MA II II! I! II VOL. 36. BLOOMSBUltG, PA. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1901. NO. G W 71 I II Tin mm1 n j I ii ii iMfi in in ij . FOULLY MDRDERE: Thomas McHenry, Awakened From Sleep, Lured From His House and Killed. Going: to Investigate a Noise in the Barn he is Shot Down in the Darkness. Thomas McIIenry, a prosperous farmer and lumber dealer residing ear what is known as the Ikeler grist mill a short distance this side of Rohrsburg, was lured from his house about one o'clock Sunday morning, and assassinated. The circumstances as we have been able to gather them are as follows: Between twelve and one o'clock Sunday morning, Mr. McIIenry was awakened from sleep by a noise in the barn. Fearing that the disturbance was caused by an animal in distress, he arose, lighted a lantern, and proceeded to the barn. It was quite dark, but from the house he observed that the barn door stood w de open. This gave rise to the suspicion that something was wrong. He had nearly reached the barn, when a shot rang out and r. McHenry fell to the ground. He managed to icgain his ftet, and statted toward the bouse. The wound however was a serious one, and becoming weak lrom loss of blood he fell. The re port of the gun attracted the attention of Mrs. McHenry, who going out found her husband lying in the yard. Me was carried into the house, where an examination was made. The contents of the weapon had taken effect beneath the heart. Mr. McIIepry was unconscious for several hours. At six o'clock he became rational, and remained so until death came one hour later. A staff correspondent of the Phil adelphia Inquirer was on the ground on Tuesday and gives the following leport of the affair : 'The griet of the aged father, Sam uel McHenry, and of the family is pitiable in the extreme. But, added to this is a determination to avenge the death of the son and brother. McClellan McHenry, a brother, who had only that afternoon come from Hazleton to visit his parents and brother, is particularly relentless. With a true brother's love he proposes to see that the murderer is run to ground, even should the county do nothing. The meeting of the two brothers, the one in the throes cl death and the other so recently returned to the old homestead, was a sad and affecting one. When the 7-year-old son, Harold, clad only in his night clothes and with bare feet, ran over the snow to his grandfathers, a quarter of a mile away, and getting into the house, cried out: "Oh, some one has shot papa! Come and help si" the brother, McClelian, ran hastily to his brother's house. The dying man, with the blood streaming from the fatal wound, recognized the brother whom he had not seen for so long. Instinctively he held out his hand and then hoarsely whispered, "Clell, who do you think could have done this?" All this time Mrs. McHenry, clad only in her night dress, supported the head of her husband and ministered to his wants. It was not long after being taken to his house that he breathed his last." ly is one of the most fiendish and cold blooded crimes that blackens Columbia county's history, and the perpetrator had planned it well. Several sacks of flour and grain had been removed from the barn to an , adjoining building for the purpose of averting suspicion and to convey the impression that robbery was the in tention, and that the murder was only committed to prevent detection. The assassin was followed by his tricks for a distance of nearly two miles. Thomas McHenry was the son of Samuel McHenry, and for some time past' had been operating a saw mill near Jamison City with Lafayette Keeler. He had come home on Sat urday to spend Sunday with his family. He was about forty years of age and leaves a wife and six children. An inquest over the body was held Monday morning and a verdict re turned that death was due to a bullet from a gun in the hands of an un known person. J. B. Harman, Esq , of Orangeville, acted as coroner, and the following were members of the jury: J. H. Bright, M. M. Appleman, Chas. Patton, Geo. B. Pattetson, W. P. Ikeler, Jonathan Lemons. The inquest also brought out the fact that the weapon used was a smooth-bore rifle. It is expect ed that this fact will aid in the finding of the guilty party. If the murderer is apprehended, he will have little sympathy, and justice can not do its duty any too quick. While no arrests have been made, .he finger of suspicion is pointing in a certain direc tion and sensational developments are looked for. The funeral was held yesterday at half past ten o'clock in the Christian church at the lower end of Rohrsburg. The services were conducted by Rev. S. A. Creveling of Rohrsburg, and Rev. Dr. Gilbert of Berwick, the latter being a relative of Mrs. McHenry. A very large concourse of people gathered to witness the final scene in this great tragedy. Many