Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1875-08-26


The Reading suicidal Horror.
FURTHER PARrfcULARs-How THE DEED WAS COM
MfrrED-NEoLECfs SUPPOSED TO LIE THE cAusi
OF ThE SUICIDE.
The Reading papers give further particular
of the drowning OF Mrs. Dissinger and her three
children.
After the recovery OF the fo,lr bodies from
the canal, which WAS accomplished soon after
death, the fatal plunge having been witnessed
by persons at distance, u coroner . inquest was
held, which rendered verdict that the woman
came to her death by suicidal drowning, and
| that the death OF the children resulted from
drowning, caused by the wilful act OF the wo-
man, supposed to be their mother. who was
found with them. AT this time the bodies had
not been identified
-, The Coroner states that in his opinion Mrs
| Blssinger must have committed the deed
shortly before five o'clock. She fastened the
basket. containing about twenty-one pounds
OF stone, arouud her waist with thick cord
which she had taken with her, which In the
opinion OF the Coroner, together with other
circumstances, showed that the suicide WAS q
deliberate one, and that she had, yesterday,
fully determined upon the deed She took
one child under Cne arm, another under the
other arm, and holding the third child close
to her breast in front, she jumped into the
water and they all perished together Mrs.
Bisslnger was dressed in a loose black cape
and plaid dress, which in its wet condition
| looked like deaine. She had a very finely
worked pocket handkerchief about her. and in
her pocket was q wallet containing about six
dollars IN currency. There was also q printed
sip OF newspaper containing the pame of her
husband, and two letters were found in her
pocket. These letters were taken by the Coro-
ner, and were found to be dated August 9th and
10Th, 1860 The letters were couched in the
most endearing language, commencing and end
ing Ill the manifestation OF the strongest ties Of
love, respect and esteem They were
aligned by the first name OF her husband, and
these were the only letters found on her person.
She had them in her pocket and from appear
ances she had read them the last time yesterday
on her journey up the river bank. All her cloth
ing was on her person, excepting her hat which
had hoated away. The unfortunate lady would
have become mother to another babe in few
months. The children were very nicely dressed
1t is stated that tho little ones in their child
ISL innocence, helped to gather the stones along
the tow path, with which the basket WAS filled,
to sink them and their distracted mother in the
water or the canal.
Mrs. Louisa Bissingor. tho deceased was the
eldest child Of the late Frederick Eben, who re.
sided in this city many years ago. She WAS born
Ill this city and lived for many years with her
parents who kept the Aulenbach Hall restaurant
and other places. She was married to Phillip
Bssnger about ten years ago, and has had six
children, three of which died natural deaths,
and three lost their lives yesterday as recorded
above.
PUBLIC OPINION IN READING.
Through private sources we learn that the
very general belief at Eeading is that Mrs. BIZ
singer WAS led to tho commission of suicide by
tho neglect Of her husband IL is understood
that young lady of that city had estranged tho
aHectlon which Bissinger once bore for his wife,
and appropriating it to herself 30 wounded the
spirit and grieved the heart of Mrs. Bisainger, |
that in her distress she driven to the ending |
OF her days in this saa manner The letters |
above alluded to, it Is broadly limited, were |
portions OF q surreptitious correspondence
between Bssinger and the young lady
(whose name it is mot necessary
to mention) which had been intercepted
and placed in possession OF the wife. These |
with other circumstances, OF recent date, are be-
lieved to have been the immediate causes OF tho
destruction Of life. To the children, especially
the younger. boy, Bissingcr was very much |
attached, and tho supposition is that the mother
drowned them not only to prevent another wom-
all from "lording 1t over them, but to increase
the modification of the husband and to bring to
him sadder realization Of the blow inflicted.
PHILIP ElssISaEE,
the husband Of the lady who suicided is the
proprietor OF one of the most widely and OK
tensively patronzed beer saloons in Reading.
He is also the leader Of the Reading
sIlt sMannerchor, line musician, and
ia a sort of Board Of Trade, where the business
men Of the city meet at 10 o'clock almost regu-
lsrly each day, and to whose convenience he has
set apart room for business purposes. lie went
to Reading poor boy, married his wifo while in
humble circum stances, and after his marriage
his mother in-law, who was then conducting the
saloon, and had made considerable money, quiet
ly retired, leaving the management to Bissnger,
who has also made some money ont of 1t. He
had been married for about nine years, the four
last Of which have been, we understand, years of
great care and anxiety to the wife growing out
OF neglect in the manner stated above.
THE fUNERAL--FoUn CuFFfNs AND FOUR DEAD
BODIES IN ONE RooM-TBE DOORS THROWN OPEN
AND THE MuLTITuDEs VIEW THEM.
The funeral OF Mrs. Bssinger and her three
children took place a. Reading, Oh Friday after
noon, and is described as one OF the most sad
and monrnful incidents in the history OF the |
city. Far beyond tho family and connections
tho effects OF the tragedy were felt, and as the
bodies were being prepared for the grave |
vast crowd nurged about the house. tie an |
having been made that the doors |
would he thrown open and the people admit
ted.
by . o'clock the bodies were richly rob ID aud |
placed in their collins iu an upper room--the !
mother in a black casket and the children IN |
white ones at her side. All of them were hand |
somely covered aud mounted with silver, rose |
buds being displayed Oh the lids. The faces of |
all were quite natural, except the eldest daugh-
ter, Molle, whose lip was slightly swollen. After |
the bodies wern all laid in tho collins the hus- |
band and father was led into the room. where |
he was much affected but the blow seemed |
hardest on Ike mother of Mrs. Bissmger who |
was almost frantic. When the family had viewed |
the remains, the cofius were removed down |
stairs aud placed in row, side by side, the |
doors thrown open and the multitude gathered |
in front of the house permitted to pass through. !
About 1000 viewed tho bodies and thou sands |
were unable to get in before the hour for the |
funeral arrived
Rev. A. S. Leinbach conducted the services,
at the conclusion OF which the collins were re.
moved to the hearses by the Harmonic Manner
ch0r, and the procession wended its way to the |
Charles Evans Cemetery, where imterment was
made.
The Heading Eagle says that after the bodies
Of Mrs. Bissinger and her children were lowered
into the grave on Friday, it WAS evident that
considerable feeling was manifested particularly |
Oh the part of the women present. Men were
generally quiet and kept their own counsel but |
the women folks seem to be very bitter and they |
took no pains to hide their Indignation. Many |
cries OF chang him" &C., were heard when sir. |
Bissinger stood around the grave. Wm Y. |
Lyon, seeming to fear disturbance, took the |
officers and hurried Mr. Bissinger to his carriage !
and was driven at Il very rapid pace out of the |
cemetery and then home.