William MILLER and Alma KEELOR, of this borough, left on Saturday for Lancaster, where they are working at their trade as cigarmakers. Miss KEELOR left without the consent of her mother during the latter's absence from home. When Mrs. KEELOR arrived at home on Saturday, she was amazed to find a note on the table which read: "Have gone to Wilmington, Del., to get married, will be home in a few weeks."
William I. SNYDER will today have the formal opening of his Automatic Bowling Alleys, at 32 Fourth street, this borough. The room has been artistically decorated by paperhanger John E. CHRISTMAN, with sporting scenes of all descriptions and this, with the two oak bowling alleys, makes the place very attractive. The game is a very fascinating one and it will appeal to more young people than anything else in the line of games. In tryouts during the latter part of the week some old time bowlers declared that the alleys were equal, if not better, than some of the large alleys in big cities. There is no doubt but that Mr. SNYDER will meet with success in his new business enterprise.
The milk delivery team of Howard BEALER, of near East Greenville, in charge of Mr. ALBITZ, was wrecked on Monday forenoon in East Greenville, when the horse tore the hitching strap while tied in front of the Kochel House and darted down the turnpike. The animal got scared at a passing automobile and started off at break-neck speed until the wagon collided with the hitching post in front of A.W. DIMMIG's dwelling. At this point, milkman SCHWENK, of Red Hill, caught the animal by the nose, for the bridle was left at the hitching post at the Kochel House, and stopped it. The turnpike was covered with milk, butter, eggs and empty cans and the hot sun soon broiled omelet of the combination. The wagon and harness were badly damaged.
Suffering as he claims from a snake bite received near East Greenville, a tramp giving his name as Bernard REILLEY and his residence as Pittsburg, was on Wednesday night committed to the Norristown jail for a period of ten days in order that his mental condition may be investigated. REILLEY is a sick man and he was given treatment at Charity Hospital the past few days. Wednesday he acted in such a peculiar manner that the physicians at the institution feared he was growing insane. They called upon the police who took REILLEY in charge. When arraigned before Burgess LATTIMORE he insisted that he was suffering from a snake bite.
Clement STOUDT, a young farmer of Bechtelsville, met with a serious accident when two of his mules became frightened and pulled him into the cutting apparatus of the binder. The accident happened about noon on Wednesday when Mr. STOUDT was driving two mules in a binder which he was about to put in storage for the winter. The animals were being driven toward the barn became frightened and pulled him suddenly forward over the cutting bar, which punctured his right side. Fourteen holes from three to four inches in depth from which blood oozed with great force and a dislocated shoulder blade were the extent of his injuries.
George S. HOCH, of this borough, will have his opening of his new coffee and tea store today. The new store is located on Fourth street near Dotts. He will constantly have for sale coffees, teas and baking powder. He will only have the store open in the evening for the present and all day Saturday.
In order to find out why his son Sylvester had left home, Obadiah HILBERT, of Alburtis, made a trip to Cumberland County, to see the young man in person. Young HILBERT disappeared after a Saturday night's debauch two months ago. Next day his rig, belonging to his employer, farmer SCHMOYER, of Spring Creek, was found in a barn yard near Mertztown, six miles away. His disappearance made a great hubbub, and there were allegations of foul play.
Daniel A. NEY, of Wernersville bled to death Wednesday evening, a few minutes after one of his hens scratched open a vein on his forehead. NEY was feeding his chickens and one of the hens flew up and landed on his forehead, causing the scratch. This caused the blood to run so freely, and he died in the arms of his son before medical aid arrived.
Jonas M. HENDRICKS, a Civil War veteran, of near Schwenksville, died suddenly, of apoplexy, early Sunday morning, aged 79 years, two months and 27 days. Mr. HENDRICKS, who was a prominent Grand Army man and widely known, had been visiting his daughter.
His hat taken for a groundhog while he was picking rasberries along a stone wall near his home in Rockland Township, Bucks county, William YODER was dangerously wounded with a shotgun in the hands of Benjamin HOUCK, a neighbor, who was gunning for woodchuck. HOUCK says he thought the hat was a groundhog and sent a load of shot in its direction. The full charge entered YODER's scalp. He was taken to his home by Dr. C.D. WERLEY, who removed a number of shots. Had the charge been an inch or two lower, it would have cost YODER his life.
