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Subject: News from Pennsburg - April 2, 1904
Date: Tue, 13 Apr 2004 12:38:12 EDT


Ref: Town and Country Newspaper
Pennsburg, Montgomery County, PA
Saturday - April 2, 1904

HORSE THIEF CAUGHT

Gus. STETLER, the notorious horse thief, was again arrested for a similar
offense at Pennsburg on Tuesday noon. He on Thursday afternoon spied a good
looking team tied in front of Walker's sales stables at Norristown, belonging to
Samuel TABAK, a wholesale liquor dealer of Bridgeport. Gus jumped into the buggy
and drove away. When Mr. TABAK returned he missed the team and Chief of
Police RODENBAUGH was notified. Suspicion was at once directed to STETLER, for the
chief knew of his presence in town and his love for horses. The team was
located at Pennsburg on Tuesday morning by telephone. The chief came to this
borough and found STETLER and the team at the livery stable of John F. WEYAND, where
STETLER had formerly been employed. He was arrested and taken back to
Norristown, where he had a hearing and was committed to jail. With STETLER, horse
stealing seemingly is a mania. Born of good parentage in Perkiomen township about
65 years ago, he early developed a passion for horses that was remarkable. He
fairly loved the animals, and the trait, if carried on honorable business
lines, would have made his fortune. He knew a horse like a book; it was to him
what a picture is to the artist, the play to the actor, the intricate law
problem to the lawyer. A glance would tell him the merits or demerits of a horse.
But he preferred to steal, rather than buy or trade. And this preference became
a mania that resulted in his spending possibly half of his sixty odd years
behind the bars of the Montgomery county prison or the penitentiary. At sixty he
is white-haired, white-moustached, dignified - apparently anything but the
real STETLER. During the past few winters he has spent some time in the county
almshouse. STETLER eveidently drove direct to Woxall after taking the team, and
after leaving that place he stopped at Green Lane. Here he met Quintus KLINE,
who traded wagons with him. After loading up on "booze" STETLER drove to
Pennsburg, landing at John F. WEYAND's livery at midnight in a state of
intoxication. He put his horse in the stable and lay in a stall over night, where he was
apprehended on Tuesday morning. STETLER never intimated that the team was not
his own, but after Chief RODENBAUGH had placed him under arrest he told him
that he could not resist the temptation to steal a good horse when the
opportunity presented itself.

WEIGHTED DOWN WITH TWO TON LATHE

John LUTZ, of Harleysville had a narrow escape from being crushed to death
last Friday while assisting in unloading a two ton lathe from a wagon. The lathe
was to be installed into Machinist Daniel TYSON's shop. While trying to take
it from the wagon, the lathe slipped and Mr. LUTZ was caught under its weight
but ere the machine pinioned him to the earth he slipped out from under it and
saved his life. He was badly bruised and exhausted before he made the escape.
He was unable to attend to his work for several days.

DILLINGERSVILLE HOTEL NOT SOLD

The Dillingersville Hotel was on Saturday offered at public sale at Allentown
by the executors of the late Edwin BLANK of Allentown. There was not bid made
for the property.

FALLING STUMP FRACTURES MAN'S RIBS

Jacob WELLER, a Rockhill Bucks County farmer met with a painful accident last
week while he was cutting down a stump of a tree. It suddenly fell, and
striking him, broke several of his ribs.

COLLECTION TAKEN IN CIGAR FACTORY

A collection was taken up in Eisenlohr's cigar factory at Boyertown among the
employes amounting to over $16 for Vincent CLARK, one of the employes, who
has been ill with typhoid fever for some time.

PLOUGHED ON MARCH 24

Allen WELLER, of near Boyertown, commenced to plow on March 24, in a field in
which he had corn, and which he will now sow with oats. He is the first one
in that community to plow in the year 1904.

CHILD BURNED TO DEATH

Francis BERRY, the 4-year-old son of William BERRY, of Bridgeport, sacrificed
his young life, on Friday, in his eagerness to manifest child-like love for
an older sister. While his sister was engaged in her household duties the child
ran to her and embraced her, when a can of coal oil which she was handling
was upset, and the fluid dashed over the child's clothing, a table and the
carpet. While the woman turned to secure a cloth to wipe away the fluid, the little
fellow ran in front of the kitchen stove, and immediately his saturated
clothing caught fire. Francis immediately ran out through the kitchen doorway into
the yard. The sight of the child ablaze drove the woman frantic, and
following, she dashed a bucket of water over him; but it proved ineffectual on the oily
clothing, and not until the child was horribly burned was help summoned by
the woman's cries able to tear the fiery clothing from the little body. The
child was taken to Charity Hospital, Norristown, where every medical aid possible
was administered without avail. Death ensued shortly after five o'clock the
same evening. Mrs. BERRY, the mother, was away from home at the time, and did
not know the fate of her child until later in the day.

ALLENTOWN HEN LAID A LARGE EGG

Llewellyn A. BRAUSS, of Allentown, owns a Black Minorca hen, which on
Saturday last laid an egg measuring 9 3/4 inches in circumference and 7 3/4 inches in
diameter, and weighing six ounces. A business man on Hamilton street wanted
to buy the egg from Mr. BRAUSS as an advertisement for a patent chicken food.

TOSSED TEN DOLLAR NOTE IN FIRE

Recently Mrs. Joseph A. ZEARFOSS, of Riegelsville, Bucks county threw a ten
dollar note into the stove with some other papers. She discovered her mistake
immediately, and the fragments were gotten out without delay. They were
forwarded to the Treasury department, and two new five dollar notes were received
instead.

OWNS A VALUABLE HEN

Charles DEESCH (DeEsch), of Sumneytown, is the owner of a hen which is more
valuable than most hens are. He recently traded a fallingtop buggy on the hen.
The hen was a setting one and since the deal was made it has depreciated in
value to a certain extent for it refused to set on the nest which Mr. DEESCH
(DeEsch) has prepared for it.

TWENTY-FIVE CENTS FOR $150 BUILDING LOT

Miss Laura SANDS, of East Greenville, won the building lot on Jefferson
street which was chanced off by the members, of the East Greenville Base Ball Club.
The price paid for the ticket which drew the lot was 25 cents and the value
of the lot is one hundred and fifty dollars.

WILL HAVE CHARGE OF ALLENTOWN HOTEL

Frank H. KURTZ, proprietor of the Eagle Hotel, of Emaus, formerly, of
Kutztown, has leased the Bellevue Hotel at Allentown and took possession yesterday.
Mr. KURTZ has been a hotel man for the past twenty years and understands the
business thoroughly.

WILL REMODEL OLD HOUSE

The administrators of the George SIESHOLTZ estate, of East Greenville, are at
present having the old homestead in that borough opposite the toll-gate
remodelled. The interior and exterior will be painted and when it will be completed
John H. WEIL, of East Greenville, will move there.

SOLD A COW FOR SEVENTY DOLLARS

John REITER, of Red Hill, on Tuesday held a public sale with his farm stock
and the sale was exceptionally well attended. His cows sold at from $45 to $70.
Other articles also brought big prices.

NEW MILKMAN FOR OUR BOROUGHS

James TAGERT, a farmer residing near East Greenville, on Tuesday started a
new milk route through the boroughs of Pennsburg and East Greenville. He serves
the milk from his own farm.

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