Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1871-03-11

Mt. CAnMrL, MARCH 7th, 1871.

MEssRs. EDlToRs
Our town has been thrown
into great state of excitement. by the pcrpttra-
tion of the most revolving crime ever known in
the history of the Coal Regions. The particulars
Us ncar as ! have learned. are AZ follows
At or about half-part two O'Clock, on SHtur.
day morning, Il party of men % attacked the
house of David Williams on the lower end oi Sha-
mokn street. and fired volcy after vOllry at the
western end Of the building. and during tn" noise
vccasioncd By the firing panel at the door on
the eastern end Of the building was kichcd in.
and key of powder placed in the room. match
was applied aud in Il moment that portion OF the
house became Il total ruin, bringing beds and
other furniture TO the ground. Fortunately very
few Of the inmates occupied that portion al the
building. and only two Of them came down with
the ruins. one of them escaped unhurt. the other.
George Hoffman, was mortally wounded. ll"ii-
man WIS shot in the throat. tn, bali passing en-
tircly through ard coming out at the top OF his
head. lie was asleep when shot, and sprang out
upon the floor, where he lay until the explosion
took place, few minutes afterwards. and MS he
fore stated. went down with the ruins. lie was
picked up short time atterward. and lived hut
Il short time. He leaves a wife and two children
at or near ShamOkin.
Hoffman had served his country faithfully IN
the late rebellion. spending three years and hav-
ing been wounded twice, during his term Of SER
vice.
The man that fell down With the ruine with
Hoffman, had been standing behind the chimney
to protect himself from the bullets which were
coming through the house, and when the powder
exploded, he came through to the lower floor in
hurry, the chimney keeping him companv.-
The object they had in view in directing the fire
at the western end of the building was. no doubt,
to compel the inmates to seek shelter in the east
ern end, directly over the powder, and send them
all into eternity. Th re we c about twenty per-
sons, including women and children in the build
ing. at the time of the explosion.
The whole affair lasted but a few minutes, an1
by the time some of the citizens arrived ON the
spot, not sign Of one of the attacking party
could be seen. The party making the attack
must have been very silent in their preparations,
ns the people living in the neighborhOod did not
hear anything of the affair until daylight next
morning.
The same night a ballet was fred through the
house of Samuel Smeltz passing between him and
his son in bed.
The house of David williams is kept AS a
boarding house, for thc men employed at the
Goal Mountain Colliery," F. Roads g Co., aud
is being worked on the cooperative plan.
y few evenings ago young man named Con-
nor was shot In the thigh by boy named Tucsh-
er. The boy Tuesher works at Roads, and he
says Connor attempted to strike him with
"Black Jack, "and he drew his pistol and wound
cd him slightly in the thigh.
Our Borough Is now patrulcd nightly by watch
men, 1t being the only measure we can take to
insure safety.
The CorOnur's jury got through with their du-
tics on Monday afternoon at five O'Clock, in the
matter of the death Of Hoffman, and their Ner-
diet was in accordance with the facts. No ar
rests have been made, nor is there the slightest
clue to the perpetrators of the foul decd The
citizens are becoming alarmed, and there Is
reign of terror, How long must tbese things
continued
I,p