The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1868-07-23
Local Correspondence.
ALTOONA CRY, July 90, 1868.

/ 0LAOSNA VII July SO1 1ooO-
| FRIEND MAC-Sev eral strange and startling
events have occurred since my last communica-
! ton to you. Mr.. James Clark, assistant yard
master mere, met with u terrible death on w ed
nesday last. The circumstances, far as
| could learn them are as follows Mr.. Clark
| had just upcoupled a number of cars from
| large freight train, for the purpose of allowing
| them to run down the yard, and while in the act
| OF giving the signal TO the engineer to back
| down against the detached cars and put them in
motion, another train pulled out of the yard on
| the sa ame track upon which Mr.. Clark was stand
| ing. Wishing the engineer to see the signal he
| attempted to pass to the opposite side between
the two sections of the train, but just ut that
moment they came together, impaling him be-
tween the two bumpers, crushing him IN a most
shocking manner and producing instant death.
Mir. CLARK had been employed in the yard some
seven or eight years, and on that very day had
obtained leave Of absence to go home to harvest,
rensarking to friend that il was the last day
! he going TO railroad. He was q man of
noble and generous impulses, always kind and
atfable, and one of the most faithful and eff
ci0nt men in the employ of the Company His
remains were taken to New Florence for inter
ment, several societies here of which he was a
faithful and henored member accompany ing
them to their last resting place. Peace to his
ashes.
Our city was just recovering from the pro
found sorrow occasioned by Mr.. Clark g ragic
death, when it was again thrown into the most
intense excitement and bewilderment by the
announcement of ore of the most shocking su-
icides and attempts at murder that il has ever
been my fortune or rather misfortune to hear of.
A man named Thomas Merkle leion, formerly in
the employ of the Pa. Il. r. Co. at this place
as u :hinist, but more recently employed at
RenoVa, had been paying attention to a very
sstimable youAg lady of this city named Miss
SeibeAts, and runoT has it that they were en-
gagged ts We married. Be this it may, while
he was absent in Renova a misunderstanding
aroae between them, the sequence of which it is
not necessary to mention. Miss Seiberts, with
the instinct natural to high minded lady, be-
lieved herself 20 be the aggrievcd and injured
party, and collecting together all the trinkets
and keepsakRs she had received from him, for
warded them to him at RenoYa. With these
she also sent q note stating that all previous
arrangements or agreements between them
should be of the past, and that If they ever met
again it would be as strangers. Merkleon re-
fused to accept the package, however, and sent
il back to Miss SeibeIts; and in few days
after came to the city himself. In the mean
time Miss Seiberts had strange prCsentiments
and fearful forebodings of the future, and when
he came positively refused to see him or have
any intercourse with him. After his arrival
MeIklcion got spree and kept it up at
feaKful rate until Saturday merniny, when be
became comparatively sober and exceedingly
loQuaciOus, especially to an intimate and con
hdential friend, 10 whom he remarked that there
would be tragedy enacted before night which
.
Gazette, at the same time requesting his friend
to Aend his trunk, clothing, etc., to his mother.
His friend paid no attention to what he was
saying. treating it altogether as bombast.-
About ten O'Clock the same day Markleion pro-
cured q foSr barrelled revolver and repaired to
the scene IF the tragedy, (Mss Seiberts' resi-
dsnce, in the 4th waId,) and enquired if that
lady was at home. Being answered in the at
hrmative, he replied that he wished to have
private conversation with her and also receive
If rhray, from, iph hn
might have in her possession. Miss Seiberts
concluded to see him, but took tho precaution
to have her mother posted i'll adj dining room.
After receiving the trinkets etc, Merkleion
remarked : ELLA, if we cannot live with each
other wil die togethcr!" and drawing his re-
volVer, he took deliberate aim at her heart and
fired. Fortunately she, in her wild and terrible
excitement, sprang towards her mothers room,
thus saving her lile, for instead of the ball
tering her heart it penetrated her shoulder, in
tli0ting very painful though rot dangerous
wound. Finding that he had not killed his in
tended victim Aerkleion after her, but her
mother, hearing the report OF the pistol and the
screams of her daughter, ran to her aid and sue
Seeded i'll getting the door closed between the
would-be murderer and his helpless victim -
Merkleion then shot himself through the head,
/ and died almost instantly. The unfortunate
actor In this terrible tragedy was man OF lib
! eral education and considerable talent, which,
| If properly directed, would have made him an
| in which he moved. As mechanic he had
| few superiors, and when at himself was man
| of warm and generous imp uses, and steadfast
| in his attachment to his friends. He was sol
deF in the late war, and was one OF the bravest
| of the brave. In his younger days he acquired
o taste for nevel reading, and was passionately
and lamOtably fond of perusing papers that
! pandered to the worst passions and most de-
| prAvsd feelings Of the human heart. He has
! left poor mother, two brothers, sister and
brother n-law to mourn his shocking and terri
| BILE death. Insanity is said 10 be hereditary in
his family, and charity forbIds the thought that
| he was in his right nind when he attempted to
take the life Of young lady whom he evident
| ly loved and destroyed his own in the appalling
| manner in which he did.
| A young lady, while out shopping the other
| evening, was examining some very hne goods
| in one Of oHr principal stores, when, by some
| means or other, ten OF twelve dollars worth
! stuck to her frgers. She did not discover the
fact, or thought nobody else did, until Chief of
| Police Ely gently touched her arm and request
! ed her to accompany him into the august pre-
! sence of Alderman IL, who kindly and
| politely Informed her that she would either have
| to procure bail or take lodgings for the night
| in She city lock up. Fortunately for her the
| prosecutor was q Gallant and amable young
| man. and be proposed that if she would give up
| the goods she Hight go ELY free, and in this
| way the little unpleasantness" was got over
Yours, &C., T. l. u.