Emily, the eleven-months-old-daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Harry MOLL, of Allentown, met death in a most peculiar manner on Saturday afternoon. The child had been placed in her cradle for her afternoon nap shortly after the dinner hour, and the cradle, an old-fashioned one placed close to an enameled iron bed, in order to prevent its rocking and awakening the little one. About three o'clock it is supposed that the child awoke, and, crawling from its cradle to the bed, crept across this and fell over the side. In falling, its head was caught in the iron work of the side, and the child was strangled to death. When the mother came up stairs to see about the child, at about half-past three o'clock she was horrified to find the child in the position above described, quite dead, although the little body was still warm. Medical aid was summoned, but the child had been killed almost instantly. Coroner SCHEIRER was notified, and after investigating the circumstances, found that death had been due to accidental asphyxiation, and no inquest was necessary.
John P. KLINE, of Red Hill, will erect a building on his lot alongside of the L.B. MILLER cigar factory in Red Hill. A portion of it will be used as a restaurant, another as a storage room for the fire apparatus. The second floor will be used by the Red Hill Fire Company, as a club room and a portion of it as a council chamber. The building will be 36 feet front by 14 deep. The work of excavating the cellar was started on Tuesday and the building will be finished as quickly as possible.
Isaac CLEMMER, of Lederachville, on Thursday removed the remains of a child of Henry CHARLES, of Rudy, from the Lower Salford Mennonite burial grounds near Lederachville, and interred it on the Old Goshenhoppen cemetery. The body had been buried thirty-two years ago. When Mr. CLEMMER came upon the coffin, he found the outside coffin all decayed, but the inside one was well preserved. When it was opened and examined nothing remained but a tuft of hair and a pair of slippers.
The horse belonging to J.A. TAGERT, proprietor of the Spring Valley Dairy Farm, of near East Greenville, ran away in the borough, of Pennsburg, while Mr. TAGERT was delivering milk to his patrons, on Saturday evening. The horse took fright at a passing automobile and Mr. TAGERT, took him by the head so that he might lead him past the auto. Just as the auto had passed him he made a bolt and loosened Mr. TAGERT's hold. At break neck speed he followed the course of the turnpike until the road below the Pennsburg Church where he turned in and there upset the wagon. He continued on his mad flight until he ran into Mr. TAGERTs shed at the church. Along the route he was interfered with by people trying to stop him but without avail. All along the route, bottles in which he serves his customers fell out and were broken. After the horse was caught and the wagon was fixed he found that about two dozen bottles were broken and all the milk in those as well as in the cans was spilled. To his surprise he found thirty filled quart bottles intact. The only damage done besides the loss of milk and bottles was a bent rear axle, several panes of glass in the sides of the wagon, broken and three top posts split.
The Sunday School of the First Mennonite Church of Philadelphia on Sunday elected the following officers for the ensuing year: Superintendent, Andrew S. BECHTEL; Asst. Supt., Ezra G. ALLEBACH; Secretary, Edwin E. EHRET; Treasurer, A.B. BECHTEL; Pianist, Harry S. HOOD; Cornetist, E.G. MOYER. The superintendent and assistant were former residents of Bally and Green Lane respectively. They were newly elected the rest were re-elected. The vacancy for superintendent was caused by the request of the veteran superintendent, Charles H. MOYER, who served in that capacity for more than a quarter of a century, who asked to be relieved and a younger man be selected in his place.
Perhaps the most novel grape farm in America is found on the Muhlenberg Hills near Reading under a glass roof, Lee FRIDAY started six years ago the culture of grapes for the tables of the milliionaires. The vines now bear leaves 10 inches long, and the bunches of grapes are nearly ripe. The varieties grown differ from those grown in this locality and are the Muscat of Alexander, Black Hamburg, Barabosso, Madresfield, Court Hamburg and Muscat and Black Alicante, and some of them are expected to bring $2 a pound. Another grape conservatory is at Phoenixville, and it is operated by Mr. FRIDAY's father, who annually raises a ton of high-priced fruit for the Christmas tables.
"I have a pain in my side; get me a mustard plaster," said Mrs. Deborah Y. REIFF to her daughter, at Norristown on Sunday evening. Miss REIFF left the room to comply with her mother's wish. When she returned Mrs. REIFF was found on the floor. She had been attacked by valvular disease of the heart. Mrs. REIFF was 65 years old, and a prominent resident. One son and two daughters survive.
Eli M. RAPP, who was recently re-elected superintendent of the Berks county schools over four other aspirants for the office, received by mail a monster document from Kutztown. It was seven feet long and bore several hundred signatures of students at the Kutztown Normal School, who congratulated Mr. RAPP on his re-election.
Two supposed mad dogs threw Emaus into a great state of excitement Monday. One of them, a red hound, crept under an outhouse in the rear of BUCHMAN's bottling establishment, where he was shot by John J. HENNINGER. The other, a black shepherd, bit several other dogs and ran out the road towards Shimersville. He was shot at while passing Schwartz's Crossing, but was missed.
