Mrs. Andrew BARNDT, of Tylersport, while preparing dinner on Monday, met with an accident that might have cost her life. A coal oil stove was standing on a shelf above the range near the stove pipe and, although the coal oil stove was not lighted the heat from the range ignited the coal oil and in a second it was aflame. Mrs. BARNDT grabbed the small stove and threw it out of the house and in so doing severely burned her hands and arms, and a small part of her face. As she wore a woolen skirt at the time, this no doubt saved her clothing from the blaze. She is at present doing as well as can be expected under the circumstances.
George WALKER aged 35 years sustained severe injuries from a mishap that befell him on Wednesday night, and almost cost him his life. WALKER is tenant on the EASTBURN farm beyond the boundary of Bridgeport. The farm has a spring house from which the water is drawn by bucket for use at the house and for the farm stock. Late on Wednesday evening, WALKER, acccompanied by a boy, preceeded to the spring house to draw the customary supply of water. A bucket was picked up by WALKER and filled to the brim. He turned to hand it to the boy who was to carry it away a short distance and empty it. In the act of turning the bank gave way and the man was hurled head foremost into the pool which was about 15 feet deep where he fell. While in the act of falling WALKER struck out his hands to save himself. He grasped a portion of the building with one hand and held on for a few seconds when the house gave way and fell down on him as he lay in the pool. He made extreme efforts to liberate himself from his perilous position but sank deeper all the while. His screams were heard by the boy and he set up a shout for assistance. A man driving along the road heard the shouting and went to the relief of the imprisoned man. When WALKER was finally extracted he was in a semiconsious condition and was carried to the house. At first it was feared that death would result as the lung was filled with water and the man was badly bruised and cut about the head and shoulders by the sharp boards of the building as the crashed down on him. A doctor was summoned and on his arrival he found WALKER in a precarious condition. The physician worked for about an hour and a half and at last succeeded in restoring respiration. WALKER suffered great pains during the night, but has since improved slightly.
Ferry CHESNEY, the oldest man in Tennessee and perhaps the oldest in the United States, died at his home on the summit of Cooper Ridge on July 4, at the age of 126 years, the day of his death being his birthday. CHESNEY was born in Virginia on July 4, 1776, the day independence was declared. As a slave he belonged to Jonathan JACKSON at Clarksville on the Roanoke River. When he was 12 years old he was thrown into the presence of George Washington while attending his master. For fifty years he had lived a hermit's life, and it was four days after his death when his body was discovered.
Mrs. John MELCHER, of near Shamokin, a bride of two months, swallowed six morphine pills with suicidal intent because her husband failed to kiss her when he left home to go to his work. She is in a critical condition. On his return home in the evening the husband found her lying senseless in the doorway. Medical attendance was summoned at once and after working all night she regained consciousness next morning.
Mrs. Augustus SHILLINGER died last Monday at 3 o'clock p.m. at her home at Stinesburg. She was the daughter of Aaron and Harrietta KLINE, of near this place. She was buried last Thursday at St. John's cemetery, near Spinnerstown. Rev. O.F. WAAGE officiated. Death was due to dropsy. This is the third in the family that died within eight weeks - son, mother and daughter. The mother was buried last Saturday. The only member in the family that survives is the son in law.
Mrs. George HILLEGASS, of Hoppenville, died last Saturday morning of Consumption and will be buried today at the New Goshenhoppen church cemetery. Rev. William FOX officiating. She brought her age to 77 years, 6 months and 22 days. Her husband preceded her 13 years ago. Two brothers survive her.
Winfred Elmer KRAUSS died at the home of his parents, Rev. and Mrs. Elmer KRAUSS, of Chicago, Ill., on July 3rd, being in his sixth year. Deceased was a grandson of Isaac Y. KRAUSS, of Kraussdale.
Jacob STERNER, aged 26, a line-man in the employ of the Pennsylvania Telephone Company, was electrocuted while dangling from a pole near Hellertown. STERNER was in the act of pulling up a wire which had come in contact with a trolley wire. Upon touching the live wire STERNER was knocked unconscious over the cross piece on which he was resting. He hung, head downward, for about three minutes, when the muscles relaxed and he fell upon his head forty feet below. STERNER died in St. Luke's Hospital an hour later. His home is in Orwigsburg, where his body was sent.
George REX and Agnes W. KRAUSS were married by Rev. George A. GREISS, of Allentown, on Sunday. Miss KRAUSS is a daughter of Enos KRAUSS, of near East Greenville.
