Snyder County PA News

Transcribed by Nancy Piper unless otherwise noted

MISCELLANEOUS

The Gettysburg Times (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania) December 18, 1919

Doctor Loses Suit
Jury Believes Old Minister Had Paid Physician's Fees

Middleburg, Pa., Dec. 18 - After several hours' deliberation, the jury in the $10,000 suit of Dr. E. C. Williams against the Rev. A. S. Bierly, the most sensational and expensive case ever tried in the Snyder county court, on Tuesday afternoon gave a verdict for the defendant. It was a victory for the aged pastor, and it is likely that the costs which amounted to at least several hundred dollars a day for a week, will have to be paid by the physician.

The jury accepted the story of the clergyman that he had paid in full for medical service to his daughter, Miss Verna with his $250 check. They also accepted the statement of the experts for the defense that the charges of $100 a visit and $500 a month for attending the girl were "preposterous."

The damaging evidence concerning her relations with Dr. Williams overbalanced evidence she gave against her father and in favor of the man with whom she is now living. Dr. Williams, like the pastor, is a man of means, and has a large practice at his office in Port Trevorton. The sums involved in the case could well be afforded by either the principals.

GOVERNMENT

Daily Gazette and Bulletin (Williamsport, Pennsylvania) June 21, 1871

The Republicans of Snyder County held their primary elections on Saturday under the Crawford county system. For President, Judge Hon. George F. Miller, Hon. Samuel E. Woods and Samuel H. Orwig, Esq., were candidates, and for Assembly, Abraham Eyer and Colonel William G. Harrold.

INDUSTRY AND MANUFACTURING

Indiana Evening Gazette (Indiana, Pennsylvania) January 21, 1913

Huge Coal Vein Found

Almost Inexhaustible Field Reported From Snyder County, Pa.

Selinsgrove, Pa., Jan 21. - Mining engineers employed by the Reading Coal and Iron company announced the discover of a large area of virgin coal land in Bear valley. Experts say the newly discovered vein will yield millions of tons and will be inexhaustible for 100 years.

DISASTERS

Republican Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania) May 28, 1833

The late high, sudden and unexpected floods have occasioned very heavy losses in lumber, fences &c. and, also, melancholy losses of human life. Among the persons drowned were Pohn Paxton, (son of Mr. Isaac Paxton, of Mountjoy township, in this county,) and a colored boy, at York Haven; Mr. Swartz and Henry Hebrich, of Selinsgrove, Union county; William Brindle, Esq., of Lycoming county, and Mr. David Carrier, at the Shamokin dam.

The loss of Messrs. Moore and Evans, contractors for the new bridge at Columbia, is estimated at $1500. A part of a span, on the Wrightsville side, was thrown down; but was secured after it had floated down the stream. The Columbia Spy states that a man was carried off on a platform of boards, which he was attempting to secure, opposite Washington, Lancaster county, on Wednesday afternoon the 15th inst., from which he was not taken until the next morning, about 15 miles down the river, after having lodged on the rocks a number of times.

Daily Gazette and Bulletin (Williamsport, Pennsylvania) October 8, 1874

Burned to Death

A little daughter of Job Walter, of Middleburg, Snyder county, was burned to death one day last week. Her parents were absent from the house, and the little one, going too near the stove, set her clothes on fire.

Indiana Journal October 5, 1898

SELLINS GROVE. Pa.. Sept. 30

Henry T. Sampsell, of Centerville, while engaged in arranging the gearing of a circular saw while it was In motion, was caught by the saw and cut In two. Mr. Sampsell was one of the associate judges of the courts of this county, and was about thirty-six years old. -- Contributed by Barbara Ziegenmeyer

ACCIDENTS

Republican Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania) December 20, 1852

Shocking Accident in Union County

On the 30th ult., a Mr. Smith, of Selinsgrove, and Daniel Galer of Hartley township, were hunting on the mountains a few miles above Hartleton. Having killed a deer, they started to go up higher, bearing their game by a pole upon their shoulders. Galer being in advance, and Smith trailing his loaded rifle by his side, when a twig caught the trigger of Smith's rifle, it was fired, the ball entering Galer's heart, and he fell dead upon the spot. The deceased leaves a family.

The Gettysburg Times (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania) January 11, 1910

Food Carrier Freezes

Father Drops on Way Home With Needed Provisions

Sellinsgove, pa., Jan. 11 - In his endeavor to take food to his wife and children, William Kreamer, residing near Globe Mills, Snyder county, was frozen to death, his body remaining in the field over night, until found by his son. The home larger was empty, and Kreamer walked to the village, four miles away, to purchase food. With a bag of potatoes on one shoulder and a sack of four on the other, he started to walk home. The weight of the provisions fatigued him, and he decided to lessen the journey by traveling through the fields. As he trudged on he weakened under the load, finally fell exhausted, only to freeze to death.

