrested in Philadelphia on Monday as a vagrant. The youth, it is said, ran away from college and was trying to beat his way to New York. A patrolman saw FERDANDEZ in the Reading Railway freight yards at Third and Berks streets. He saw him trying to conceal himself in an outbound freight train. FERNANDEZ, although his linen was soiled from the dust of the road, was dressed in stylish clothing and needed only a brushing up to appear in his real role of a well-to-do college man. The policeman, not used to that style of the genus hobo, arrested FERNANDEZ. He said that he did not like the idea of going to college and had started home without his father's consent. He had gone to Philadelphia with the intention of riding to New York on a freight train.
Julio FERNANDEZ, the son of a wealthy New York cigar manufacturer and a student of Ursinus College, Collegeville, who was arrested in Philadelphia Monday as a vagrant, was arrested again Thursday evening while trying to beat his way to New York on a freight train. The boys was taken to Ursinus College on Tuesday, but he was not satisfied and wanted to return to New York to see his mother, who is to sail for Cuba. Thursday morning he escaped from the college, and after walking ten miles boarded a freight train at Perkiomen Junction. Passing through Philadelphia he was arrested. The boys is 12 years old.
In spite of a watchman, electric lights and other precautions, burglars got away with several hundred dollars, worth of merchandise from KULP Brothers' store, at Perkasie, Monday night or Tuesday morning. Entrance was secured in a professional manner through a rear first-story window. First the rear door was tried. The glass was broken, but an iron bar prevented easy, rapid ingress. Then the thieves made a ladder, bored a hole in the shutter, slid the bolt, forced a window up and entered. They went directly to the silk counter, where fifty-four pieces of the best goods were taken, found the key to the safe and stole $5 in cash, neglected the cash register - retreated the same way they came in, and left with the booty without leaving a clue. There were two suspicious characters - a man, and a flashily-dressed, much bepowdered woman - in the store in the morning. The man tried to purchase tobacco tags, the woman looked carefully over the silks, but failed to purchase, saying she would write from Hatboro for goods. The firm is insured against robbery.
While workmen were tearing down the old stone building belonging to the ZIEGLER estate, at Dillingersville, and which had been erected nearly three-quarters of a century ago, they on Wednesday found imbedded in the mortar in the rear wall a two-gallon wicker-covered demijohn. In it was a little over a quart of applejack, possibly all that remained of the two gallons. The applejack was of the consistency of glycerine, and a tablespoonful made a man feel exceedingly salubrious. One of the workmen swallowed a glassful of it, and he was dead to the world for over three hours.
The case against Joseph HEISER, who a few months ago became suddenly insane at Torresdale and, it is alleged, frightened little Mary RANKIN, aged 5 years, so badly that she died from shock, was heard Wednesday afternoon in the Bucks County Criminal Court. HEISER was indicted for involuntary manslaughter, but upon agreement of counsel Judge STOUT instructed the jury to return a verdict of not guilty on account of insanity, which was done. The court will have HEISER placed in some hospital.
A lighted lantern, carried by A.C. BERGNER, in Moses H. WAGNER's barn, at Shartlesville, upset and exploded, scattering burning oil in all directions. The building with all the season's crops, was burned to the ground, entailing a loss of $1500.
A terrible revenge was visited upon Melvin H. ZIEGLER, a Skippack farmer, during Monday night, and the attempt to destroy his property and live stock was partially successful. Mr. ZIEGLER resides on a portion of the Anthony SEIPT homestead farm in the village of Skippack. About one o'clock Tuesday morning his hay house which is the next building to the school house, was discovered to be afire. The ringing of the bell at the fire company house brought forth the volunteer firemen with their apparatus, but the flames had gained such headway in the inflammable contents, that the hay and the building were entirely consumed, in the presence of the firemen who were powerless to aid. Mr. ZIEGLER went to bed mourning his loss, little thinking that a new sorrow awaited him with the breaking of the morning light. When he went to the barn Tuesday morning he found evidence that confirmed his suspicions that the hay house was fired by an incendiary's torch, for paris green had been given four cows.