of them were relatives, for the McHenry family is a large one; many more came through sympathy and friendship, while others still, as is usual in all cases of a sensational character, were drawn by curiosity. The church was net large enough to contain the crowd. Now that the victim of this dastard ly and villainous deed is buried, what is to be done about it? Such action must be taken by the authorities as will show to the perpetrator of this murder, and to all of his kind, that men cannot be called out from their beds at midnight and shot down in cold blood, without any danger , of punishment for the assassin. The county commissioners have the power to offer a reward and to em ploy detectives under a law passed in 1889, which reads as follows: "Be it enacted That the county commissioners of the sevejal counties of '.his Commonwealth may, when they deem the time expedient, employ detectives and offer such reward, in addition to that offered by law, as in their judgment the nature of tne case requires, for the detection or appre hension of any person charged with, or perpetaating any felony, or aiding or abetting the same; and upon the conviction of such person the county commissioners may pay such reward out of the county treasury." This is certainly a case where such power should be exercised, and the sooner the better. Columbia county cannot afford to permit a murder like this to go unavenged, a second time. About twenty two years ago John Van- liew was found murdered, in the road not far from his dwelling, a mile and a halt above Light Street. A coron er's jury discovered the fact that he had been killed with a discharge irom a shot gun, by a person unknown, and from that day to this nothing has ever been done to discover the murderer. This ought not to happen again The people of th's county cannot af ford to have it happen. A reward should be offered, detectives employ ed and every branch of the machinery of the law be put in motion, and kept mnvintr unt il the euiltv parties are hunted down and made to expiate their crime upon the scaffold. It is not for venpeance that this is written, but for the safety and security of so ciety. In an interview with District Continued on Page 8 4th Col. J DOINGS IN (HIT A MIDNIGHT HE The Regular February Term Now In Progress. Time of Holding Fall Term Changed to First Monday of September. The ringing of the Court House bell, at 10 o'clock Monday morning, was the signal to assemble for all those who had business before the regular Quarter Sessions Court. Af ter the Judge, Hon. R. R. Little, and Associates, J. T. Fox and J. U. Kurtz, had taken the'r places upon the bench, Courtcrier J. S. Williams made the requisite and customary lit tle speech and Court was in progress. Now, February 4, 1901, it is or dered that the time for the holding of the regular fall term of the several courts, in and for the County of Col umbia, be changed, and that hereaf ter the time for the holding ot the said term of said courts be fixed for the firs: Monday of September of each year. It is further ordered that a certified copy of this order be pub lished in the Columbia County Re publican, The Columbian and the Democratic Sentinel, three newspa )ir$ in the county, at least thirty days irom this date. Bv the Court. Commonwealth vs. Riter Goss. Motion for new trial. Order of Court filed refusing new trial. Estate of Joseph B. Knittle. Ex ceptions to widow's appraisements. Order of Court filed. In re petition of Stephen Michael for citation to Sarah J. Hossler to file an account as trustee. Order of Court filed. T. H. Edgar sworn as foreman of the Grand Jury. J. II. Maize vs. Jeremiah Kester. Conclusions and order of Court filed. Wm. H. Cook's use vs. Sadie J. Jones et al. Rule to open judgment. Order of Court filed. Rule dis charged. Robert McBnde sworn as constable to wait on Grand Jury. Estate of Wm. Giger. Auditoi s report confirmed nisi. Estate of Sarah Schmick. Petition for specific performance of contract. Col. J. G. Freeze appointed as auditor to take testimony and report facts, etc. Es'.ate of Peter Hartzell. Order ot sale granted. Estate of Daniel Fry. Report of sale confirmed nisi. Petition of David Mouser, guardian of Boyd W. and W. A. Fry to invest money at five per cent. Granted. Estate of Henry Hetler. Petition to invest money at five per cent, inter est by administrator. Granted. Estate of Caleb Girton. Order of sale granted. .hstate of George Eves. Order for private sale granted. Estate of J. B. Patton. Return of private sale confirmed nisi. E. P. Hons appointed guardian of May Kisner, minor child of Stella Kisner. Estate of Lahman Martz. Return to writ of partition. Confirmed nisi. Haines Yost appointed guardian of Richard Kreisher, minor child of Lucy Kreisher. Estate of Charles Whitmire. Re turn of sale confirmed nisi. Report