The funeral of John B. GEYER, the horseman who was killed in an accident by a runaway team near Barto last week, was one of the largest for the vicinity during recent years. It was held on Sunday from the residence of his brother-in-law, Isaac GILBERT, Boyertown. Short services were held at the house after which the cortege preceeded to the Reformed church where the services were conducted by Rev. J.S. FREEMAN. Interment being made in Fairview Cemetery. An enormous crowd had gathered and the church was not large enough to accommodate all who had collected to view the remains and pay their last respects to their deceased friend. The remains rested in a massive square cedar casket.
Thieves visited the carpenter shop of William KOLB, one night last week and selected all the best tools they could find. They had quite a lot of burned matches on the work bench. The tools were all ready on a pile to take along but it seems they heard some noise and fled leaving their booty back. This is the second place in a short time visited by thieves here.
Harry RENNINGER, of Anise, was taking a little exercise on Sunday morning a week ago, during which he slipped and fell heavily on the floor breaking one of his collar bones.
While Warren HUBER, hired man of W.C. GERY, of Niantic, was riding a horse to water, he was thrown off and broke his left arm between the wrist and elbow.
Llewellyn LENTZ, of Allentown, eleven years old, had the misfortune to step into a rusty nail a few days ago. The wound resulted in lock-jaw of which he died on Wednesday.
Clement TUCK, of Bryn Mawr, who married his third wife a year ago, is the father of twenty-four children, all living.
Mrs. Rebecca M. BROWN, the oldest resident of Macungie, died Sunday of general debility in her 89th year. She was the widow of Wm. BROWN, who died 15 years ago. She was born in Upper Milford. For the past three years she made her home with her sister, Mrs. Daniel GRIESEMER, at Macungie, where she was bedfast since Memorial Day of last year. She was a daughter of the late Henry and Anna Elizabeth KOEHLER DIEFENDERFER. There is one brother, Edwin DIEFENDERFER of Allentown. She was an aunt of the M.E. DIEFENDERFER of Allentown, the pen artist. The funeral took place Thursday afternoon, with services in Solomon's Reformed church and interment in the Reformed Cemetery at Macungie, Rev. T.W. DICKERT officiated.
The silence of the night was broken shortly after 10 o'clock on Monday evening near Rubican Station by the cries of an infant. Upon investigation it was found that the cries were uttered by a four-month-old babe which some unknown person had deposited in a nearby clover field. The sound reached a colored family of the name of MANAFEES. The head of the house accompanied by his wife, followed the direction of the sounds and soon after by the aid of a lantern found a bundle containing the child which was sucking its thumb and at intervals gave lusty howls. The child is of negro origin at least as far as one parent is concerned. It was cleanly and carefully dressed, and proves to be a bright boy. Not even a guess can be ventured as to whence the boy came. The finders were at a loss as to the disposition of the child, but finally concluded to take it to the home of Sheriff LARZELERE who lives in the immediate vicinity. The Sheriff had retired but his wife was in the parlor and she called him to assist in deciding how to dispose of the infant. The child was fed and taken care of at his home for the night. The entire neighborhood is aroused and much curiosity is manifested as to the parentage of the waif. The foundling will very likely be sent to some institution in Philadelphia in the course of a few days.
Upon petition of Llewellyn MOYER, of Reading, the Berks county court appointed a commissioner and jury to determine the sanity of John MOYER, of Boyertown, father of the petitioner. The Commissioner, D.N. SCHAEFFER, and the jury composed of James P. KERSHNER, George H. NAGLE, James GRETH, George W. FILBERT, Oscar WANNER and James M. YERGER heard the testimony in the case. It was shown by witnesses that Mr. MOYER is 54 years old, ownes a house and lot, also personal property of the value of $100, and that on account of mental weakness is squandering his property, that he has been acting strangely for two years, that he wears a sun bonnet, locks himself into his house for days at a time, and that he recently assaulted Harry HOUCK with a club and stones for which he was arrested. The jury decided that he was mentally incapable to take care of himself, and the court will be asked to appoint a committee on his estate.
A bolt of Lightning struck Mrs. Sarah A. SMITH, of Lebanon, and caused speechlessness. She was standing in the doorway of her home on Monday night during a severe storm and was struck by a bolt. She was unconscious for many hours and it was thought she could not recover. Physically she is in a normal condition, but she has lost the power of speech.
J. Harry HOFFMAN, of Frederick, was elected principal of the Newtown, Bucks county High school at a meeting of the directors on Friday evening, at a salary of $75 per month. He is a recent graduate of the West Chester Normal school.
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