Miscellaneous News Items From the Past, Dauphin County, PA
Transcribed by Nancy Piper unless stated otherwise
The Sprig of Liberty, Gettysburg, PA
January 9, 1807
On the 6th ult. at Harrisburg, James Jameson and James Magowan had their trial for the murder of Jacob Eshelman. The court continued until Sunday night and the following morning the jury returned a verdict of murder in the first degree. The judge then pronounced on them the sentence of Death, which they received with composure and deliberation. The day of execution was fixed on Monday the 29th, but Jameson on Saturday evening the 30th made his escape out of the prison door. The Jailer and family, and some other persons, suspected of having furthered his escape, are held in durance, and must stand their trial. A reward of 300 dollars is offered for him by the jailer.
The Republican Compiler, Gettysburg, PA
August 11, 1819
Harrisburg, Aug. 6
Casualty - On Sunday last, a stranger passing through town, overcome with
heat and drinking cold water, dropped down on the street and died in a few
minutes.
The Republican Compiler, Gettysburg, PA
December 22, 1819
A stable and the upper part of a back building, belonging to Conrad Bombach, Esq., in Harrisburg, were destroyed by fire, on the afternoon of the 11th, inst.
Republican Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
August 9, 1820
It will be recollected that Mr. Isaac Wills of Harrisburg, was murdered in his store in April, 1814, and that the perpetrator of the crime could not be discovered. A Peter Brakeman executed at Newton, Sussex county, New Jersey, on the 30th of June last, for the murder of Francis E. Nichols, in the same county in December 1819, states in his confession, that in April 1814, he entered a store in Harrisburg, at night, where he found a young man whose throat he cut, and robbed the store of 125 dollars! Brakeman was then a recruiting sergeant in the service of the U. States. Franklin Repos.
Gettysburg Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
July 10 1822 Page 3
James Peacock, late editor of the "Harrisburg Republican," has received the appointment of Post Master at Harrisburg, in place of Rose Wright, deceased, and entered on the duties of his office on the 1st instant. Penn. Intel.
Gettysburg Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
July 17 1822 Page 2
From the Harrisburg Oracle, July 6
We are sorry to learn that the distressing malady of the dysentery is prevailing
to an alarming degree in Hanover in this county. A number of deaths especially
among children have taken place in that neighborhood within the last two
weeks.
Republican Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
December 3, 1823 Page 2
Harrisburg, Nov. 27
Murder Trial - On Thursday last the trial of Benjamin Stewart, a colored man, for the murder of Mrs. Overholzer, came on in the court of Oyer and Terminer of Dauphin county. The Attorney-General, Elder, and J. M. Forster, conducted the prosecution; and G. Fisher, Maclean and Baldwin (appointed by the Court for that purpose) the defence. The testimony was gone through the same day. On Friday morning, Mr. Baldwin addressed the jury on the part of the prisoner, and Mr. Elder for the commonwealth. The jury after a consultation of about two hours, returned a verdict of guilty of murder in the first degree, and on Saturday morning sentence of death was passed upon the prisoner by Judge Franks. The evidence of the guilt of the prisoner was clear and decisive, and the circumstances under which the murder was perpetrated were of the most shocking character. In the course of the trial, and passage of sentence upon him, the prisoner displayed complete apathy and indifference. - Chron.
Republican Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
February 11, 1824 Page 3
Harrisburg, Feb. 6
The Execution
On Wednesday last, Benjamin Stewart was executed at this place. The Harrisburg volunteers were drawn up in a hollow square surrounding the criminal, and in that manner moved off; the unhappy man walked along with a due degree of firmness. On arriving at the place of execution, several of the clergymen ascended the platform, and addressed the surrounding crowd in a very able and appropriate manner, after which the criminal ascended, attended by two of the clergy, and remained in prayer for about fifteen minutes. The unfortunate being then took his station on the drop, while the sheriff adjusted the fatal rope, which launched him into eternity. It is supposed that there were about 4000 people present. - Commonwealth.
