Cambria Freeman, Ebensburg, Pa. Friday, June 19, 1908 Volume 42, Number 25 Tragic Death of Joseph Bengele of Gallitzin Well Known Man in a Fit of Temporary Aberration of Mind Shoots Himself on Wednesday Morning Despondent on Account of Ill Health Was Highly Respected in the Community By All It is with feelings of deep sorrow that THE FREEMAN records the death by his own hand of Joseph Bengele, one of the best known and most highly respected citizens of Cambria County and a successful business man of unquestioned integrity and ability, which sad event took place at his home in Gallitzin on Wednesday morning last at about 5 o’clock. The health of Mr. Bengele has been considerably impaired for several years on account of stomach trouble in an acute form and the Cresson Springs Brewing Company, of which he was president, recently gave him a two months vacation in order that he might endeavor to recuperate his health, notwithstanding which he was loth (sic) to temporarily abandon his duties but occasionally put in an appearance at the office to see if anything would be required of him. A short time ago he served for about ten days as a juror in the United States District Court in Pittsburg and while there manifested symptoms of insomnia and listlessness, the more remarkable on account of his former joviality and buoyancy of sprits and appeared depressed and melancholy. On Tuesday he was in Ebensburg, returning to his home in the evening. That night, several friends visited him at his home whom he entertained and to whom he served lunch, complaining of a severe headache to relieve which he would frequently go out on the porch of his house in the air. On Wednesday morning about 5 o’clock, his wife heard what she took to be the falling of a chair in his room, went to it, and found her husband lying dead on the floor beside his bed with a bullet hole in his head entering about the right eye and going out below the left ear. Joseph Bengele was a son of Florian and Frances Haid Bengele and was born and raised in Loretto, his father having been a native of Germany who during his residence in Loretto, for many years, conducted a hotel at the upper end of St. Mary’s Street. The deceased was educated at St. Francis College, Loretto, and at St. Vincent’s college and in 1882 was married to Mary August Buck, daughter of William J. Buck of Buck’s Mills and for about eighteen months ran the Bengele Hotel in Loretto but removed to Gallitzin where he started a dry goods and grocery store and did a large business and became a general favorite in the community. He was a whole-souled magnanimous liberal man – too much so for his own good as extension of credit to many who were unable or unwilling to meet their obligations temporarily embarrassed him in his business, but the fortunate sale of property to the PRR gave him ample means to meet his obligations and start up a prosperous business once more, but in a disastrous fire a few years ago, he lost much, notwithstanding which it is generally believed that he was financially well situated and his rash act is attributed by those who knew him best to a temporary aberration of mind occasioned by his enfeebled health. Besides his wife, Mr. Bengele is survived by the following named children - five of their oldest children having died many years ago during an epidemic of diphtheria in Gallitzin: Hilda, a student at Seton Hill Seminary at the time of her father’s tragic death and who would have graduated in a few days; William, Edna, Marie, Paul, Charles, Ophelia and Virginia. Florian Bengele of Omaha, Nebraska, who cannot be present at his brother’s funeral on account of the nervous illness of his wife; B. M. Bengele of Loretto, are his surviving brothers and the Misses Mary and Sophia Bengele of Loretto are sisters of the deceased. Joseph Bengele was a devout Catholic and as a neighbor and citizen no one was more highly esteemed or more implicitly trusted. He was a member of various religious societies; a director of the American National Bank of Ebensburg for many years; a member of the Gallitzin School Board; Treasurer of the Gallitzin Building & Loan Association and Treasurer of the Borough and School District of Gallitzin; President of the Cresson Springs Brewing Company, in which concern, as well as in various others, he held considerable stock. His age was about 50 years. It has been a long time since any death has occurred that has caused much wide spread regret and such heartfelt sympathy with the family of the deceased as he surely was not responsible for the rash act which ended his life. Tomorrow morning in St. Patrick’s church, Gallitzin, a high mass of requiem for the repose of his soul will be celebrated after which his remains will be conveyed to Loretto and interred in the family plot in St. Michael’s cemetery by the side of his children whose deaths occurred in tender years. Death of Miss Ada Murray Miss Ada Murray, for many years a resident of Ebensburg, died at St. Francis Hospital, Pittsburg on Sunday morning last where she had gone several weeks prior to last time from the Mountain House where she had made her home. Miss Murray was born in Cameron’s Bottom, Indiana County, March 1, 1868, her parents being the late Michael and Helen Murray. The deceased was a devout Catholic, a parishioner of the Church of the Holy Name in Ebensburg, to which church on Monday morning last her remains were conveyed and after a high mass of requiem interment took place in the new cemetery of that church. Miss Murray is survived by a brother, Peter H. Murray of Butte, Montana and by three sisters - Mrs. Mollie Schrum of Blairsville; Mrs. Jacob F. Donahue of Pineton, Indiana County; and Miss Delia Murray of Clarion, Pa., and by five nephews and niece – Leo, Michael, Elwood, Frank, Harry and Mary Kittell, children of a deceased sister. Death of Philip Anstead Aged Resident of Ebensburg Passes Away Philip Anstead of the East Ward died rather suddenly last evening of the effects of a paralytic stroke. Mr. Anstead was born in the vicinity of St. Boniface, this county, December 8, 1833 and was consequently in his sixty-seventh year. The deceased was a veteran of the Civil War, having been a member of the Twenty-sixth Regiment P. V. On January 29, 1867 he was united in marriage with Mary Ann Zimmerman, who with two sons – Constantine A. and Harry F. – survives him. The funeral will take place on Monday morning next after a high mass of requiem in the Holy Name church in this place of which the deceased was a member, the remains will be conveyed to Carrolltown and interred in St. Benedict’s cemetery. Joseph Benegele Johnstown, Pa., June 17 Despondent since he was told that he was suffering from cancer of the stomach, Joseph Benegele, aged fifty, a wealthy Gallitzin merchant and one of the most widely known residents of Cambria County, committed suicide by shooting himself in the head.