Monroe County PA Miscellaneous News Articles From the Past
The Adams Sentinel (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
May 14 1849
Arrest of a Steam Doctor
A Dr. Cross has been arrested at Stroudsburg, Monroe Co., for manslaughter, charged with causing the death of a patient by improper treatment. The Monroe Democrat says:
"An "Indian doctor," named Cross, undertook, for the consideration of $5 paid in advance, to cure Mr. Daniel Quin of a rheumatic pain that annoyed him. He began the operation by steaming him, by seating him over a pot of boiling water, and covering him with a blanket. Into the water he dropped at short intervals, hot bricks to keep up the requisite temperature. After continuing this operation for aobut three hours, he put the patient to bed, with half a dozen bricks close to the different parts of his body and limbs, and with a great number of blankets, comfortables and coverlids on top of him, covering up his face as well as his whole body. The patient or victim begged for air, but it was almost wholly denied him. The doctor started off on a visit to our town, giving strict orders that the covering should not be removed until his return. As he remained away some three or four hours, Mrs. Quin found it absolutely necessary to remove a portion of the covering. On Cross' return he poured into a spoon, a few drops of a medicine which he called "Indian Red Drop", and administered a portion of it to Quin. He had no sooner taken it than he clasped his hand to his head and exclaimed "who struck me?" and in a short time he expired of apoplexy. C. has attempted the cur e of rheumatism upon other subjects frequently, and sometimes with success.
The Blairsville Press (Blairsville, Pennsylvania)
January 8 1869
Brooks and Orme, the two thieves who first robbed and then murdered George Brodhead, at the Delaware Water Gap, a few months since, were convicted at Stroudsburg on Thursday evening, and Saturday were sentenced to be hung.
Indiana Progress (Indiana, Pennsylvania)
February 10 1876
Moses Ellenberger, on Monroe county, has a pair of stocking which are more than a century old. They were knit for Judge John Coolbaugh, of Stroudsburg, and he was married in them in 1770. His son was married in them some thirty years later. The sister of Mr. Eilenberger, who is now in possession of the stockings, and was also married in them, was the wife of John Coolbaugh, second, now deceased by whom they were presented to Mr. E., "for luck" on the occasion of his marriage.
The Wellsboro Agitator (Wellsboro, Pennsylvania)
July 9 1878
Edward Melvin was found guilty of manslaughter, at Stroudsburg, on Saturday, the 8th of June, in having caused the death of his wife while she was confined in child-bed. He will be sentenced until this month.
Chester Daily Times (Chester, Pennsylvania)
September 30 1880
Two men, one of them James Hanna, of Oakland, Pa., were found dead in bed in the Burnet House, at Stroudsburg, yesterday. They blew out the gas before retiring and were suffocated.
Chester Daily Times (Chester, Pennsylvania)
November 2 1880
The murdered body of the seventeen year old daughter of Samuel Bittenbender, of Hamilton township, near Stroudsburg, pa., was found yesterday morning on the road side. The girl left home on Sunday afternoon to go to a neighbor's where she was to do some housework. Several tramps seen early yesterday morning in the vicinity are suspected of the crime.
Daily Gazette and Bulletin (Williamsport, Pennsylvania)
February 7 1881
At Stroudsburg, Pa., Saturday the examination in the case of Samuel Hainey, accused of the murder of Etta Bittenbender, resulted in his acquittal.
Daily Gazette and Bulletin (Williamsport, Pennsylvania)
February 15 1881
Tracking a Murderer
Detectives at Work Upon a Most Brutal Crime - Twice Arrested
A correspondent at Stroudsburg sends the following to the Philadelphia Times:
Since the dismissal for want of evidence the other day of Samuel Hainey, who was arrested the second time, charged with the murder of Miss Etta Bittenbender, the detectives who have charge of the investigation have discovered a most important clue, which is a present to be kept secret. Young Hainey, who has been arrested twice for complicity in this crime, is now believed to be entirely innocent. Miss Bittenbender's murder was one of the most brutal ever committed in this state and cause a most decided sensation. She was but 17 years of age, remarkably pretty and quite a belle in her section. While returning home from a visit to a neighboring farm house she was accosted at a lonely spot of the road by two men, who seized her. She broke from their grasp and fled. They pursued and after a short chase brutally assaulted her. Then fearing exposure and arrest they beat the girl's head to a jelly with stones and a club and left her lifeless body beside the road. There were evidences of a horrible struggle, for many of the stones were spattered with blood and the club, with patches of the girl's hair clinging to it, was found near the corpse. When found the body was perfectly cold and the brains were oozing from the wounds. It was at first believed that the crime had been committed by tramps, and large rewards were offered for the capture of the criminals. It is believed by the detectives who have the case in charge that the crime was committed by some persons living in the immediate vicinity. A coat belonging to one Wilson Marsh was found near the spot and he was suspected, but on learning that he was thought to be implicated he volunteered an examination, at which he was proven innocent of any connection with the affair. Young Hainey was next suspected, arrested, dismissed and again arrested, but as no substantial evidence was brought against him he was again dismissed. The detectives now are following another clue, ant it is thought that before long the right criminal will be captured.
