Clearfield Republican - Wednesday, September 7, 1870, Vol. 11, No. 8
page two - Administrator's Notice - Estate of Jacob Zimmer, late of Brady township /Administrator's Notice - Estate of J. Linn Hoover, late of Pike township /Administrator's Notice - Estate of Peter Hoover, late of Pike township
page three - Terrible Tragedy - Our usual quiet town was thrown into great excitement on Saturday evening, at about 5 o'clock, by the announcement that a man had been murdered in the street. Investigation established the fact. Wm. [William] Dale, of Lawrence township, was killed on Market street, in front of Mr. Reed's Store, by being stabbed in the abdomen with a knife by Martin Harder, who lately removed to this borough. A quarrel in which several others were engaged, led to this fatal result. Dale died within 10 minutes after he was stabbed only uttering one loud death-groan. A "post-mortem" examination revealed the fact that he had a cut on the head and three on the body, one of which penetrated nearly through the heart. He leaves a wife and four small children. Harder is in prison and has a wife. The relatives of the parties engaged in this tragic affair deserve the sympathy of the community and the principals the penalties of a violated law. / Double Misfortune - Mrs. Dale, wife of the man murdered on Saturday, had realized to her sorrow, that misfortunes seldom come singly. The terrible death of her brother, Wm. A. Thompson, near Franklin, (an account of which we give elsewhere) by the premature explosion of a torpedo, and the murder of her husband were communicated to her at the same moment. Her feelings can be better imagined that expressed. Her case is indeed a sad one. Another singular coincident in the family is, that her brother Dr. H. P. Thompson, was killed near Curwensville, four years ago, by his horse running off with him, killing him instantly. / Another Terrible Torpedo Accident - The Franklin "Spectator" of the 2d inst. says: Mr. William A. Thompson of this city was instantly killed on Tuesday afternoon last by the accidental explosion of a torpedo. On Tuesday morning, at an early hour, Mr. Thompson left home in a buggy, carry with him a torpedo to be exploded in a well on the Foster farm, a few miles below town. He arrived there in company with Mr. John Quinn, who rode down with him, and left his torpedo.--At the farm he received two old torpedoes to fetch to the factory above this city, and they were the cause of his death. These torpedoes had been lying at Foster some five or six weeks, and were to be returned because they had failed to explode when tried in the wells. It is said that when left exposed to the weather for a length of time, these instruments of death are more dangerous than when first filled, and that Mr. Thompson was advised to let them alone. He started with them on his return homeward alone, Mr. Quinn coming up by rail, because some business here required his attention in the afternoon. A few minutes before the catastrophe Mr. T. arrived at Samuel Graham's on Bully Hill, where he got an apple and lighted a cigar. On leaving, he said to Mr. Graham --"Good by! Sam; perhaps you'll never see me again!" The last person who saw him alive was Mr. Robert Graham, who met him and passed him about five minutes before the explosion. The report of the torpedo was heard here about four o'clock, but it was supposed, to have been a been a blast in the stone quarry at the lower end of town. Soon however, the news of the terrible calamity was brought to the city, and kind friends started at once for the remains. The accident occurred about one mile and a half out on the Bully Hill road. The body of Mr. Thompson was thrown about fifty feet from the place were the torpedo exploded, and was lying terribly mutilated at the side of the road, the left arm, above the elbos disserved (sic) from the body, and missing. The horse and the fore wheels of the buggy were found about one hundred yards away - which distance the horse had run before he fell. The scene around showed the terrible power of nitro-glycerine. The afterpart of the buggy? was reduced to chips, and a large portion of the axle was not found. One of the tires was handing in a tree, some twenty feet high, and one of the unfortunate victim's boots was hanging on another. The main charge of the torpedo had entered the left side just above the hip, and death must have come like a flash and without physical suffering. The head and face were not much disfigured, showing only slight abrasions, caused doubtless by the fall of the body on the ground. ...here was a fellow townsman in the prime of his life, who left a fond wife and three interesting little children ... Mr. Thompson was well known to our citizens and generally esteemed. He came to Venango from Clearfield county some seventeen years ago,and was in the thirty-ninth year of his age at the time of his death. His funeral was attended on Wednesday by the members of the Venango Lodge I.O.O.F., and Myrtle Lodge, A.Y.M, of both of which he was a member, and by a large concourse of his fellow citizens. A large delegation of Odd Fellows from Oil City also assisted in the last sad rites. / Married - On August 25th, 1870, at the hotel of Robert Lloyd, Esq., Philipsburg, Pa., by the Rev. Dr. S. H. Meade, Rector of St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Mr. John K. Henderson to Miss Amanda C. Kephart; both of Clearfield county, Pa. / Died - In Cherrytree borough, Indiana county, Pa., on August 1st, 1870, Frances A., wife of John D. Huff, aged 51 years. - In Lawrence township, on the 2d of September 1870, Charles C., son of James and Delilah Smith, aged 5 months and 18 days. - In Chest township, on Saturday the 3d inst., Selina, wife of G. B. McMasters, aged 40 years, 2 months and 17 days. About 8 o'clock on Saturday morning, the deceased walked from her residence about 50 rods, to the dwelling of Esq. Hildebrand, whose daughter was lying sick, to administer relief in any way she could; conversed with some of her neighbors in her usual tone and suddenly fell to the floor insensible, and so remained until 12 M., when her spirit returned to its Maker. She had been a member of Zion Baptist Church for upwards of 16 years, was the mother of a large family, universally beloved and respected by her family and friends, and her sudden demise has caused a gloom to hang over the community... / Adminstrator's Notice - Estate of John Luzier, Sr., late of Bradford township
Transcribed and submitted by Donald W. Nazelrod.