Republican Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
May 12 1824
Harrisburg, May 4
At a court of common pleas, held last week, in this borough, in an action of slander, between John Perkey & wife, plaintiffs, and Emanuel Cassell, defendant, the jury gave a verdict in favor of plaintiff for $500. The case was of the most aggravated kind. We hope that in futer it may serve as a bridle to the tongues of the evil disposed. His honor Judge Franks delivered a very pertinent charge. Messrs. Elder and Shoch, were concerned for the plaintiffs, and George Fisher, Esq., ofr defendant. - Intel.
Republican Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
June 23 1824
Harrisburg, June 12
On Tuesday afternoon last, the barn of Mr. Samuel Miller, Innkeeper, at the foot of Peter's mountain, in this county, was struck with lightening, and, with nearly all its contents consumed.. - Pennsylvanian.
The Union Canal
Taken From the Republican Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
April 11, 1827
Harrisburg, April 5
Union Canal - On Friday last, the 30th of March, the water was let into the
western section of the Union Canal, at the water-works, from the dam at the
mouth of Kettle-Run and termination of the Swatara feeder. The water was
let in to the depth of three feet and reached Middletown, the western termination
of the Union Canal, on the evening of Sunday, April 1. The canal bottom and
banks were found unusually water tight - very few, and those immaterial leaks
occurring in the whole distance of 29 miles. We walked from the cave
near Hummelstown, to Middletown, between four and five miles, on the canal
bank, and observed a waste gate near Middletown, the only leak in the distance,
and that one of no consequence. The water has since been taken out of the
canal, in order to let the banks settle.
The water has also been let into the Union Canal on the eastern section, as will be seen by the following extracted from a letter of the date April 1. "John Swalm of Womeladorf, is boating bricks from lock No. 2 to 25, for the lock houses. On last Friday afternoon, he left the level between locks 24 and 25, and came up to lock No. 2, passing through 23 locks in the short space of four hours, the distance is eleven miles and four chains. Mr. Swalm says, the average time of passing the lock is three and a half minutes."
We need not say that we rejoice at the success of this enterprise, so far; and we anticipate equal success with the whole line, when the water shall be let in, which, we are informed, will be in three or four weeks.
Star and Republican Banner (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
February 18, 1840
Charles Wood and John Smith, recently convicted of robbing a canal boat at Harrisburg last summer, have been sentenced to the penitentiary for three years each.
Chester Times (Chester, Pennsylvania)
March 28, 1882
The Elizabethville Independent, published in the upper end of Dauphin County, says: "A few days ago a peddler, or rather a professional tramp, tried to steal a child, an interesting little son of Mr. Jacob Matter, residing about one mile east of this place. The child was playing at a short distance from the house, on a public road, with several companions, when the tramp happened to pass. He took hold of the little fellow, first persuading him to go along with him and aftewards compelling him to do so. The other children informed the mother of the boy of what had taken place. She immediately started pursuit and after proceeding about a mile, she overtook the scoundrel, who absconded on perceiving her, leaving the child in the road to be recovered by its mother. No effort was made we believe, to arrest the kidnapper and this is to be regretted, because the country is running full of pretended peddlers, their pack serving merely to gain them entrance into the homes of unsuspecting people, plunder being their prime object when a favorable opportunity presents itself."
Taken From the New Oxford Item, New Oxford, Pennsylvania
January 24, 1896
Frank Lutz, Hummelstown, is convalescing from a peculiar affliction. In the right nostril, near the base of the nose, there protruded a hard formation. This was removed by cutting and proved to be an eye tooth half an inch in length. Physicians pronounced it to be one of the most singular freak of nature they have ever met with in all their reading and practice.
Taken From The Daily Courier (Connellsville, Pennsylvania)
November 17 1902
Senator Fox Badly Hurt
Harrisburg, Nov. 17 - Senator John E. Fox, of Dauphin county, was badly
hurt while going to Hummelstown yesterday on horseback. Going
over the hill near Hummelstown his horse stumbled, throwing the senator over
its head, and in the fall he broke a ligament in his left leg and hurt his
head. He was at the residence of Collector Hershey, in
this city, last night.