The poison had been placed in the troughs of the animals and Mr. ZIEGLER had every reason to believe that the cows had eaten the death-potion with other feed with which it was mixed. Medical aid was summoned and all the cows but one were saved. Mr. ZIEGLER is at a loss to know who could have held such vicious spite toward him, and his neighbors are greatly incensed at the deed. His loss by fire fully covered by insurance in the Mutual Insurance Company of Chester County. Several weeks ago Mr. ZIEGLER shot at and, he thinks, wounded chicken thieves, who had bagged some of his fowls, but were compelled to leave their booty behind. It is thought one of the thieves was wounded and came back for revenge.
One of the smallest babies born for many years arrived at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Frank MANCUSE, of Jersey Shore, Pa. The infant is a boy, and weighs about one and a half pounds only, the same as when he was born a week ago. His head is smaller than a billiard ball.
A family reunion and surprise party was held at the home of Mr. and Mrs. John SNYDER, of Dale, Berks county, on Sunday. Quite a large number of people were present and spent a pleasant day. Frank COVELY entertained the guests with choice music.
The annual session of Goshenhoppen Classis of the Reformed Church, at Pottstown, on Monday evening. Interesting addresses were made by Rev. D.K. LAUDENSLAGER, Rev. O.R. FRANTZ and Miss Eva HILLEGASS.
Farmers who were threshing wheat near the barn of D.F. WENKS, at near Gettysburg were driven to shelter by a thunderstorm. A moment later a bolt of lightning struck the threshing machine and wrecked it completely.
A curiosity of note is growing in the truck patch of Mrs. Issac J. BEANS, in Worcester, Montgomery county. Two stalks of cabbage, one bearing four and the other six perfect heads are the freaks.
A new counterfeit $5 gold certificate has been discovered. The picture of President GARFIELD stands out boldly, and the bills are stamped "United States National Bank, of Norristown, N.J."
Jonas FRAVEL, 68 years old, of Rittersville, fell down a flight of stairs at his home Sunday morning and was killed. His neck was broken.
One of Upper Hanover township's oldest farmers, Samuel HEADMAN (picture), died on Sunday morning at 3 o'clock, of dysentery and old age, after sickness of about ten days. He was born in Rockhill township, near Quakertown, April 9th, 1824 and was a potter by trade. He tilled the soil in Upper Hanover township for half a century and during his farming life he received as high as $3.25 per bushel for wheat. The same time he also paid 75 cents a yard for muslin. On October 4, 1849, he was married to Maria SCHOLL, of Frederick, who survives him as well as a son. Mr. HEADMAN was hale and hardy up to the time of his sickness and with the aid of his son he still conducted his farm of eighty-eight acres near the New Goshenhoppen church.
Henry LEH, of Allentown, has a corn cutter and binder at work on the Fountain Farm, near that town, which cuts and binds the corn stalks and does the work of more than ten men. Mr. LEH says he will take from 25 to 30 tons of fodder from an acre. These corn stalks with the cobs are cut by electric power into pieces and during the winter are fed to the cattle. The fodder looks like sour kraut. The entire crop of corn ears, fodders and stalks, are saved for use during the winter.
Thomas STECKEL's defense to a charge of non-support at Allentown was that his wife would not cook potatoes for his breakfast. Judge TREXLER ordered him to pay $2 a week for Mrs. STECKEL's maintenance.
M. LEROY, a Parisian clockmaker, has just achieved a triumph in watches. He has been at work since 1897 upon a chronometer, which he has just completed. It contains 976 pieces and cost $400. On the case are the signs of the Zodiac, and on the main dial, besides hours, minutes and seconds, are numerous computations of time in years, months and days, the phases and age of the moon, the seasons, solstices and equinoxes and various time records. Then there are large and small gongs, and a little carillion of three notes for sounding purposes. On the lesser minute dial are 226 stars of the Boreal and 200 of the Southern Hemisphere, time at 125 different cities of the world, times of sunrise and sunset, and a thermometer, a hydrometer and a barometer.
Pleading poverty, Peter GASINKER, a cement mill employe, who was injured at Allentown, asked to be admitted to the Allentown Hospital for treatment, and when he was searched a roll of bank notes containing $220 was found in the leg of his trousers.
Henry FUNK, of Shelly, while walking on his boardwalk and putting on his coat, slipped and fell. He was unable to save himself and fell on his arm, breaking it, and dislocating the wrist.
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