Juniata sentinel. [volume] (Mifflintown, Pa.) 1846-1873, 1871-11-01

"beg your lady visitor to change her
shoemaker"
DISTRESSING HOMICIDE
The Shooting Of Martin Oberdorf, Of North.
a.si umberland County.
On the night of the 5th inst, Martin
Oberdorf, a highly respectable resident of
Upper Augusta township. Nor.humber-
land county, was shot and killed near the
residence of Isaac Campbell, by young
man named Perry Haas. The circum-
stances of the homicide are related as
follows:
Mr.. Oberdoyf, neishbor of Mr.. Camp
bell, called at the house of the latte, on
the evening Of the occurrence. and re-
mained there till nearly nine O'Clock. He
had gun with him, it being his inten-
ton to engage in coon hunting during the
night, and evidently left Mr.. Campbell's
for that purpose. The latter gentleman
had been in Sunbury daring the day. re-
turning during the evening, and the fam
lily retired after Mr. Oberdorf had left
About IL o'clock MIR. Campbell was
awakened by the report of a gun outside
of the house. Mrs. Campbell being also
awakened by the came. Immediately
upon his awakening he heard groans and
suppressed cries of distress coming from
some ore outside. He Immediately went
to the window, hoisted it and called, ask
ing what was the matter. No reply was
made. He called repeatedly, and as
there was no reply and no further sound,
he closed the window, and at this time
he heard the door open below. and some
one came up stairs. Upon asking who
it was, he discovered that it was Perry
Haas, his hired man, who he thought had
retired with the rest of the family Upon
demanding what he had been doing, Haas
replied that some person had been sneak
ing around the wagon house and he had
fired the gun to scare him away. Mr..
Campbell reproved him for shooting, tell
ing him that he had heard groans, that
some one must have been shot. Haa.
replied that he had shot low, ana that he
had seen the person run away. Upon
Mr.. Campbell's suggestion to strike a
light and go down and see what had been
done. Haas objected, insisting that he
should put out the light, as the persons
outside might shoot into the house. Mr..
Campbell, not at all satisfied with the
look of things. then retired to his bed
but remained awake all night. 1t seems
that Haas, instead of going to his room,
went to the garret. where he remained
during the balance of the night.
Mr.. Campbell arose early in the morn
ing, and In company with man named
Knocker, who was engaged in carpenter
work for Mr.. c.. and was staying tempo
rarily with him, went toward the wagon
house, which was about fifty yards from
the house. As they approached it they
observed the legs of man lying on the
ground. Haas joiued them at this time.
Upon coming up to the body they dis
covered it to be Martin Oberdorf, lying
dead on his back. He lad been shot
from behind, in the right side, the ball
coming out in front, tearing out portion
of his bowls and liver. The body was
found lying about thirty feet from the
wagon house, and the victim had evi
IDENTIFY moved some distance after he was
shot, as marks of blood were fonnd upon
the ground. From the character of the
wound death must have ensued in short
time. An inquest was held on the body
the same day by Esquire Wolverton, Of
the borough of Snydertown. and Haas
was committed to jail in Sunbury for
trial.
HOW Mr. OberdOrf, who had left Mr..
Cambell residence few minutes before
9 o'clock, got back 10 the wagon house
and was shot by Haas, at ii o'clock, re-
mains mystery. 1t is supposed that
while hunting in the neighboring woods
or corn6elds he succeeded in freeing a
coon or running it into hole, and came
back to Mr. Campbell's for an axe or
grabbing hoe. or for assistance. as his
gun was found leaning against a fence
about hundred yards from Mr.. Camp
bells residence. No one can for mo-
ment suppose that be came back for
any bad purpose, as he was a man of ex-
cellent character. How Haas happened
to meet and shoot him is as yet un-
known. The deceased was over fifty
years Of age, was the son of the vener-
able Peter Oberdorf, Of Upper Augusta,
and leaves a wife and family Of children.
The sad occurrence has cast q gloom
over the neighborhood in which he lives
I-ErcAange. ".-