The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1875-11-27
The sehneeksxille Murder.

Some time on Friday afternoon, OF
last week, says the Allentown Morning
Herald, Mrs. Maria Schneck, aged 90
years, the wife of Mr.. Joseph Schneck,
was murdered at the residence Of the
family, situated about two miles from
Schnecksville, near Hollenbach's mill,
Lo~hill township. The circumstances
of the murder are briefly these /: Mr..
Schneck, who had been away from
home since noon on Friday. returned
soon after five o'clock on that evening,
and shortly afterwards entered the
house Of his nearest neighbor, Mr..
Peter Scbmick, and, In state Of great
excitement, Informed him that some
thing was wrong at his house. He
g. ID that when he reached homo he ex.
pected TO find his wife engag ed In the
preparation OF supper, but wa 8 surpris.
ed to 6nd everything dark and no sign
of life about his home. He approach
ed the house and called his wife, but
there was no response. At this he be-
gan TO be alarmed and suspecting soue-
thing wrong, be went to the barn and
hid his pocket book, and then going to
the house he opened the door cautious.
ly, and went In, carefully feeling his
way In the darkness. In the kitchen
he stumbled over something on the
floor, and reaching down became aware
that o dead body was there. He touch
ed the cold hand and thrilled with hOr-
ror, In his excitement and fear he rush
ed from the house, terrified and amaz-
ed, TO alarm his neighbors and get 9TH
ers to search his home with him, and
uncover the horror which the darkness
yelled. Snch was the story with which
Joseph Schneck, pale and terrified,
burst In upon the family Of Mr.. Schmick
on Friday evening. At once COM
pany Of neighbors was gathered, lights
were procured, and In body they pro-
ceeded to what proved to be the scene
of Q tragedy. And when they reach
ed Joseph Schneck's home they discov-
cred this: Close to the churn at which
she evidently had been at work, stretch
ed on the floor lay the body Of Mrs.
Sehneck In pool OF blood, while ar
ouhd the floor, the walls, the churn, O
chair, were spatted and splashed with
the dark red stains. She had evident
ly been struck q number of times with
some sharp, hevay instrument, and the
face was battered and smashed beyond
recognition. The arm and shoulder
were bruised, the Jaw and nose broken
aud with o terrible blow on the cheek
bone, these were evidences OF the 1end.
ish brutality with which the lady had
been beatan TO death. Searching the
house, desk In an adjoining room was
found broken open, the drawers pulled
out and the contents thrown about the
floor. Mr.. Schneck was unable to say
whether anything Of value had been
carried away, so that II 10 uncertain
whether the murderer secured the booty
he appeared by the condition Of the
desk TO have been after. No weapon
could be found at that time which step-
cd to be the instrument used Tor the
preparation OF the murder, but on SAT-
urday morning there was found under
O porch an axe, thH blade Of which had
been carefully washed, but the handle
stained with blood, bore evidence OF
the terrible use to which It had heen
put. Mr.. Schneck had left his house,
he stated, at eleven o'clock on Friday
morning, and had been engaged all
the afternoon 81 the sale Of property Of
his late brother, John Schneck, which
took place ct Schnecksviile. None OF
the neighbors had seen anyone around
the house during the afternoon, and
though there were. vague stories Of
tramps Afoat. no one could be found
who had seen strangers In that immedi-
ate neighborhood that afternoon. The
hired man Ackes was away, and for 3
time suspicion rested upon him, but he
has been able 10 clearly prove an allbi,
and the bloody deed 30 far must be cat
alogued ~ . "mysterious crime" DR..
w. p. Kistler made very careful ex-
animation of the wounds on the body,
and on the arrival Of Squire Peter Gross
an Inquest was held at the house of
Mr.. Daniel Semmel. The Jury sat
until tho early morning Of Saturday
and then adjourned to meet again ut
eight o'clock, when they rendered .
verdict that the deceased came 10 her
death at the hands OF some person or