The Indiana Democrat (Indiana, Pennsylvania)
October 27 1881
Charles Bell, of Stroudsburg, Pa., has succeeded in making a boat from chemical wood fiber. This is said to be the first of the kind known to have been made. The boat is fourteen feet long, eighteen inches wide, and "rides on the water like a daisy."
Chester Times (Chester, Pennsylvania)
August 21 1885
An incendiary fire on Wednesday night destroyed the Van Vilet Fruit Jar Co's building in Stroudsburg, Pa. Loss, $5,600. At about the same time a fire started in Wistler's lumber yard, in East Stroudsburg, and soon an acre of lumber piles and sheds full of dry lumber were burned. Several other buildings caught fire and were destroyed. Loss, $25,000.
The Bucks County Gazette (Bristol, Pennsylvania)
January 9 1890
Bush Miller, of Stroudsburg, and Annie Miller, of Columbia, were married one night recently. While on the way to the home of the groom, at Stroudsburg, Miller was shot in the back and mortally wounded by John W. Snyder, a rejected lover of the bride. The bride was also shot, but not severely wounded. Snyder escaped.
The Wellsboro Agitator (Wellsboro, Pennsylvania)
January 7 1891
Mrs. Catharien P. Foulke, for sixty years a minister of the Society of Friends, died at Stroudsburg, Pa., the other day at the age of 83.
New Oxford Item (New Oxford, Pennsylvania)
October 30 1891
Annie Warner committed suicide at Bushkill, near Stroundsburg, Thursday. A young man named Bently won her affections, but refused to marry her. A letter was found in the dead woman's pocket from Bentley in which he told her how to take a fatal dose of poison.
Daily Gazette and Bulletin (Williamsport, Pennsylvania)
September 24 1895
Eluded Arrest Five Years
Garrett Snyder Cleverly Caught at Kunkletown Yesterday.
Stroudsburg, Sept. 23 After eluding the police for nearly five years, Garrett W. Snyder was cleverly captured at Kunkletown today. He shot Bush Miller, it is alleged during the Christmas holidays of 1889. The crime was the direct outcome of jealousy. Bush Miller succeeded in winning the hand of Miss Static Miller, the daughter of John Miller, a resident of Marshall's Creek. Snyder had also fallen in love with the girl, but she showed her preference for Bush by marrying him. The young husband was host in the road, while waling with the gelde next night.
Daily Gazette and Bulletin (Williamsport, Pennsylvania)
February 8 1896
Fatality at Stroudsburg
Stroudsburg, Feb. 9
While fighting fire last night at the residence of Mr. Hollinshead, a wealthy resident living near this town, Jesse B. Palmer, 24 years old, lost his life by a chimney falling on him. Mr. Hollinshead, his wife and their two children had a narrow escape from being burned to death. Shortly before Palmer was killed he had run a ladder up to the second story, and attempted to rescue a man and wife, named Hotopp, who were supposed to be in the house, but who, it was afterwards discovered, had gone to visit a friend. A fireman, named Nevil, while going for a doctor, was thrown from a horse and is believed to be fatally injured. The house with its contents was entirely destroyed, and there is but little insurance. Palmer had only recently been married, and it is feared that his wife will go insane with grief over his death.
Gettysburg Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
February 25 1896
David Ganz, a Stroudsburg tailor, has a Bible in his possession 221 years old. It is heavily bound in wooden covers, ornamented with brass, and it weighs thirty-five pounds.
New Oxford Item (New Oxford, Pennsylvania)
October 23 1896
Stroudsburg, Pa., Oct. 19
As Station Agent Henry Sayres was returning to his home after closing his work at the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western depot, at Henryville, he was set upon by two men and robbed of $7 and some jewelry.
New Oxford Item (New Oxford, Pennsylvania)
May 7 1897
Stroudsburg, Pa., May 4
Ex-Representative William Kister, while attempting to get into a wagon, fell to the ground, sustaining severe injuries, from which he died at the home of his son-in-law. He was a prominent Democrat, and represented this county in the house of representatives from 1874-1876. He was largely interested in the turning business.
Daily Gazette and Bulletin (Williamsport, Pennsylvania)
July 7 1900
Prominent Woolen Maker Dead
Stroudsburg, July 6
Thomas Kitson, the well known woolen manufacturer and owner of the Stroudsburg woolen mills, died yesterday on a railroad train en route to New York. He was on his way to the sea shore and was accompanied by several friends. The cause of his death was heart failure. Mr. Kitson was born in England. The mills owned by him here are said to be the most complete in the United States. Mr. Kitson was widely known among woolen manufacturers.
Daily Gazette and Bulletin (Williamsport, Pennsylvania)
December 27 1900
Death of a Heart Broken Father
Stroudsburg, December 26
J. C. Metzgar, of Mountain Home, heart broken over the loss of his three children, died on Christmas morning. A few weeks ago his tow daughters Minnie and Florence, died within hours of each other of diphtheria and were buried in one grave. A grand daughter also expires at the same time and her death was soon followed by that of a third daughter Emily. "Please God I'll go next," said the father as he gazed on his last daughter. The man sat day after day with bowed head waiting for the summons that he prayed for so earnestly. Metzgar's wife died a few years ago.
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