Taken From the Indiana Evening Gazette, Indiana Pennsylvania
December 15 1906
Harrisburg PA, Dec. 15 - John K. Leitzel of Hummelstown cut his housekeeper's throat with a razor, attacked her niece with a hammer and attempted suicide by cutting his throat. He was brought to the hospital here and may die. The woman is in a critical condition, but the nieces injuries are not serious. Lietzel is an epileptic and is 60 years of age.
Taken From the Indiana Evening Gazette, Indiana
Pennsylvania
December 4, 1911
Marietta PA, Dec 4 - Morris Stricker of Hummelstown has discovered an old violin which he purchased twelve years ago for $7 is worth $30,000. The instrument was made in Germany and bears the date of 1772.
Taken From the New Oxford Item, New Oxford, Pennsylvania
August 23 1917
Charles Glass, chief engineer of the Hummelstown electric plant and a former resident of York Springs made a grewsome find on Monday when he went to clean out the race which operates the plant and fished out the body of Jerzasi Divacado (sp?), a Harrisburg lad, who was drowned in thw Swatara creek, on Saturday. Engineer Glass thought the race, at the point where it empties into the electric plant, had become clogged with leaves and brush. He soon discovered the hand of the boy.
The Daily Messenger, Canandaigua, New York
Saturday 07 Jan 1922
Donated by Melissa Rodriguez
MAN DEAD, WIFE SENSELESS MAKE FOR NEW MYSTERY
DANIEL PIERCE IS SHOT AND WOMAN FROM WHOM HE HAD BEEN SEPARATED HAS BROKEN
SKULL
Harrisburg, Pa., Jan 7 – State and local police were baffled today by the mysterious shooting to death of Daniel Pierce, 54, of Wormleysburg, near here.
Last night Pierce was found in a half-constructed bungalow, his head torn open by bullet wounds and three bullet holes in his back. In his hand was clutched a revolver. The position of the body indicated he had been running when shot and that then the assailant had fired into his back as Pierce lay on his face.
Outside the bungalow was a pool of blood from which a trail of blood trickled some distance into an adjoining field and there disappeared.
Thursday night, pierce’s wife, Mrs. Tille Pierce, who had been separated from him for three years, but who was known to meet him occasionally, staggered into her home and collapsed. She had been beaten over the head with some instrument, which was thought to have been a nail-studded hammer, according to the nature of the wounds.
She has been unconscious in a Harrisburg hospital since early Friday. Her skull was fractured and it was not believed she would regain consciousness.
Chronicle Telegram, The (Elyria, Ohio)
August 12, 1927
Elizabethville, Pa., Aug. 12 - Plunging ten feet to the ground when a rotten board in the barn gave way, John Zerby, aged 80 sustained a broken neck which probably will cause his death. When the body was foundthe aged man grasped an unbroken egg in his hand. Neighbors found Zerby's body and carried him into the house. Physicians expressed a surprise that the aged man was still alive after sustaining the broken neck and internal injuries.
Taken From The Bradford Era (Bradford, Pennsylvania)
July 18 1947
Harrisburg (AP) - A baby boy, weighing less than two pounds, amazed doctors at Polyclinic Hospital yesterday by rallying to the point where it was reported as having "an excellent change of survival". The infant, born Monday to Mrs. Albert C. Smerilo, 36, of nearby Hummelstown after little more than five months gestation, was rushed to the hospital and immediately placed in an incubator. (Infant did not survive)
Taken From the Gettysburg Gazette, Gettysburg PA
October 10 1956
Harrisburg: A nearby Hummelstown lady farmer prepared to carry to the US Supreme Court her appeal for a US District Court judgement fining her $403 on charges of over-planting her wheat acreage allotment. "Congress has no legal right to pass any law which forbids a farmer to eat the food he has grown on his own land and further directs him what to plant and what to reap", Miss Elsie Mumma said last night.
Act On Ammendment
The US Court of Appeals in Philadelphia upheld the $403 judgement last Monday
and contended that the agricultural act of 1936 was constitutional. The US
Agricultural Department charges Miss Mumma with overplanting by 18 acres
her six acre wheat quota for 1954. The US Supreme Court previously upheld
the Agricultural Act by Miss Mumma said "the act has been upheld on certain
sections, never as a whole."
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