Ref: Town and Country Newspaper Pennsburg, Montgomery County, PA Saturday - December 10, 1904 BECHTELSVILLE MAN COMMITS SUICIDE William GROFF aged 33 years, of Bechtelsville, Berks County, on Thursday evening of last week committed suicide by shooting himself through the heart. GROFF, lived with his wife and family of four children in a pretty little house which he recently purchased and he had charge of the Round House, at Barto, for a number of years at a salary of $58 per month. He recently made application for a position with better wages and the Reading Railway Company offered him a position as fireman on the Lebanon Division at a salary of $80 per month. He was to enter upon the duties there on the following day and as the time drew close, it appears GROFF became despondent which caused him to do the rash deed. After an early supper on Thursday, Mrs. GROFF took the three oldest children upstairs to bed, the husband having first kissed each good night, and gave them an affectionate farewell, as was his wont before going to work as night-watchman. Soon after GROFF took the baby to bed in another room, closed the door softly, so his wife in the next room should not be disturbed, came downstairs and shot himself with a 38 calibre revolver. Mrs. GROFF heard the shot, rushed downstairs and found her husband lying across the couch, dead. The bullet had penetrated the heart and death was instantaneous. The frantic woman tried to raise the body, and it fell to the floor blood flowing from the mouth, ears and nose. She ran screaming out of the house to give alarm, and Irwin SHUTT who was passing the house, hastily summoned Dr. L.Y. LECHNER. The physician responded promptly, but found the suicide beyong human aid. The children were standing in the room in their night robes weeping piteously and the wife was almost heart broken with grief. The revolver was found lying alongside the couch, as it fell out of his hand. He must have committed the act while sitting on the couch, and then fell across it. His left breast was bared, he entered his body above the fifth rib. The flesh was scorched, and he evidently held the revolver against his body. A coroners jury was empanelled and they rendered a verdict of "death by his own hand." SCHOOL DIRECTORS HOLD CONVENTION The thirteenth annual convention of the Berks County School Directors assembled at Reading. Dr. C.D. WERLEY, of Topton, presided and M.S. PARVIN, of East Berkley, was the secretary. the Rev. Edwin H. LEINBACH, of Womelsdorf, had charge of the devotional exercises. These officers were elected: President, Dr. C.D. WERLEY; first vice president, C.H. HERTZOG; second vice president, S.K. FISHER; secretary, M.S. PARVIN; treasurer, Dr. F.R. BRUNNER; delegates to the State Directors' Convention, Dr. F.R. BRUNNER, George C. HARTLINE, Dr. A.W.B. KAPP, Dr. H.F. LIVINGOOD and C.H. HERTZOG. WOODLAND AT KRAUSSDALE TO BE CUT DOWN The woodland on the farm of Frank K. SCHULTZ, of near Kraussdale, known as the Dr. Jonas GERHARD farm, will be cut down. There is some good standing timber there and it will yield the owner considerable. PLACED DEER IN GAME PRESERVE George WEISBROD, of the brewing firm, of Weisbrod and Hess, of Philadelphia, last week placed five fine deer in their game preserves about Porters Lake, Monroe County. PHYSICIAN KILLED Dr. Martin L. YOST, one of the most estimable residents of Lehigh county, was killed at 1.45 Saturday afternoon by a Philadelphia line trolley car. He met his death in a manner as sad as it is shocking. Dr. YOST left his house in Allentown after dinner and went to the home of his son, Alfred, who is still in bed from the effects of his attack of pneumonia. After a talk with Alfred, the senior Dr. YOST took the son's team, two horses and a carriage, to see some patients in Salisburg and attend to business on the farm. Maxey, young Dr. YOST's driver, drove the team. At the crossing of the trolley tracks and the pike the team was struck by a Philadelphia car. How it happened nobody could tell exactly in the excitement that followed the accident. Maxey escaped unhurt, but it cost the life of one of the most lovable men and one of the