Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1845-11-29
MYSTERY.

dooh' t"V inHes ifoIn tne hlVeT, up tne valley
Of Bear Creek. The spot where it was found,
must have been, when the corpse was depos-
ted there, almost inaccessible, perhaps never
before visited except by the savage, an occasion
al hunter, and those who we're the perpetrators
of the murderons crime, which they thonght to
conceal by depositing the evidence ofther guilt
! where they supposed it would remain forever
undislurbed Such however was not to be. For
many years, hunters who have passed near the
J place--whch has been brought nearer the
haunts Of men, by the improvement Of the Le-
! high and the advancement of the Lumber trade
have remarked the singular appearance of
! the heap of stones at did not look natural I!
/ they were evidently placed in that position by
! the lands of r,en" and A week or two since,
several being in company, they determined
to ascertain whether anything was beneath
/ them. They had not removed many of the
stones before they drew forth bones evidently
| human, pieces ofclo,h, apparently green broad
! cloth and pieces of what appeared 20 be The
binding used in carriage trimming.
When these facts became known, curiosity
was excited, and on Sunday last large number
of our citizens repaired to the place, and after
an examination, it was generally agreed, thata
body, either enveloped in cloth and tied up with
the binding used in carriage trimming or in the
cushions and lining of the carringe, had many
years since been deposited there. The latter
appeared to be the prevalent opinion. as several
wooden button moulds such as arc ised in ma.
king cushion tufts. were found
The question na'ursily nrisea how came
these remains in that wild. unfrequente1 place.
which when they were deposited. must have
been about seven miles from human habita-
ton.
In lookng back upon incidents that transpi.
red, fifteen years since. many of onr citizens
will recolect circumstances similar To the tol.
lowing.
In ls20 or 80 gentleman named Seicson,
who resided in Philadelphia, came 10 Mauch
Chunk and remained several days at kmballs
Hotel, awaiting the arrival of his brother who
was Pedar and who had made an appoint
ment to meet Mr.. S., at this place. The
brother did not arrive and Mr.. s. returned to
the city without seeing him. The creditors of
the brother becoming alarmed at his long alb.
sence, and knowing that Mr. S. had been 10
Mauch Chunk to see his brother, charged him
with a conspiracy TO deiraud them, and threat.
ened to prosecute him. Five or six weeks az
ter his first visit Mr.. Seligsnn came again to
Mauch Chunk 10 ascertain whether the missing
brother had passed through after he left While
here, he learned that late one cold stormy
night, about the time OF his first visit to this
place, the brother had stopped at Mr.. iartz's
Hotel on the South side of the Broad Noun.
tain, TO warm himself and res, his horse which
could drag the wagon only short distance
through the snow without stopping. Mr. Hartz
tried 10 persuade him 10 remain all night hut
Ire declined, seying he must get to Mauch
Chunk, seven miles further, thu, night, If pos.
sible, as he had made arrangements To be there
at that time. After refreshing hImse!fand his
horse, he started on his journey over the mouA-
tain, which is Eve miles across. Thc.e were
only two houses between Mr. IIarta's and the
turnpikee gate both of which were iagerns.
At one cf these, (Barbeg's on the top of the
Mounlain} he stopped, and was never seen af-
terward. lie did not pass The turnpike gate
and as the keeper of the only rouse between
Barriers and Mauch Chunk, where he had not
been seen bore no very enriabe reputation
suspicion rested upon him. He was arrested
but there being no proof of HE gull, he was eis-
charged, and the Disappearance of the pedIar
with his horse and Wagon, rron road which
have been impossible FOR him 10 turn of of even
fhe had desired to do 90, remained mystery
Since the discovery of the remains mentioned
at the commencement OF this article, many who
resided here at the time of The disappeatance of
the pedlar, recolect circumstances which 90
far 10 fS the charge of murder upon the keeper
Of that house. lie left this part of the country
some years since and it is reported that he is
dead. His wife while living appeared to have
weghty secret in her possession, which he
feared would be disclosed, che was often heard
TO threaten to scratch his neck for him" and it
is said that on her death bed, she told him that
she had saved him from the Gsllows. 1t is said
the remains of a Wagon, which had been burn
ed, were found in tavine called Moor's Swamp
through which he would have to pass, to convey
the body to the place where these remains were
found 1t Is said also that about the time that
Albertson (the keeper ofthe TAVERN was ares