The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1875-09-02
A Funeral at Reading tisturbed-.he Re.
cent Suicide Case.

On Friday afternoon the funeral Of
Mrs. Philip Bissinger and her three
children, whose death by drowning oc-
Cured in Reading on Tuesday, took
place from the house of the husband
and father.
The utmost excitement prevailed and
very large concourse Of people fol-
bowed the bodies to the grave, the pro-
cession comprising over thirty carriages,
and not less than 1000 people On foot.
For an hour before the time for the
funeral, the house was surrounded by
excited people, and the excitement was
so great that q detachment of police
kept guard on the premises.
The circumstances attending the
death of the mother and children were
such as create the strongest interest,
which partakes very largely of indigna.
ton. Philip Bissinger is the keeper of
saloon on Penn street, in this place,
and his family consisted of himself, his
wife, woman of about thirty years,
and three small children, boy and two
girls. His mother also made her home
with his family. OF late, it is said,
there has been considerable unhappiness,
caused, the neighbors say, by the treat.
ment of Mrs. Bissinger by her husband
and his mothef. The report commonly
accepted is that Bissinger had bestowed
his affections upon an unmarried woman
i.op PHILADELPHIA, whom he ncquen"5
ded an authority denied his wife. On
Monday, as is stated, a quarrel took
place between husband and wife on this
account, and he ordered her out OF his
sight
He told her he would give her s2,.
900 to 90 away, and return no more, she
to take the two girls, and he to keep the
boy, and he threatened to kill her if
she returned.
This prospect of separation from one
of her children, added to the previous
unhappiness of her position, manifestly
preyed upon her mind, and she was
very much depressed. On Tuesday,
accompanied by her three children, she
left the house and entered street ear
in which she rode out of the city for a
distance of about two and half miles,
to point Oh the bank of the canal. She
had basket with her, and this she pro-
ceeded to fill with stones, her children
assisting her Having filled the bas-
ket, she bound it securely to her waist,
and then, taking a child under each arm
and holding the third child to her
breast, she jumped into the canal.
The cries of the children attracted
the attention OF man who could not
swim, and before he could get hel p all
were drowned. The bodies we're re-
covered and taken to the undertaker's
shop, where they were identified. They
were removed to the house of the hus-
band and father, and he was notified Of
the occurrence, receiving the news, it is
said while in company with the woman
who had caused the unhappiness. Sc
great was the indignation among the
people at large that q detachment Of
police was kept guarding his house
from the first until after the funeral.
1t is stated that in the crowd in at,
tendance not less than fifty men, and
even women, were armed with pistols
for the avowcd purpose of shooting Bis
singer. He was guared by police al
the way to the grave and back, and as
a further protection the coffin contain
ing the little boys body was placed in
the carriage with him.
When the bodies had been lowered
into the graves, part of the CROWD
hooted at Bissinger and number o.
women endeavored to get at him. One
shot was fired at him without effect
He was instantly hustled into the car
riage and driven off. Another sho
was fred at him in passing the gate, ant
is supposed to have struck him as h'
was carried from the carriage into th'
house. Great indi shation still exists
and lynch law continues to be freel.
talked of-Muuch Chunk Goa
Gazette.