The Gettysburg Times (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania) November 19, 1913

Hunters Kill Farmer

Sunbury, Pa., Nov. 19

John Haines, of Weiss' Mills, Snyder County, a farmer, was shot dead while moving around in some brush. A party of hunters mistook him for game.

The Gettysburg Times (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania) November 23, 1915

Boy Hammers Dynamite

Maims Left Hand With Explosive Found on the Highway

Sellinsgrove, Nov. 23. - Isaac, twelve-year-old son of Newton Barner, residing near McKees Half Falls, Snyder county, picked up a dynamite cap lying upon the State highway. The boy tried to flatten the cap by pounding it with a stone, when it exploded, tearing away his two fingers and thumb of his left hand.

Mr. Barner went with his son to the place where the boy found the explosive and unearthed a long fuse, partly burnt, leading to the middle of the road. Digging deeper, the father discovered a stick of dynamite. The motive for planting dynamite in the lonely country road is a mystery to the authorities.

CRIME

Daily Gazette and Bulletin (Williamsport, Pennsylvania) September 3, 1880

United Stated District Court
Yesterday Afternoon's Session Taken up With a Case of Alleged Forgery on Pension Papers
Case of Alleged Forgery

United States vs. Samuel I. Schreiber, charged with falsely making, forging, etc., a certain writing, for the purpose of enabling a certain person to obtain and receive money from the United States. District Attorney Stone and Assistqant District Attorney George G. Wilson for the prosecution, and Hon J. L. Metzger, of this city, and William Brines, Esq., of Pittsburg for the defense.

William Stahl affirmed Live in Snyder county; made an application for a pension; was in company C, 210th regiment Pennsylvania volunteers; I signed the application for pension shown; know Dr. McCay; did not see him in the army; he lives in Northumberland; remember going to his house in company with the defendant, two years ago; went to see him because he had doctored for me; had this paper [paper shown] with me - the same paper Mr. Schreiber had; found Dr. McCay in his office; asked him if he remembered the time he doctored me for a sore breat; Mr. Schreiber said to him he was a pension agent; Dr. McCay would not sign the papers, but he said I will give you privilege to use my name; we came home and Mr. Schreiber fixed up the papers; he signed Dr. McCay's name; we went to Squire Wagner's and Mr. Wagner asked him if he was the doctor; he raised up his hand and was sworn; he was my agent for securing the pension; we call him Dr. Schreiber.

Cross examined. Do not see very well, as the sight of one eye is gone. Dr. Schreiber drew up my first application; Dr. McCay had treated me in 1865 for my breast; why I went there Schreiber said he could help me get my pension; Dr. McCay said he did not remember treating me as he had the palsy and his memory was not good; he did not tell Schreiber to sign his name; the paper was filled up at my house after we came home, before dinner partly, anyhow; am positive that nobody by Dr. Schreiber filled up the paper; I saw him sign Mr. Cay's name.

Dr. B. R. McCay sworn. Live in Northumberland; was surgeon of volunteers during the war and have been a physician many years; remember Stahl coming to my house several times and that he was very troublesome; did not sign any paper; this is not my signature; this is signed McCoy, and my name is McCay; did not authorize Schreiber or any other man to sign my name; have lived in Northumberland sixty years; there is no other family of my name there that I know of; don't remember of Schreiber being there.

Cross-examined. Am suffering from palsy; I find no fault with my memory; never treated Mr. Stahl; never charged charged any soldiers that came from the army for attendance or medicine; do not remember Stahl coming with any person.

T. H. Wagner affirmed live in Snyder county; am farmer and justice of the peace; was justice of the peace in December 1877; do not know Dr. Schreiber, [Pension application shown witness.] This paper was executed in my presence, a man came with Mr. Stahl; who represented himself as Dr. McCay; I asked him if he was the doctor, and he said "yes"; asked him if that was the signature, and he said "yes". Dr. McCay is not the man that was at my office; do not recognize Dr. Schreiber as the man that was at my office.

Cross examined. Have been a justice of the peace seventeen years.

Prosecution rests.