One of the most distressing accidents for some time, in the Perkiomen Valley, occurred Saturday afternoon, when John W. HALLMAN, proprietor of the Rushing Spring Farm, in Upper Bucks county, near Geryville, lit a match to start his balky gasoline engine after he and his fifteen-year-old daughter Helen, went to the barn to cut some corn fodder for the cattle. The result was that the gasoline tank exploded and both Mr. HALLMAN and daughter were horribly burned. The daughter died several hours later and Mr. HALLMAN died the following day.
Quite a little excitement was created on Monday evening in the borough of East Greenville, when butcher Chas. WEISS brought home from Norristown a colored man and wife and was about to install them in his home as servants to take the place of his wife, who had left him about six weeks ago. During the time the colored people were in the WEISS home there constantly was a group of possibly 200 people surrounding the house and excitement was oftentimes at a high pitch.
Joseph and Peter Tritz, unnaturalized Austrians, were arrested and held for operating an illicit still near Finland. Two gallons of whiskey was confiscated as well as the still. At the same time the men were charged with having a dog, a gun and both being aliens. The accused father and son live on a farm. They have been in the country about 11 years. The men claimed that the liquor manufactured was entirely for home consumption and there was no evidence offered that any had been sold. Hence, no charge of selling was lodged against them, but they were held in $500 bail for the December term of criminal court.
Hunters Saturday came across a "wild man" in the mountains back of Trappe when they discovered a hut made out of leaves, twigs and a few pieces of tin, all plastered together by mud. Inside was a rude cot, also made of leaves. Shrinking from their gaze and hurrying through the woods was a man, unshaved for many weeks and his clothing in tatters. From the description of the hunters, it is believed that the "wild man" is none other than LUIGI DELLI FAVE who some weeks ago killed OPPANO O. PAPPA, a Birdsboro barber, in a quarrel in that borough.
NEW FORD AUTO STOLEN FROM SHED. The new Ford roadster of Jeremiah SCHULTZ, of Hereford, was stolen from a shed on the SCHULTZ mill property early Saturday morning and no information to the where abouts of the car has been received although police departments in the cities of the east have been on the lookout for the car.
The disappearence of the five-year-old son of Mrs. Winfield SCHATZ, of Sumneytown, on Saturday, caused considerable worry and the police department was searching Allentown for the lost boy. Mrs. SCHATZ, her son and George SCHATZ and family, all of Sumneytown, had gone to Allentown to do some shopping. While in one of the stores, the boy disappeared. The police department was notified and some time later the missing child was located in Bethlehem. In the store, he had become separated from his mother and in some manner wandered to the street and was picked up by a stranger, who took him along to Bethlehem.
According to dispatches from the Maryland marriage mart, a lisence was granted at Elkton on Saturday to two upper end persons. The lisense record shows the name of Harry HUNTER, age 29 years and Mrs. Elizabeth A. SCHOENFELD, aged 24 years, both of East Greenville. Mrs. SCHOENFELD is the divorced wife of Wiliam Clarence CORNER of East Greenville and has been boarding in Pensburg for several months. In granting the divorce, Judge Swarz declared that CORNOR's wife, Elizabeth, might not marry Harry HUNTER in the life time of CORNER, who is now residing with his parents.
Women have been unable to tempt Samuel FAUST, 56 years old, who for the past twelve years has been living the life of a hermit in the woodland hills back of Zieglerville. He has no use for Women Suffrage and when asked what he thought about women's interest in things political his reply was emphatically, "There's nothing in it." Whether FAUST was disappointed in love years ago and then sought the life of a recluse, could not be learned from him. He evaded the question quite diplomatically and stated that the life he was leading was the only thing.
Mrs. Angelina WELKER, widow of William A. WELKER, prominent merchant, yesterday celebrated the 86th anniversary of her birthday in a quiet manner. Quite a few friends visited the aged woman, who is well preserved and enjoys good health. The day before her anniversary, Mrs. WELKER took a fishing trip to the waters of the Perkiomen creek at Green Lane. Mrs. WELKER has always been a devotee of the water sport and has caught many bass, carp and catfish from the waters of the Perkiomen.
The large frame barn on the farm of James RAHN, at Perkiomenville, was destroyed by fire on Wednesday night at a loss of about $15,000. Anna RAHN, a member of the family was painfully injured. Anna RAHN, who had gone to Pennsburg to attend the movies in the Aurora Theatre learned about the fire and started for Perkiomenville in an automobile. In the excitement she jumped from the still rapidly moving automobile near the scene of the fire and was thrown on her face in the road. Several teeth were knocked out and her face was otherwise painfully cut and bruised.