Picture: Leroy HILLEGASS, Mamie HEVENER, Horace ESCHBACH, Oscar MARSTELLER, Florence TRUMBORE, Alice YOUNG, Howard SCHANTZ, Clarence SUMMERS, Howard YOUNG.
Rev. Geo. W. GENTZLER, of the First Lutheran Church, Selinsgrove, formerly of Pennsburg, in his sermon Sunday denounced the practice of men changing a nickel Saturday nights for Sunday church collections. He remarked that some men pray "thy kingdom come" every night and then allow poolrooms and dens of vice to flourish. Mr. GENTZLER also scored members for negligence of mission work and said the lives of some church members are living lies.
While casting at the Kutztown Foundry and Machine Works, hot iron accidentally ran into the right shoe of Jarius SANDER, the foreman of the molding department. The flesh on Mr. SANDER's foot was burned clean to the bone. The right leg was roasted to a crisp from the knee to the ankle. Mr. SANDER suffered excruciating pain, and the shoe could not be removed until the injured man put his foot into a bucket of cold water. The stocking was burned from the foot, and the odor of burned flesh could be scented over the entire molding department. Mr. SAUDER is doing well under the circumstances, but will not be able to follow his work for some time.
James F. HOLLENBACH, 33 years of age, who conducts a saw mill and cider press on the Jordan Creek about one mile from Pleasant Corner, fell on the large rip saw in his mill on Wednesday morning. Mr. HOLLENBACH had set the saw in motion and stumbling on a board fell on the rapidly revolving tool. Mr. HOLLENBACH fell on his right side and struck the saw with his right leg. The member was nearly severed. In falling he tried to guard himself with his right arm and in so doing this member was nearly cut off near the elbow. He was removed to the Allentown Hospital.
The Democrats of the county assembled in the Opera House at Norristown on Tuesday morning and elected ten delegates to attend the State Convention at Harrisburg, on Wednesday next. Chairman Charles D. McAVOY called the convention to order at 10.15 a.m. and the roll call was next in order, which showed that almost every district in the county was represented, Mr. McAVOY then stated the object of the convention. The following list of delegates were then nominated: Harvey CHRISTMAN, Limerick; John J. CONNELLY, Lower Merion; John J. McCORMICK, Bridgeport; Edwin B. FAUT, Marlborough; George W. LUTZ, Ambler; Thomas KINDREGAN, Conshohocken; Lyman B. REIFSNYDER, Pottstown; William SATTERTHWAITE, Horsham; Thomas V. SMITH, Norristown; Oliver WOLF, Telford; Charles Q. HILLEGASS, Pennsburg; and Charles AULL, of Lower Merion. The balloting then began and lasted an hour and a half. The result as computed by the secretaries J.J. KANE and John GOULDY was: CHRISTMAN 134, CONNELLY 127, McCORMICK 134, FAUT 95, LUTZ 132, KINDREGAN 127, REIFSNYDER 131, SATTERTHWAITE 110, SMITH 132, WOLF 11, HILLEGASS 113, AULL 5. A motion to adjourn was then made and carried.
Rev. Charles DABB, the newly elected pastor for the Sumneytown Lutheran charge has accepted the call. He read his acceptance to the congregation at Keelor's church last Sunday. Tomorrow morning he will preach at Sumneytown when he will also read it to that congregation. He will be ordained in the latter part of June.
Ruth, the eighteen months old child of Elsie KOCH, of Bowers, Berks county, last Friday afternoon narrowly escaped from being burned to death while playing with a match in its mothers' bed-room, at the home of William D. RENNINGER, of Pennsburg, where she is visiting. The mother had placed the child in bed for its afternoon nap and was attending to some household duties in the lower part of the house, when she heard the child utter a shrill cry. She hurried to the child's room and was amazed to see it standing there with its dress ablaze. She promptly extinguished the flames by smothering them with a rug, but not before the child was already painfully burned on its abdomen and ear.
The dress had been burned from her body at her abdomen where the match evidently ignited the dress first. It appears that the child awoke after its usual nap and crawled out of bed made its way to a table upon which was a match receiver, which by the way contained an only match, secured this and started to play on the floor. The match in some manner ignited and caused the fire. Had the chld ignited the bedding instead of its dress it is quite likely that the house would have been destroyed for the child would not then have screamed as it did when the fire was on its person. A physician was summoned who attended to the tots injuries. He found her abdomen and one ear badly blistered.
While Oscar SCHAFFER of Dillinger was hauling household goods from Allentown for Charles KLINE of Zionsville on Wednesday, his horses got frightened at a trolley car and became unmanageable and ran away. Mr. SCHAFFER was on the wagon but owing to a poor foot hold was unable to control them and fell from the wagon injuring himself quite severely. In their mad plunge the horses got to the side of the road where one of the wheels struck a trolley pole with such severity that a charged wire was torn off and fell to the ground. The wagon was badly broken as was also a stove which was loaded on the wagon but the furniture was not damaged at all. Mr. SCHAFFER blames the Trolley Company for the disaster as one of their cars was closely following him without giving any warning of its approach and even did not stop when the horses started to run away until they saw Mr. SCHAFFER fall off. After having the wagon repaired at a nearby blacksmith shop Mr. SCHAFFER continued his journey home.
