Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1873-08-29


TIE LATE MURDER AT SELINsGRovE.
We give below further particulars of the
murder of Dr. Wagenseller at Seliusgroye,
last week, in few extracts taken from the
the Times published at that place. The
editor says:
We do not propose to give a full detail of
all the incidents of this unfortunate affair !:
but we shall endeavor to give such q brief
statement of facts as will give our readers
not yet acquainted with them, correct
understanding thereof. DIR Wagenseiler
has for several years had in his employ Il
hired man named VIM. Mertz. This man
it appears had one bad habit. He fre-
qucntiy INDUCED in the free use of liquor,
which rendered him unfit for the proper
discharge of his duties, and also set bad
example to the Doctors two sons, two
boys nearly grown up and at that age when
boys are most apt to be led astray by the
vice Of intemperance.
The Doctor had been striving for several
years to induce this man to abandon this
evil habit, but his labors in that direction
seemed fruitless for when the man could
not obtain it directly from the bar himself,
he had some runners who would buy the
liquor for him by the bottle and deliver it
to him secretly. Some of these bottle run
ners became known To the Doctor, and this
man Wenrch was one of them. lie notified
him about year ago that he must quit it,
| but the evil practice continued ;, and on
Saturday evening, soon after the Doctor
! returned home from visit to his patients,
| he was told his hired man was up at the
! keystone drunk again.
| The Doctor Immediately started up and
! met Wenrich and Mertz on the pavement
at the Keystone. lie charged Wenrich
with again furnishing liquor to Mertz,
whereupon Wenrich cursed and swore and
called him q Cd id liar. The Doctor
told him not to call him liar again, when
Wenrich used more violent language than
before and repeated calling him liar, and
challenged and dared the Doctor. At this
instant the stabbiug occurred. The Doc
tor clapped his hands to his side and called
out loud, "Police Police I'm stabbed
George Wenrich stabbed me.r lie started
homeward, and some one followed ant
helped him home, nearly square distant
lie was helped up stairs and to bed, anC
DR.. Hottenstein was Immediately called il
aud examined the wound.
As soon as he was informed of the ma
ture of the wound he himself pronounced i
fatal, and said he knew he had to die ant
DIR. Ho;tenstein did the same. DIR. Priest
ly and DIR. M'Cay, of Northumberland
were sent for, and they came and CAV
about the same decision. He suffered yer,
much whenever he was conscious. Th
weapon used was, a pocket knife with
blade about four inches long. The blad
entered the left side and under the stomach
and by turning the blade upwards or in al
attempt to rip, a hole was cut clear through
the under part of the stomach about th
size of an old large cent, allowing some O
the contents of the stomach to pass out.
The prisoner made no attempt to den,
the stabbing, but, on the contrary, boldl
asserted that he did it and would do s.
again, using most violent language even tn
next day. After the act he commenced
search for his knife, and swore that if h
could not find it he would 90 to the hard
ware store and buy another and come dow
| and cut out his Cd ID heart an,
when the knife was shown him he admitte
that was the knife he did the deed with.