State Police raided 2 stills near Finland finding and confiscating 75 gallons of whiskey. The equipment of Sylvester MILLER and Peter MILLER was seized. The two farms in the Finland district of Bucks county were raided by Detective Harry STURM, of Sellersville, and Sergeant LYONS and Trooper HANS, of the Doylestown detail of State police late Thursday afternoon.
Sarah Ann ROEDER, of Main street, this borough, on Memorial Day, quietly observed her 95th birthday anniversary. She enjoys good health and is quite active considering her advanced age.
Three persons were killed, one of them instantly, in a grade crossing accident which occurred at Guildin's crossing, two miles north of Boyertown, and one-half mile south of Bechtelsville, at about 4 o'clock Friday afternoon, when the Hudson coach of John F. GALLAGHER, of Bechtelsville, was struck by the engine of the Boyertown local, on the Colebrookdale branch of the Reading Railway.
Rev. Oscar Schultz KRIEBEL, A.M., D.D., principal of Perkiomen School and pastor of the Palm Schwenkfelder church, died in Graduate Hospital, Philadelphia, on Tuesday at 5:50 p.m. following an operation performed the night before for an obstruction of the bowels. He was aged 68 years, 5 months and 6 days. For forth years Dr. KRIEBEL was principal of the local preparatory school, having been the first and only principal of the school since it was taken over by the Schwenkfelder church in 1892.
CHIEF KNIPPAPOO is roaming today in the warm sunshine along the broad fair trails of the happy hunting ground. Early Sunday morning, just as the church bells began to ring, he left his home at Red Hill, and went to join his red-skinned warrior forefathers in the lad of smiling water and virgin forest. His life ended at the age of 70 years 9 months and 17 days, following an illness that dated back to the past summer. He leaves behind his wife Dina and a son, H. William, at home. CHIEF KNIPPAPOO, or HENRY KNIEP, as the white man called him, was a descendent of the famous Rosebud Tribe of the great Sioux.
Alleged whiskey, said to have been buried in a freshly dug pit beneath the floor of the barn, was seized late Friday by county detectives in a raid on the farm house of George WEIGAND, 33, Perkiomenville R.D. WEIGAND, whom detectives charged with selling whiskey at 25 cents a pint, was held for court by Magistrate Lloyd KEMMERER, of Spring Mount. The defendant was released on $1,000 bail. The raid was made by County Detectives James GLEASON, Charles EILER, George BENNETT and Irwin ANDERSON. A gallon of whiskey was found in the house, the sleuths said, and two five-gallon jugs, filled with the same stuff, was located in the hole under the barn floor.
Harvey FRONHEISER, 24, son of Mr. and Mrs. E.C. FRONHEISER, of near here, died this morning at the home of his brother Lawrence, three-quarters of an hour after he was crushed beneath a wagonload of wood which he and his brother Eugence were transporting to the father's farm. The young man fell from the wagon and landed beneath the wheels.
Mr. and Mrs. Harold SCHWOYER and two small children narrowly escaped death through asphyxiation by coals gas Monday morning in their home at Perkiomenville. The timely discovery of their plight by neighbors prevented more serious results than serious illness. Neighbors, who noticed an unusual air of desertion, found the family unconscious in the house.
ISAAC R. SMITH, Green Lane civic benefactor and holder of many public offices in that borough during his active life, died Wednesday evening at the home of his son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Sowers, Green Lane. A native of Perkiomenville where he was born August 27, 1855, a son of Garret and Mary (Ruckstool) Smith, he reached the age of 85 years, 7 months and 26 days. A farmer practically all of his life, the late Mr. Smith also amassed an imposing record of public service. He was credited with many acts of benevolence and the borough of Green Lane received many material gifts through his generosity.
The fifth son of an Upper Perkiomen Valley family left Wednesday for military training, and at the same time another local family gave up its fourth son to the armed forces. Ernest, son of Mr. and Mrs. Jacob GODSHALL, Green Lane, was the fifth and most recent of their family to be inducted into the U.S. Army. The other four sons of Mr. and Mrs. GODSHALL are also in the Army. The first to leave was Leroy, and later Harold. Howard was then inducted and Richard followed.
Two Red Hill sisters, one 17, the other 15, filed applications Monday for marriage licenses. Bertha Mae SELL, 17, made application for a license to wed Stanley ALLEM, 22, son of Mr. and Mrs. Leidy ALLEM, of Argus. Her sister, Jean LaRue SELL, 15, was granted a license to wed, Claude L. CROISSETTE, 19, son of Mr. and Mrs. Walter CROISSETTE, of Green Lane, R.D.1. They are daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Alvin D. SELL, of Red Hill. The sisters plan to wed at a double ceremony.
