Ref: Town and Country Newspaper Pennsburg, Montgomery County, PA Saturday - April 29, 1905 MELANCHOLY LEADS TO ATTEMPTED SUICIDE Melancholy because of the long sickness of his wife, financial difficulties and inability to care for a large family of children George BERGENBACH, of Church Hill, Bucks County, near Quakertown, made an effort to commit suicide on Sunday. Mr. BERGENBACH is now in St. Luke's Hospital, South Bethlehem, with slight chances of recovery. Mr. BERGENBACK is a man about thirty-five years of age and for many years kept a small bakery at Church Hill. From there he moved to West Rockhill township, near to the German school house. On Sunday, melancholy from his reverses of lack of success, he loaded up a shot gun which he had in the house and going out to the roadside near the German school house and about two miles from Quakertown, he drove a nail into a post. Putting the barrel of the gun against his breast he hooked the trigger on the nail and thus discharged the gun. Neighbors were attracted by the report of the gun and found Mr. BERGENBACH lying on the ground with a badly lacerated breast. The load of that passed through the lungs near the heart. A fraction of an inch nearer to that organ would have caused instant death. When picked up he was still conscious and when asked why he had done this he replied, "I have had so much trouble and can not get along. I thought I would put an end to it." Mr. BERGENBACH has an invalid wife and several small children. EX-ASSEMBLYMAN EBERT DEAD Ex-Assemblyman Horace M. EBERT, residing at the Shuler House, Pottstown, died at 7 o'clock Tuesday morning of blood poisoning. Deceased had been ill only for the past six days and his death was a shock to his many friends. Deceased is survived by one sister, Miss Blanche EBERT, who for the past two years has been a cripple and at present is a patient in a Philadelphia hospital. PLANTED MANY STRAWBERRY PLANTS William FRETZ, of Dillingersville, this week started a strawberry patch with three thousand plants. He expects to sell the berries in the different towns in the vicinity. BAND SERENADES CARPET RAG PARTY A number of friends gathered at the home of Alvin MECK of Mertztown and devoted the evening to sewing carpet rags. After the work of the evening was ended the Mertztown Band serenaded the party. HALF WITTED ADULT KILLS BOY WITH BAT Ten-year-old Alfred MOYER, son of Oscar MOYER, of South Allentown, was killed on Monday in a game of base ball by Francis STERNER, aged 43 years. The latter is said to be a religious fanatic, and since the accident he has become a raving maniac. STERNER was playing ball with a number of small boys in a field near their home, and followed young MOYER at the bat. The boy made a two-base hit and stole third. STERNER had two strikes scored against him, and as the pitcher once more delivered the ball he swung the bat around but missed the sphere. Young MOYER was in the meantime stealing home, and as he neared the plate he received the full force of the bat in the hands of STERNER. He was carried into a nearby house, where he died in a few minutes. His head was crushed to a jelly. Frantic with grief, STERNER rushed to a stream in the vicinity and made three attempts to drown himself, being prevented only by the combined efforts of a number of neighbors. STERNER is closely guarded for fear that he will commit suicide. WOMAN WAS ATTACKED BY MAD COW Mrs. Allen ROBERTS, who resides on the farm above Spring City, recently purchased by the State for the new hospital, was attacked by a mad Holstein cow on Thursday and had a narrow escape from being bitten. Dr. E.G. GILBERT, of Pottstown, was summoned and after an investigation found the animal mad. It was afterward shot. Last December a mad dog bit the cow, but up to this time it had never shown any signs of madness. The animal was a pet of Mrs. ROBERTS, and she disliked to part with it. None of the other animals on the place were bitten. WILL BUILD A HOUSE AT RED HILL Frank FRYER, of Red Hill, will build a house in Red Hill this coming summer. It will be a single one and he expects to occupy it himself. Work on excavating the cellar was started on Tuesday. LETTERS WERE GRANTED Letters of administration were this week granted in the estate of Jacob N. OXENFORD, Douglass, to Frank F., George F. and Jacob F. OXENFORD. COSTLY FIRE AT BOWERS The $4000 barn on the farm of Winfield DELONG, near Bowers, Berks county, tenanted by James B. DRY was entirely destroyed by a fire which broke out at half past five o'clock Monday morning. The flames made such rapid headway that the neighbors were unable to save any of the contents which included a lot of grain, hay, straw, farming implements, sixteen cows and eighteen sheep. The cause of the fire is unknown. Tramps were permitted to sleep on the lofts and it is supposed that one of the number accidentally set fire to the place. A number of the neighbors made heroic efforts to get the cattle to places of safety, but while leading cows out of the stalls part of the roof began to fall in and the rescuers got out just in the nick of time. The stock is owned by Mr. DRY, who says his insurance is small. The barn is owned by Mr. DELONG and is partly covered by insurance. ADJUDGED A BANKRUPT W. Mahlon BARDO, incorporated, of Lansdale, was adjudged an involuntary bankrupt on Tuesday. Referee, C. Henry STINSON.