Testimony For Defense

Dr. Schreiber sworn. My home is in Chapman, Snyder county; have been a homeopathic physician nine years; have known William Stahl since the 19th of February, 1877(?) when he came to me; that was the first time I saw him; he requested me to make an examination of his breast; filled out the application blanks; after his application was filed then came papers making for additional evidence; Stahl said he went to see Dr. McCay, and the doctor didn't give him much satisfaction; told him that the doctor probably did not know what he wanted; I went with Stahl to Dr. McCay's; the doctor and I talked a great deal together; the doctor said he had treated Stahl for his breast, but that he had no record of it; I said to the doctor, who was unable to write, owing to his palsy; "Shall I fill up the application and use your name" and he said, "Yes, but do not get an old palsied man into trouble," I said, "Certainly not, doctor." Went home with Stahl, and after the writing was done I told him that it had to be signed by a justice of the peace; we went to squire Wagner's office; the squire looked at the paper and said; "I suppose this is correct," and I said, "I suppose so, as the doctor said we should use his name," I told Stahl then that he should have the county seal on the document; I left the papers in the office, and did not see them again till Peter Stahl showed them to me ten or twelve days after; they had the clerk of the court's seal on them; did not swear that Dr. McCay's signature was mine, for the squire knew me.

Cross examined. I live in Chapman, Snyder county. William Stahl lives in Krautzerville, about fifteen miles from where I live; I was interested in no pension claims further than in a medical sense; I was no pension agent; have assisted applicants for pensions, as I knew something about filling out papers; I wrote the name of R. B. McCay under instructions; and thought it was right, as the doctor was not able to write; told the squire that I had written the name for McKay; the doctor said I should write his name ot it if it would do any good.

John Reichly affirmed. Live in Snyder county near Krautzerville; know Mr. Schreiber; saw him at Squire Wagner's office; did not see Dr. Schreiber swear to any paper in Squire Wagner's office, not to my recollection. Mr. Good and I went in and signed our names as witnesses and went out again; could not say whether it was two minutes or ten minutes that I remained there.

B. M. Bubb sworn. Live in Northumberland county; know Dr. Schreiber; his reputation for truth while he lived near us was good; he taught school and read medicine; know very little about him since he went to Snyder county to live.

This closed the afternoon session and the prospect is that the above case will go to the jury early after the opening of court this morning.

Court adjourned to 9 o'clock Friday morning.

Daily Gazette and Bulletin (Williamsport, Pennsylvania) June 1, 1880

Snyder County Murder
Arrest of Parties in Michigan for the Murder of John Kintzler and Wife

Sunbury, May 31. The Sunbury Daily learns that Detective Lyons has succeeded in arresting Uriah Moyer, Emanuel Ettinger and Mary Hartley at Schoolcraft, Michigan, for the murder of John Kintzler and his wife in Snyder county, in December 1877. A number of others implicated in the affair are now confined in the jail at Middleburg. John Erb, a son of Israel Erb, has become insane; he is laboring under the delusion that he is to be hung without a trial. Several of the persons mentioned above were arrested soon after the murders on suspicion, and were put on trial on a single indictment for the murder of the old man; but were acquitted. Detective Lyons has since been working unremittingly on the case. He had some persons to go on the ground where the murder was committed, ostensibly to build a furnace. Some of the suspected persons were employed to dig where the imaginary foundation was to be laid, and by means of the various subterfuges employed by detectives among ignorant criminals, evidence enough was gathered to warrant their arrest along with those who had fled to the west. Of course, those who were tried for the murder of the old man can't be tried on that charge again, but can and will be tried on the charge of murdering Mrs. Kintzler. There appears to be no doubt but what the right parties have all been arrested.

The Gettysburg Times (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania) May 26, 1909

Kept Murder Secret 19 Years
Accuses Man of Killing His Wife With a Whip
Asserts He Saw Crime
Harrassed by His Conscience, Alfred Thomas Charges Robert Hassinger With Slaying His Wife to Wed Another Woman, and is Sued For Slander

Selinsgrove, Pa., May 26

Harrassed by conscience over the secrets of a murder he alleges he witnessed nineteen years ago, Alfred F. Thomas, thirty-eigh years old, of Beavertown, Snydre county, declares he has become so disturbed that he no longer can keep concealed the averred crime, and pleaded that he be brought before the court to air his story.

Robert Hassinger, sixty-eight years old, a farmer in the western part of Snyder county, caused to be issued on Thomas a capias on the charge of slander, demanding that Thomas be compelled to make restitution for damaged alleged to have been sustained through Thomas' assertion that Hassinger killed his demented wife on July 7, 1890.

Sheriff Hackenberger went to Beavertown for Thomas. Thomas says that Mrs. Hassinger was cart whipped in her home nineteen years ago, when she was last seen alive, and that her husband in a fit of anger struck her in the head with the butt end of the whip. Soon after Hassinger wedded another woman. Thomas has told his story to the district attorney.

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