In a military prison camp in Tokyo three days before Christmas 1942, a Pennsburg boy who fought for America in the defense of the Philippines wrote a brief message to his mother. The letter arrived here this week. "I am well and safe in Japan," wrote Pfc. Frank J. DICE to his mother Eleanor M. HUSTON, Pennsburg, R.D. 1. I have had no news of the family since November, 1941. How are you and the family and Jean getting along? Remember me to all. Love, Frank." The message, written in pencil on Japanese prisoner's post card, was forwarded to the soldier's mother by the United States War Department after being received at Washington from the International Red Cross at Geneva, Switzerland.
Wounded in action in North Africa, Pfc. Jay KURTZ, 25, son of Mr. and Mrs. Clarence M. KURTZ, East Greenville, R.D., has been awarded the Purple Heart, his family was informed over the weekend. KURTZ was wounded in a leg on April 13 in the battle of El Guitar, and spent two weeks in a hospital. Since, he has fully recovered and rejoined his unit. He entered the service February 2, 1942, after working at Keasbey & Mattison, Ambler. A year ago he left Indiantown Gap for England. Sussequently he was known to be in Scotland, and on November 8, 1942, he landed in North Africa as a member of an infrantry division in the Allied invasion forces.
A seven-year-old Pennsburg, R.D. boy was accidentally hurled to his death from a manure spreader on his grandfather's farm near Red Hill late Monday afternoon. The boy, Calvin C. PETERSON, died instantly from a fractured skull. The lad fell to his death when the horses pulling the vehicle in a corn field on the farm lunged ahead from a standstill. Mr. Fenton RUSSELL, Red Hill, pronounced the child dead.
For the second time within several months, Mr. and Mrs. Wilfred DELONG, Penn street, Pennsburg, entertained this week a member of the Royal Canadian Air Force. Mrs. DELONG's brother, Sgt. Kenneth DRUMM, of Galt, Ontario, arrived here Tuesday for a three-day visit. Recently his brother, Pilot Officer Warren DRUMM, now with the R.C.A.F. in England, spent several days here with his sister and brother-in-law. Kenneth recently was graduated and awarded his wings at a Canadian aerial gunnery school. He is now on two weeks' embarkation leave preparatory to assignment overseas. Another brother, Russell, also is serving in the R.C.A.F., a member of the ground crew and still in training in Canada. The fliers are sons of Mr. and Mrs. John DRUMM, formerly of this community, who moved from here to Galt in 1934. While here, Mr. DRUMM was superintendent of the Tremblau broad silk mill in East Greenville, and continues in that work at Galt.
T/Sgt. Ira BARDMAN, Green Lane flier reported missing after a Flying Fortress raid over Europe September 16 was still unreported this week, according to information from his parents, although at least two members of the crew of his plane are known definitely to be prisoners of the German government. The flier's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Harry E. BARDMAN, Green Lane, were informed of this in a letter received this week from Mrs. Lawrence WOLFF, Palos Verdes, Calif., mother of Lt. Robert H. WOLFF, pilot of the Fortress of whose crew BARDMAN was a member on the ill-fated raid.
Corporal Russell PFLEIGER, formerly of East Greenville, brother of Miss Naomi PFLEIGER, 342 Dotts Street, Pennsburg, is serving at a South Pacific island base with an Army quartermaster salvage repair company, and plays right field on the company baseball team for off-duty recreation, it was reported in a dispatch from his base last week. Favorite sport of servicemen on the island, the game is well organized and highly competitive. The QM team, with PFLEIGER, is a constant winner.
Sgt. Martin STYER, Jr., escaped from Nazi territory after his plane was downed. The son of an Upper Perkiomen Valley native was reported back at his bomber base in Italy after being shot down over Yugoslavia on May 29 during a bombing raid and escaping capture by the enemy.
PFC Steward TRUMBAUER, son of Mr. and Mrs. Clayton TRUMBAUER of Pennsburg was one of the first paratroopers to drop on France on D-Day. He was seriously wounded 5 days later during the fighting in Normandy. He has since returned home to his family.
Application for a marriage license was filed by George Barton SMITH, 64, maintenance mechanic at the Mennonite Home, Souderton, to wed Katherine C. FITZGERALD, 21, who also gave her address as the Mennonite Home, Souderton. Mr. SMITH was married once before. His wife died October 29, 1944. Miss FITZGERALD is a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles FITZGERALD, Palm.