best citizens in the county. The pole broke and rising and crashing backward over the dasher, struck Dr. YOST in the abdomen. Death must have been instantaneous. He never spoke afterward and it isn't known that he moved. Dr. YOST was 71 years old. He was a director of the Second National Bank and one of the most influential and highly esteemed residents of Allentown. His second wife survives with three children, Dr. Alfred J. YOST, Helen and Mrs. Charles NEUWEILER. BED CAUGHT FIRE FROM PIPE Michael MARQUETTE, a recluse residing along the Schuylkill River, near Norristown came within an ace of losing his life on Saturday night, in his craving for the enjoyment of his pipe. He has been an inveterate smoker, and of late despite the warning of friends, he has lighted his pipe and laid down and fell asleep. On Saturday night he again fell asleep and sparks from the pipe set the bedding aflame. He was awakened after the clothing were in a blaze and were it not for the assistance of several men who passed the place at the time the aged man would have perished and his house have been destroyed. He was removed to a hospital the next day. GAME ROOSTER ROUTS A TRAMP John TRUMP, of Powder Valley owns a game rooster, with the courage and pluck of a bulldog. Last Saturday night TRUMP heard a series of yells issuing from his henhouse, and reached the place just in time to grab a tramp as he from gashed and cuts inflicted by spurs and beak of the rooster. One gash was nearly two inches long and cut the cheek to the bone. Farmer TRUMP dressed the tramp's wounds and kicked him off the premises. TURKEY CONTAINED A DIAMOND RING F.M. HUFFMAN, a miner employed by the Keystone Coal Company, at Greensburg, and one of the recipients of the 1500 West Virginia turkeys distributed to their men for Thanksgiving was signally fortunate. Upon cutting open the fowl he found in its craw a fine diamond ring with two sets. WIPING DISHES NO MAN'S WORK A woman in the Fourth ward, Allentown whose husband objects to wiping the dishes for her because "it isn't a man's work," read to her helpmate from the Bible 2 Kings 21.18; "I will wipe Jerusalem as a man wipeth a dish, wiping it and turning it up-side down." He has meekly wiped the dishes ever since. TRACTION COMPANY SUED FOR $10,000 William B. DETWILER and Mary B. DETWILER, of Hatfield, have entered suit against the Lehigh Valley Traction Company for the sum of $10,000. The plaintiffs lost a son John C. DETWILER, during an accident below Hatfield, on October 15, 1904 in which they claim the car was negligently operated. RELIEVED OF HIS CASH AT NORRISTOWN Charles KING, of Lansdale, was a defendent at City Hall, Norristown, on Sunday morning on the charge of disorderly conduct. He drove to that town and met a young man who volunteered to show him the sights of Norristown. KING woke up Sunday morning in the City Hall and all his cash was gone. His team was found on the street. He was released after paying a $7.50 fine. FARMER'S INSTITUTE IN LEHIGH COUNTY P.S. FENSTERMAKER, the Lehigh County member of the State Board of Agriculture, has arranged for three farmers institutes to be held in Lehigh county this winter as follows: Macungie Feb. 13 and 14; Allentown, Feb. 15 and 16 and New Tripoli, Feb. 17 and 18. CUT OFF PET PONY'S HEAD A white Shetland Pony, that has served the family of J.W. TOWNSEND, of the Cambria Steel Company, at his Bryn Mawr home, was chloroformed to death Monday. The pony was 37 years old. Mr. TOWNSEND then had an expert taxidermist cut off the pony's head. This will be mounted, and the hide will be made into a rug. SHERIFF ELECT FILED HIS BOND Sheriff elect Edgar MATTHEWS on Tuesday forenoon filed his bond for $25,000 with the Guarantee Title Trust and Safe Deposit Co., of Scranton as surety. The bond has been sent to Harrisburg and as soon as it is approved by Governor PENNYPACKER Mr. MATTHEW's commission will be issued. HORSE THIEF CAPTURED A horse and carriage belonging to James TART, near Hatboro, were stolen Sunday by a negro who formerly worked for Alfred MANN, at Woodmont. The thief was captured with the stolen rig and was taken to Norristown on Monday for trial.