Ref: Town and Country Newspaper Pennsburg, Montgomery County, PA Saturday - February 20, 1904 MURDEROUS ASSAULT Mrs. Sarah BEARD, 40 years old, of East Vincent township, Chester county, attacked her husband, Jeremiah BEARD, on Sunday night with a hatchet and butcher knife while temporarily insane and inflicted injuries from which it is feared he may die. Mrs. BEARD had been known to be of unsound mind for the past two years, and in that time she had frequently threatened to kill her husband. Her attack on Sunday night came with such suddenness, however, as to find the husband unprepared, and his face, hands and head were terribly slashed by the sharp weapons. A large gash near the jugular vein is the most dangerous. The demented woman was taken to Phoenixville late the same night and lodged in the borough station house. Two local physicians examined her the next morning and ordered that she be taken to the county asylum at Embreeville. BARN DESTROYED BY FIRE The large swiss barn of Edwin W. REITER, of Trumbauersville, was totally destroyed by fire on Tuesday morning, at about five o'clock. the cause of the fire is a mystery. All the contents except the live stock was burned. The loss amounts to about $3,000. Both building and contents were insured in the Mutual Fire and Storm Insurance Company of Norristown. The barn was a new one, having been built on the site where a barn had been destroyed by fire through lightning, a few years ago. RELIGIOUS ESTHUSIAST WILL BE EXAMINED As a result of a scene which he created in the First Baptist Church, Pottstown Sunday evening a Commission will inquire into the mental condition of John HAWS, of South Pottstown. During the services HAWS arose, and in a loud speech proclaimed his religious convictions. A hymn was sung, and the meeting was brought to a sudden close. HAWS was taken home, and his condition has grown so serious that his family is fearful for their lives. He has been carpentering and plastering in Philadelphia. OLD ENGINEER COMMITTED SUICIDE Worried because he failed in an examination of his eyes to be reinstated in his old position as an engineer on the Reading Railway, Henry F. REIFSNYDER, of Pottstown, committed suicide by hanging at his home on Wednesday morning. Although suspected of having suicidal intentions and watched for the past few days, he went to the pig-sty and, tying a rope to a board about four feet above the ground, strangled himself. For 43 years he was a Reading Railway engineer, and for 24 years ran the passenger and milk train between Barto and Philadelphia. He owned a fine home and a large farm in Berks county. COAL OIL THIEF AT RED HILL Some sneak thief one night recently stole some coal oil from a barrel in the basement of the Red Hill Hotel. The oil was taken shortly after the hotel was closed for the night, as Mr. BERGEY heard the noise but did not know what it was until the next morning when he noticed that his oil barrel had been tampered with. LAWYERS BANQUET AT PHILADELPHIA Most of the members of the Montgomery County Bar attended the sixteenth annual banquet of the association on Saturday night at the Continental Hotel, Philadelphia. Col. James BOYD, general solicitor of the Philadelphia and Reading Railway presided. The guests of honor were Judges SWARTZ, WEAND and SOLLY. NEW SET OF FREE LIBRARY BOOKS A new set of books of the free library, supplied by the State, has been placed in READINGERS store, at Macungie. The selection is a good one and all who enjoy good literature can get access there. ENGAGING SNAP SHOTS Misses Edyth GRABER and Nora HILLEGASS of this borough spent Sunday with friends at Zionsville. George FOLTZ and Clayton H. FRYER, of this borough, made a business trip to Allentown on Saturday. Mrs. Geo. HUBER and Miss Flora GREULICH, of East Greenville, spent Saturday and Sunday at Allentown. Mrs. Dr. W.H. HUNSBERGER, of this borough, visited friends at Philadelphia on Monday and Tuesday. A.K. THOMAS, of Lansdale, Editor of the Doylestown Intelligencer visited his sister Mrs. M.K. GILBERT, of this borough, on Tuesday and also his father who is sick there. Mr. and Mrs. Edgar A. KRAUSS, of Kutztown, spent several days this week with relatives and friends in this section. Mr. and Mrs. Allen FRETZ and daughter of Reading, spent Sunday in this borough with the family of F.K. WALT and the family of Wm. SCHOENLY, of near East Greenville. Rev. W. WERNER, of Schwenksville, will preach in the Pennsburg Reformed Church to-morrow morning. The Pennsburg Reformed Church will to-morrow forenoon vote for student George W. LUTZ, as pastor of the congregation. Charles TITLOW, of this borough, visited his parents at Trexlertown on Sunday. The primary school, of this borough, was closed on Thursday on account of the teacher Miss Tillie XANDER being ill. Emerson GOTTSHALK, of East Greenville spent Sunday at Allentown. Mrs. Stephen ORTT, of this borough, spent Saturday at Egypt, visiting the family of her son, George. Mr. and Mrs. Edwin STINE, of this borough visited his parents at Allentown on Sunday. Clinton FAHRNEY, of Reading formerly of East Greenville, has again made his home in this section. He this week secured a position at the Red Hill Cigar factory. Wellington KEPLER, of this borough, visited friends at Perkasie on Sunday. The Board of Directors of the Perkiomen Railroad Company met in the Reading Terminal yesterday. D.K. GRABER and Jonathan P. HILLEGASS, of this borough attended the meeting. Mrs. William KERN, of this borough, on Tuesday visited her brother at the Bethlehem Hospital who is a railroad man and was injured by getting under a train. Mr. and Mrs. Charles M. REED, of this borough are both sick in bed with a cold and erysipelas for the past week. Thomas MARSTELLER, of this borough, made a business trip to Allentown on Thursday. Allen THOMAS, of West Point is critically ill at the home of his daughter Mrs. M.K. GILBERT, of this borough, where he had been on a visit. INCENDIARY FIRE AT PERKASIE The three-story brick building of William H. HOLL, of Perkasie, tenanted by tinsmith Nath. O'DONNELL, was on Wednesday morning destroyed by fire as well as the contents. The building was set on fire at different places according to the statements of people who first saw the flames. The property is insured in the Goshenhoppen Mutual Fire Insurance Company of Pennsburg, for $2,000 and the contents in a stock company. LEASED THE PENNSBURG STORE PROPERTY Joseph HUTTEL, of Vera Cruz, at present clerk in the store of Schuler Bros., at that place, has leased the store property in the lower end of Pennsburg, known as the J.J. WALTER store, from Frederick YOUNG, of East Greenville. He will take possession in a few weeks. The stock will be appraised on March third and fourth. MADE A BEQUEST TO ZIONSVILLE CHURCH Mrs. Susan SCHANTZ, widow of Charles SCHANTZ, of Vera Cruz, who died on Monday bequeathed to the Old Zionsville Lutheran church one hundred and fifty dollars. The conditions are that the church council must keep her burial plot in good condition. EAGLE HOTEL SOLD The Eagle Hotel, of Pennsburg, was on Tuesday sold by Simon J. CROLL to Irwin RAHN, of Green Lane. Mr. RAHN will take possession on April first. He at present is clerk in the general store of J.R. ALLEBACH at Green Lane.