Ref: Town and Country Newspaper Pennsburg, Montgomery County, PA Saturday - July 9, 1904 SWINDLERS TRY TO BUNCO Solomon CRESSMAN, of near Coopersburg, came near being the victim of a clever swindler. A salesman claiming to represent a phonograph company from Minneapolis, the other day called at Mr. CRESSMAN's home and presented a tempting offer to sell a $20 phonograph for $2, as an inducement to take the agency. He also was to receive free a six-foot horn and 16 records. These inducements served as a bait and were finally accepted by CRESSMAN, who signed a contract. A few days later salesman No. 2 arrived to settle, and informed CRESSMAN that he signed an order for $380 worth of talking machines, but would settle provided he pay all expenses of shipping, amounting to over $50. Mr. CRESSMAN said he had not that amount and wanted to go to Coopersburg and see about it. This the agent refused to do, but decided to square accounts for $30. Mr. CRESSMAN still did not decide to pay, but drove to Squire HARING and presented his case. The squire soon told CRESSMAN he was being swindled and should not pay. DIETERICH FAMILY REUNION The Dieterich family will hold their reunion this year on Saturday, August 13th, in the noted pleasure ground at Kutztown, Pa. All the Dieterichs and relatives through inter-marriage, are urgently requested to be present. More than four hundred Dietrichs assembled at Lenhartsville, Pa., last year, and formed themselves into a permanent organization for the purpose of collecting information for the publication of a family history. The Officers of the Association have arranged for the reproduction of the Family Coat-of-Arms in its exact design and colors in the form of a Souvenir Badge, consisting of a gilt bar and ribbon with suitable inscription, the Coat-of-Arms being reproduced on a celluloid medallion, 1 1/2 inches in diameter, surrounded by a neat gilt rim. A badge will be presented to each member of the Association attending the Reunion. FORGER PILES HIS TRADE A young man representing himself as a son of a millionaire manufacturer in New York, was in Lehighton and Laury last week, where he spent money freely and had worthless checks cashed. He gave his name as Russell in Lehighton and Tintel at Laury's. While at a hotel at Laury's he induced a lady to get a check book of the Second National Bank, Allentown, ostensibly for the hotel keeper. This he took with him when he left, and forged checks for $40 and $15 have come from Newark, which he circulated under the name of P.A. SAMES. He is not over 20 years old, very boyish looking, and about 5 feet 4 inches in height. ICE TEAM RAN AWAY While iceman HEIMBACH, of the firm of SCHWEINHARD and HEIMBACH was delivering ice on Tuesday morning, his team which was not hitched to a post ran away down fourth street towards the American House. Fortunately a number of men saw them coming and caught them as they had crossed the railroad tracks. The team had not crossed the tracks a minute and a half before a shifter drilled cars across the roadway. If the runaway had occurred so much later the entire team would have been demolished. STEAMSHIP HORROR Wreck of an Ocean Liner that Costs 646 Lives - Only 128 Persons Saved Ship Strikes Rock and Sinks Within Short Time - Mostly Emigrants on Board - Over 200 Children on Deck When Fatal Vessel Sinks Beneath the Waves Out of 774 people on the Danish Steamer Norge which left Copenhagen on June 22 for New York, 646 were lost on June 28 about 290 miles west of the coast of Scotland where the steamer struck a rock and went down. The Norge carried 694 steerage passengers and nine second class, the others on board being the crew. The steerage passenger list was made up of Sweeds, Danes, Finns, Russians and Norwegians who were on their way to settle in the United States. At 7 o'clock on the morning of June 28 the steamer enveloped in a hazy mist, struck a rock well known to sailors. At the time of striking most of the people on board were still asleep, but the rasping noise and the sudden shock aroused all on board and in a very short time the deck became a maddening crowd of humanity. The vessel was backed off and the waters rushed into the hold and it at once was apparent to all that the vessel was doomed. An effort was made to launch the life boats and two boats were crushed to pieces and their occupants went down. Finally the excited people aboard succeeded in launching three boats and getting them off with a small number of the passengers. By this time the ship had been settling so that the deck was only a few feet above the level of the sea. The now terrified passengers became panic stricken and engaged in prayer and blasphemy while the more than two hundred children on board set up a shriek that will never be forgotten by those who had the misfortune to hear it. Finally at 12 minutes after the time the vessel struck the fatal rock the deck settled beneath the sea, carrying along its living freight to the dark unknown. Every effort has been made to recover the bodies of the unfortunate and nearly all have been washed ashore. Only 128 of the people of the ill-fated vessel succeeded in escaping with their lives. OLEY LOSES ITS OLDEST CITIZEN The oldest citizen of Oley, Berks county, William LAUCKS, died on Tuesday. It was his boast that he cast his first vote for Andrew JACKSON, voted 19 times for President, and as he expressed it, "hit it 17 times."