The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1863-05-01
Outrage at New Berlin by a Federal Of
finnxHAa ~

Our neighbor Of the Jnquuvr istroubled with
visions Of knights Of tho Golden Circle" 1t
copies an article from Middleburg (Pa.) Abo-
slition paper, on the subject Of an outrage which
recently occurred at New Berlin--the truth Of
which We COPY below from the Harrisb burg Pa
,tr1ot q Union---and heads il, s'the Knights of
the Golden Circle Resisting the Law" Now,
there is nothing in the article which the Inqui-
ye'' ..ccpies, to justify the assertion that Mr..
Hummel is a member of that "Circle," even il
such an institution exists. The assertion made
by the Abolition papers that there is such an or
ganization in Pennsylvania as tho ''Knights of
the Golden Circle" is false, and known to them
to be false. 1t is like the old story Of Morgan
"a bugbear to frightcn the people into thesup-
port OF an Infamous party OF liars and plum
derers to which the Ingmrsr has gone over body
and soul .a.i4o .sfaaas flF
The following, from the Patriot and Union,
embodies the truth Of the New Berlin affair -
It was written by a citizen Of that town.
Some fine ago--say four or five months--a
certain james Hummel, Of fSnydercounty, whose
sisters last remains wer, inter-, here to-day,
deserted from the army. And now, several
days ago, certain Sergeant Gephart, formerly
frvm Centre county, who styles himself men,
Der Of the United States Provost Guard, camo
to this neighbofhood, alleging that it was hisb
siness to arrest deserters and send them to camp
/ 1t seerns he knew that Hummel would attend Il
funeral at this place to day, and thought this
would bc a nice place to show his pruwess and
skill in nabbing deserters lie followed the
procession to the burying-place, and from there
to tho church. While in the church, he again
had Hummel pointed out 10 him, and asserted
to those that were in the secret with him that
here was the place to take him. They tried to
dissuade him, but Of no avail; this was the
place TO make chivalric dash. Just before the
sermon commenced, he walked up to Hummel,
now sitting quietly in his pew 10 do the last p-
Gus honors TO dead sister, and presented
Colts revolver to his breast, mumbling some
thing supposed to have been, "You are my pris-
oner"1 Hummel drew Sharpe's four-shooter
from his pocket. Meanwhile Gephart snapped
his cap, which burst to no effect Hulnmel
then shot Gephart in the breast. Gephart snap
ped his next cap to no effect. After that each
discharged his remaining balls; also, Mr..
Smith, assistant to Gephart, discharged one ball.
At this juncture the excitement had become in
tense, and the shrieks and cries Of unprotected
and innocent females and children were almost
heart-rending. Both Hummel and Gepbart
now left the church. Hummel went to his
home, whittier two physicians soon followed
him, and found him having two wounds---one
through the lungs supposed to be mortal, and
another slight, in the arm. Gephart fled thro'
by way towards the mountain, and was dis
covered n while after, two miles from town.
Some men, who seem to be rather friendly to
those who deal in cold steel and blood, brought
him back to town, and, am told, almost made
demigod of him.