Richland beacon., 1875-09-04
Funeral Of Mrs. Bcssinger and
Her Children-Encisients.

A press telegram dated Reading Pa, Aug
2Ist. tells this exciting story: Yesterday the
funeiaI Of Mrs. Phillip Bessingcr and hsr
three cbiIdren, whose death by drowning
occurred here Tuesday, took place iutl,is city.
The utmost excitement prevailed AM very
large concourse Of people followed The bodies
10 the grave, the procession comprising over
thirty carriages aud no, less than one thousand
people on foot For an hour before the time
for the funeral The house was surrounded by
an excited crowd and detachment OF police
were required TO keep guari on the premises
The circumstances attending the death oil
the mother and children were such as to
create the strongest interest, which pariakes
largely of indignation. Bessinger is the
kseper of a saloon here, and his family con-
sisted Of himself, wife and three small chi!-
dren-a boy and two girls HIS mother also
made her home with the family. Of late, II
is said, there has been considerable anhappi-
ness between man and wife, caused, so say
the neishbors, by the treatment Of Mrs bes-
singer by her husband and his mother.
Tie report commonly accepted Is that
Bessjnyer had bestowed his aiectiors upon an
unmarried woman from Philadelphia, who
he frequently had at ms house, and who was
boldly accorded authority denied his wife.
On Monday, so il is stated, a quarrel took
place between Mr. and Mrs. b. on this &C
count, aud he ordered her This wife) cut OF
his sight.
He told her he would give her $1,000 to 20
away and return no more she 10 take the
two girls, and lie TO keep the boy, and further
more, he threatened TO kill her if she re-
turned. The prospect Of separation from one
Of her children, added TO her previous unhaP-
piness, manifcs,ly preycd upon her mind, and
she was very much depressed.
On Tuesday, accompanied by her three
children she left the house and entered a
street car, in which she rode out OF the city
for distance Of about two and half miles
To point on the bank of the canal 81 c had
a basket with her, and this she filled viii
stones, her children assisting her 10 do so
Having flied il, she bound ii securely TO he
waist, and then, taking Child under each
arm and holding the third child to her breas
she jumped into the canal.
The cries OF the children attracted the atten
ton of n man who could not swim, an,
before he could get help all were drowned
The bodies were recovered, and removed I,
the house of the husband, and he was notitie,
of the occurrence, receiving the news, it j
said, while in company with the woman
who caused the mhappiness.
So great was the Indignation among Ia
rcople at large, that detachment o: polic
was kept guarding his house ffon the frs
until after the funeral. IL is stated that il
the crowd in attendance yesterday, not les
than fifty men and women were armed will
pistols fr the avowcd purpose Of shootin:
Bessinger. He was guarded by the polio,
all the way to the grave and back, as fur,he
protection, the coffin containing the lii,i'
boys body was placed in the carriage will
him.
When the bodies had been lowered int,
the graves, part Of the crowd hooted at Bes
singer, and u number Of women en- leavore'
N 90, =, him. One shot was fred at hin
without effect He was Instantly hnstle'
into bis carriage and driven OF Ano,he
sho. was fred IN passing the gate, but
snppoeed 10 have struck him, % he was car
RED from the carriage in'o the house. Grea
indignation still exists, and lynch law con
sinues TO be freely talked Of