Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1866-07-14
SHOOTING AFFAIRIN ScHuYLKu1. COUNTY

SHOOTING AFFAIRIN SCHuYLKILL COUNTY
- Three Men iSh9t-On the fourth, at 2
o'clock in the afternoon, two young men
named Joseph Berry, inside superintendent
at the Spring Hill Collicry, and George W.
Fisher, of Llewellyn, Branch Township, went
to Bettingers tavern in Newtown, which is
situated three miles from fremont, this
County, to get horse to 90 to Llewellyn.
When they entered the bar-room there was
IN lrishman and Welshman standing at
the bar and engaged in a dispute. The
Wclshman was aged and the Irishman threa-
tened to beat him. The landlord, Bettinger,
and Berry and Fisher interiered to protect
the old man. and told the Irishman to leave
the house. lie went out, bnt in short time
returned with crowd of men, estimated by
witnesses at twenty-five They surrounded
the house and commenced stoning 1t. They
finally forced door and entered the bar
room, and struck Berry and Fisher with
stones. For safety Berry and Fisher fled up
stairs. One had revolver and the other
procured pistol in the house. Their as
salNnts pursued them up stairs, when Berry
and Fisher fred, compelling their pursuers
10 retreat down stairs. Berry and Fisher
followed for the purpose of trying to get
out ofthe lnuse, and again fred several shots.
Finding it impossible to get out by passing
through the bar.room, Berry and Fisher re-
turned up stairs, and jumped through a
second story window to the ground. They
were then pursued by their assaiiauts They
fed to the woods and made their way as
rapidly as they could to Llewellyn. When
they reached Llewellyn they went into Cole
mans tavern, exhausted by their efforts to
escape. They had been there but few mo
ments when some eight or ten of the party
that had attacked them at Bet.ingcrs, came
into the house. One had revolver in hi
hand, and pointed it at Berry, when Lewis
Williams who was present, interiercd anC
told the man to put his pistol away. Th
man however, refused, and Immediately sho
Mr.. Williams, the ball entering his face a
The right nostrl, passing upwards and lodg
ing in the head. The ball has not been eX
tractcd and Mr.. Williams is in critical con
dition. Squire Abraham Ernst of Llewcllyn
acted promptly and courageously on tn
occasion. Unarmcd, he followed the maj
who shot Williams, and who in compan
with one OF his companions was endeavorini
to escape. He came up to them, when bot
lrlshmen drew reyolVers and sworc that the
would shoot him. lie Knocked both oftheu
down, and effected their capture. Patric
Conners, who is charged with shooting Nj
"i'iunis' ID oue ol lnem, ana Is now III pr
son.
We learn that one Of the assalants @
Berry and Fisher at Bettinger's, named Pat
rick Meehan, was shot dead, and anothe
one named James Welsh, wounded Berr
and Fisher surrendered themselves immedi
ately after their return to Llcwellyn, an
were each held in $500 bail. Yesterday til
matter was before Judge Ryon on the que
tiOn whether the bail should be increased
and the Judge after hearing testimony whic
corroborates the above statement of the q
fair, decided that the bail was sufficient.
The other men who are now in prise
charged with being of the party that assault
cd the house of Mr.. Bettinger, made Il
attack on Berry and Fisher, and shot NJ
Williams, are, Danl. j. McAlanemy and Jol
McCarty.
Messrs. Berry and Fisher have retain'
LIN Bartholomew, Esq, as their counsel
Miners journal. ... ..r