page two - Administrator's Notice - Estate of Jacob Zimmer, late of Brady township /Administrator's Notice - Estate of J. Linn Hoover, late of Pike township /Administrator's Notice - Estate of Peter Hoover, late of Pike township
page three - Terrible Tragedy - Our usual quiet town was thrown into great excitement on Saturday evening, at about 5 o'clock, by the announcement that a man had been murdered in the street. Investigation established the fact. Wm. [William] Dale, of Lawrence township, was killed on Market street, in front of Mr. Reed's Store, by being stabbed in the abdomen with a knife by Martin Harder, who lately removed to this borough. A quarrel in which several others were engaged, led to this fatal result. Dale died within 10 minutes after he was stabbed only uttering one loud death-groan. A "post-mortem" examination revealed the fact that he had a cut on the head and three on the body, one of which penetrated nearly through the heart. He leaves a wife and four small children. Harder is in prison and has a wife. The relatives of the parties engaged in this tragic affair deserve the sympathy of the community and the principals the penalties of a violated law. / Double Misfortune - Mrs. Dale, wife of the man murdered on Saturday, had realized to her sorrow, that misfortunes seldom come singly. The terrible death of her brother, Wm. A. Thompson, near Franklin, (an account of which we give elsewhere) by the premature explosion of a torpedo, and the murder of her husband were communicated to her at the same moment. Her feelings can be better imagined that expressed. Her case is indeed a sad one. Another singular coincident in the family is, that her brother Dr. H. P. Thompson, was killed near Curwensville, four years ago, by his horse running off with him, killing him instantly. / Another Terrible Torpedo Accident - The Franklin "Spectator" of the 2d inst. says: Mr. William A. Thompson of this city was instantly killed on Tuesday afternoon last by the accidental explosion of a torpedo. On Tuesday morning, at an early hour, Mr. Thompson left home in a buggy, carry with him a torpedo to be exploded in a well on the Foster farm, a few miles below town. He arrived there in company with Mr. John Quinn, who rode down with him, and left his torpedo.--At the farm he received two old torpedoes to fetch to the factory above this city, and they were the cause of his death. These torpedoes had been lying at Foster some five or six weeks, and were to be returned because they had failed to explode when tried in the wells. It is said that when left exposed to the weather for a length of time, these instruments of death are more dangerous than when first filled, and that Mr. Thompson was advised to let them alone. He started with them on his return homeward alone, Mr. Quinn coming up by rail, because some business here required his attention in the afternoon. A few minutes before the catastrophe Mr. T. arrived at Samuel Graham's on Bully Hill, where he got an apple and lighted a cigar. On leaving, he said to Mr. Graham --"Good by! Sam; perhaps you'll never see me again!" The last person who saw him alive was Mr. Robert Graham, who met him and passed him about five minutes before the explosion. The report of the torpedo was heard here about four o'clock, but it was supposed, to have been a been a blast in the stone quarry at the lower end of town. Soon however, the news of the terrible calamity was brought to the city, and kind friends started at once for the remains. The accident occurred about one mile and a half out on the Bully Hill road. The body of Mr. Thompson was thrown about fifty feet from the place were the torpedo exploded, and was lying terribly mutilated at the side of the road, the left arm, above the elbos disserved (sic) from the body, and missing. The horse and the fore wheels of the buggy were found about one hundred yards away - which distance the horse had run before he fell. The scene around showed the terrible power of nitro-glycerine. The afterpart of the buggy? was reduced to chips, and a large portion of the axle was not found. One of the tires was handing in a tree, some twenty feet high, and one of the unfortunate victim's boots was hanging on another. The main charge of the torpedo had entered the left side just above the hip, and death must have come like a flash and without physical suffering. The head and face were not much disfigured, showing only slight abrasions, caused doubtless by the fall of the body on the ground. ...here was a fellow townsman in the prime of his life, who left a fond wife and three interesting little children ... Mr. Thompson was well known to our citizens and generally esteemed. He came to Venango from Clearfield county some seventeen years ago,and was in the thirty-ninth year of his age at the time of his death. His funeral was attended on Wednesday by the members of the Venango Lodge I.O.O.F., and Myrtle Lodge, A.Y.M, of both of which he was a member, and by a large concourse of his fellow citizens. A large delegation of Odd Fellows from Oil City also assisted in the last sad rites. / Married - On August 25th, 1870, at the hotel of Robert Lloyd, Esq., Philipsburg, Pa., by the Rev. Dr. S. H. Meade, Rector of St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Mr. John K. Henderson to Miss Amanda C. Kephart; both of Clearfield county, Pa. / Died - In Cherrytree borough, Indiana county, Pa., on August 1st, 1870, Frances A., wife of John D. Huff, aged 51 years. - In Lawrence township, on the 2d of September 1870, Charles C., son of James and Delilah Smith, aged 5 months and 18 days. - In Chest township, on Saturday the 3d inst., Selina, wife of G. B. McMasters, aged 40 years, 2 months and 17 days. About 8 o'clock on Saturday morning, the deceased walked from her residence about 50 rods, to the dwelling of Esq. Hildebrand, whose daughter was lying sick, to administer relief in any way she could; conversed with some of her neighbors in her usual tone and suddenly fell to the floor insensible, and so remained until 12 M., when her spirit returned to its Maker. She had been a member of Zion Baptist Church for upwards of 16 years, was the mother of a large family, universally beloved and respected by her family and friends, and her sudden demise has caused a gloom to hang over the community... / Adminstrator's Notice - Estate of John Luzier, Sr., late of Bradford township
Transcribed and submitted by Donald W. Nazelrod.