A Pennsburg couple and their son, the latter a naval officer stationed in Hong Kong, shared the thrill of an 11,000-mile telephone Christmas greeting Sunday night. Or was it Tuesday morning? It was that time for Ensign Frank C. STEFANO, Jr., who is stationed on the USS Albin Cockrell, a destroyer escort, in the harbor at Hong Kong. The call had been "one the fire" since last Friday, but it was not until 9 p.m. Sunday (9 a.m. Tuesday, Hong Kong time) that the circuit could be completed.
Sale of the business, stock and property of the Hevener and Shelly department store, on the Square, here, one of the Upper Perkiomen Valleys oldest business establishments, was announced yesterday by the owners, Frederick HEVENER and Walter H. SHELLY.
Percival M. HALLMAN, 99, believed to be Montgomery County's oldest resident, died early Sunday morning at his late home, on Station Street, Palm, just five months short of his 100th birthday anniversary. A former cabinet maker and carpenter for 64 years, he retired at the age of 80 and operated a wood-working shop at his home for 20 years, helping erect many of the houses and other buildings in the upper end community.
A going out of business sale Saturday at the Pennsburg Hotel will mark the beginning of the end for the 115-year-old hotel recently sold by the owner, Ralph WENNER. Following the sale, which includes the complete sell-out of barroom equipment and kitchen, dining and bedroom furnishings, Mr. and Mrs. WENNER will take up residence in the second-floor apartment in the Pennsburg Professional Building, two doors north of the hotel building on Main street. Weather permitting, plans call for work to start on razing the hotel building about March 1. After the work of razing has been completed, the new owners of the property, the California Oil Company, will erect a modern gasoline station and car washery on the site. Later in the year a diner and motel is scheduled to be erected on ground to the rear and east of the service station. The WENNERs assumed operation of the hotel in April 1957, purchasing it from Miss Maude R. KNEULE. The original hotel deed dates back to April 1, 1846, when George GRABER erected the building and operated the hotel for some years. Later his son, Daniel K. GRABER, took over, and later Herman ROTH was the purchaser. Charles A. KNEULE purchased the business in 1904 and operated it until his death in 1930, after which the widow continued to run the business with the daughter, Maude, serving as manager. After the widow's death, Miss KNEULE bought the hotel in 1949 and conducted it until she sold it to the WENNERs.
The firm of A.L. ALLEM and Son, a meat and grocery business with a background dating back to 1897, will discontinue operations at 359 Main street, Red Hill, at 6 p.m. Saturday. Originally purely a butchering and delivery route, the grocery business was added under the ALLEM ownership which began in 1931. Conversely, the meat delivery phase went out of existence since then - about six years ago. Arthur L. ALLEM and his wife, Mary (HELLERICK) ALLEM, came to Red Hill from Perkasie and bought the meat business from Harry SWEISFORD. Soon thereafter a small section of the dwelling was converted into a store and 12 years ago an enlarged area, fronting along the pavement, was erected.
W/O George MAYER, of Palm, who until recently was the executive officer of Ranger Communications Squadron 3102, Civil Air Patrol, Allentown, has been appointed commanding officer of the unit. A resident of Palm for the past 14 years, MAYER has been a member of the Civil Air Patrol for more than a year. Other squadron members from the Upper Perkiomen Valley area are MAYER's son, Joseph, and Dominick RICHARDS of Red Hill.
A Philadelphia truck driver was killed and his brother injured early Saturday morning when their flat-bed tractor-trailer plunged over a bridge on Route 29 at Perkiomenville and landed in the Perkiomen Creek. Rescue workers from the Green Lane Fire Company rescue squad labored for some 90 minutes before they were able to remove Kenneth B. WASHINGTON, 40, of 5311 Walton Avenue, Philadelphia, from the partially submerged cab.
Paul R. NESTLER, Sr., Green Lane Hosiery Manufacturer, died suddenly on Friday afternoon after suffering a heart attack at his home at 408 Walnut street, Green Lane. He was 77 years, 10 months and 16 days old, and husband of Helene F. (Huebner) Nestler. Mr. Nestler came to this country from Germany after the first World War and established his factory in May of 1929 on Walnut Street in Green Lane under the name of the Green Lane Hosiery Company, Inc. He has served as its president since that time, a period of more than 44 years.
A 7-year-old Pennsburg girl was taken to the hospital for treatment of injuries she received when she was struck by a car on Lake Lane, Pennsburg, at 3:05 p.m. Tuesday, Upper Perk police said. The injured child was Amy BROWN of 1024 Lake Lane, police said. She was riding her bicycle north of the roadway in front of 1018 Lake Lane when she turned around in front of a car operated by an East Greenville resident, police said.
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