Frederick townships nonegenarian Henry S. SWEISFORT (picture), died last Thursday night after an illness of several years. He has been in failing health for the past three years. He was ninety-six years, two months and five days old. Brief Sketch of His Life: Mr. SWEISFORT was born in New Hanover township, near Frederick, March 6, 1809. In his boyhood days he obtained what education was afforded a farmer's boy and learned the trailor trade, but afterwards went to farming which he carried on very successfully until several years ago when he retired to take life more easy. He owned one of the best and most productive farms in Frederick township where he now lives but sold it to his son, Henry SWEISFORT. He was married twice. His first wife was Kate HUNSBERGER with whom he had a number of children, of whom the following are living: Mary, wife of Samuel FAUST, of near Obelisk; Elizabeth, wife of John SHANER, of Pottstown; Amanda, wife of John MARKLEY, of Schwenksville; Carolina, wife of Henry SCHWENK, of Red Hill, and Emma, wife of George STREEPER, of Philadelphia.
After the death of his first wife he married Elizabeth FAUST, who is now about 76 years old, and the union was blessed with the following surviving children: Salome, wife of Samuel H. GROFF, of Red Hill; Sevilia, wife of John YOST of Green Lane; Addie, wife of Cyrus BEARD, of Red Hill; Henry, residing on the old homestead near Perkiomenville, and Peter W., of Phoenixville. Mr. SWEISFORT has always been a Democrat and was a member of the Keelor's Reformed church. He at different times was a member of the consistory, a trustee and an elder. As long as he was able to he was a regular attendant at the services.
At the funeral on Tuesday were gathered undoubtedly the largest number of surviving children and grandchildren of any that took place in recent years in this end of the county. There were present, 18 children, 52 grandchildren, 59 great-grandchildren and 1 great-great-grandchild making a grand total of 130 blood relations besides the many friends.
A child was born to Mr. and Mrs. William WELKER Jr. of New York, formerly of Red Hill.
Liveryman H.B. HEBERLE of Pennsburg was the lowest bidder for sprinkling the streets in the borough of Pennsburg and the Fire Company awarded the contract to him.
John SCHAEFFER, of Boyertown, will build a fine new home for himself on his property at Sixth street and Reading avenue, that borough. The house will stand back and be surrounded by a broad lawn. He intends to build one of the handsomest house in town. His mother, recently widowed, will occupy part of the house.
A red lap robe he was carrying through the barnyard caused 14-year-old Peter HINKEL, near Corning, to be painfully gored by a bull. Peter had previously, in turn, fallen into a cistern, tumbled downstairs, breaking his collarbone and broken a leg falling from a cherry tree.
At Vinemount, near Reading, Cleveland W. KINDT is rearing in one nest a cat with five kittens and a hen with 13 chicks, and the mothers are strictly impartial.
Thomas HIESTAND, of Garfield, Berks county, is the owner of a gander that is now hatching out fifteen chicken eggs.
Magistrate SASSAMAN, of Pottstown, gave a hearing on Saturday to William BAUMAN, of Bally, who is charged with stealing a diamond ring valued at $175 from the jewelry store of James L. HEFFNER, No. 319 High street, Pottstown. Detective O'CONNOR made a capture of BAUMAN in energetic fashion and brought the prisoner to Pottstown by team at an early hour. The officer located the man and learning that he intended to skip out, a team was secured for a hurried trip to Bally. BAUMAN was routed out of bed by vigorous kicking on the door and was told to get ready for a trip to Pottstown at once. Upon arriving there he was locked up for a hearing. BAUMAN admits the theft and in default of $500 bail was sent to jail in the afternoon. It seems that he pawned the ring at Allentown for $60 in cash and a lady's watch. The latter is now in possession of Detective O'CONNOR. The accused is a saddler by trade, and has a wife and two children living at Bally.
Charles MILLER, aged 99 years 2 months and 28 days, died last Friday at his home in Maxatawny, of Berks County, three-fourths of a mile south of Monterey. It is claimed that deceased was the oldest person in Berks. He was in rather good health until about four weeks ago, when an attack of pneumonia compelled him to take to his bed. He voted for Andrew JACKSON and every presidential candidate since nominated by the Democratic party.
Amandus SAMPSON, who operates ore mines in Williams township, sent his wife to bank at Easton to cash a check for $1000 to pay off his employes. Mrs. SAMPSON drew the money and left it lie at the post office. It was found an hour afterwards by one of the clerks, who returned it at once.
While using a hatchet, Robert JOHNSON, a carpenter, of Chester, cut off the little finger of his left hand on Wednesday. He climbed down from the scaffolding, picked up the severed finger and carried it to the office of a physician who sewed it on and hopes to save it.
N.B. KEELY, of East Greenville, the former proprietor of the Keely House, in that town, bid $62,500 at public sale, for the Cottman House, at Jenkintown, but the property was not sold.
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