of viewers in favor ot county bridge over Musser's run in Cleveland township. Confirmed nisi. Estate of Susannah Hunt. Auditor's report confirmed nisi. Estatate of Mary E. Drake. Audi tor's report confirmed nisi. Estate of Wm. A. Kile. Return of sale confirmed nisi. Petition of E. N. Perrin, guardian of Edwin O. Terrin, for permission to sell at private sale. Granted. Bond approved, etc. Estate of E. A. Rawlings. Peti tion for clerk to make deed, etc. Granted. Estate of Rebecca Smith. Audi tor's report confirmed nisi. Report of viewers in favor of coun ty bridge over Susquehanna river at Milllinville. Confirmed nisi. Daniel Force, vs. David Charles and M. B. Klinger. Petition of M. B. Klinger tor subrogation as plaintiff. Register's aecounts confirmed nisi. Widow's appraisements confirmed nisi. ' Prothonotarys accounts confirmed nisi. Report of viewers in favor of va- Continued on Page 8 ad Col. Geo. Anderson's Confectionery and Tooley & Co.'s Grocery Badly Damaged. Only the Prompt Response of the Fire Companies Prevent ed a Disastrous Blaze. What might have been a very des tructive fire broke out in the rear part of George Anderson's confectionery store shortly befoie two o'clock Tues day morning. Clark Sheep had just returne 1 from a sleigh ride and pass ing the building he observed smoke issuing out of the basement window. Hastening to box thirteen he gave the alarm, which aroused our slumbering residents. A hurried investigation was made and it was found that the back part ot the store was on fire. The Friendship's were the first on the scene, and connecting with a plug near by soon had a stream of water playing on the flames. The other companies came later, and connected, and had everything ready in case the fire should spread. Had it not been for the timely dis covery, the whole block might have been burned as a very high wind was blowing. The fire had its origin near the stove, which is used for the manu facture of candy. The room on the opposite side ot the partition is occu pied by Tooley & Co., grocers. Their stock was considerably damaged, not so much by the water as by the smoke. The loss sustained by them, we understand, is covered by insur ance, and the amount carried by Mr. Anderson, it is said, will keep him whole, or nearly so. Tooley & Co.'s loss was adjusted by the insurance companies on Wednesday morning, and they were opened for business in the afternoon. Part; From Light Street. Mr. and Mrs. William Wertman en tertained a sleighing party from Light Street at their home on Bloom street Friday evening. An oyster supper was served. Those present were: Mr. and Mrs. Irvin Lee, Mrs. William Robbins. Mrs. Hulsizer, Mr. and Mrs. E. G. Wertman, Misses Mary Custer, Bertha Welliver, Lizzie Welliver, Mar garet Howell, Dora White, Agnes Roup, Bessie Townrend, Elizabeth Buckwalter, Lena Richards, Clara Merrill, Mattie Hagenbuch, Amanda Snyder and Sadie Ilaring; Charles, Clyde and Earnest Merrill, Benjamin Creveling, William Hagenbuch, James Welliver, Samuel Kressler, R. M. Creasy, Harry Zeigler, John Crossley, Milroy and Roscoe Wertman. Dan ville News. For Sale. Three town lots on Ninth street above Catharine, 3j feet front each, and running back to the canal. Will be sold on easy terms.- Inquire at this office. 10-4 tf. J. G WELLS, Successor to S. F. Peacock & Co., Market Square. and sausage T. CK "WELLS, General IIabdware, Skates staffers S pecia! Sale MEN'S AND BOY'S TROUSERS! The prices are all cut, and the goods all wool. The sale on these will last ONE so do not delay if you need any of these goods. mm Come in and see us The Leader Department Store. After Inventory Bargains In goin through our inventory we found a lot of odds and ends. Quality first-class, but for a variety of reasons we want to turn them into cash. Children's Coats, Ladies' Coats, Half Price, Some Lower. FLANNELETTE WR APPERS.a third off. BLANKETS, a full half off, and the cold weather all ahead of us. DRESS GOODS A special lot from 25c. to 15c. ' ' FRENCH FLANNEL SHIRTWAISTS, from a third to a half off. Full lines of staple goods. f Carpets and Furniture. Rather early to talk of Carpets and Furni ture months before housecleaning but our new goods are coming in, and they are beauties. You will think you are walking on rosebuds when you see them. The line of wool velvets, which we have been selling, Made, Laid and Lined, 90 Cents, is larger in variety than ever before. They are equal to any velvet sold in the market for $1.15. Durable ? They are as much so as the velvets for which you will pay $1.25 per yard. Give us an early call and we will store the carpets until you' need them. THE LEADER 1 1 nni FOURTH AND OF- of these goods WEEK MORI. mmmm we'll treat you right. Half Price, i CO.; LTD., MARKET STS., BLOOMSBURG, PA. STORi 4t
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