The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1875-08-27
IFrom the Philadelphia Times.l
Four Graves i'm 0ne-Strange Scene
i'm n Reading Cemetery.
READING, Penn, August p

READING, Penn, August 21.
The funeral of Mrs. Philip Bissinger
and her three children, whose deaths by
drowning occurred here Tuesday, took
place in this city yesterday. The Mt
most excitement prevailed, and very
large concourse of people followed the
bodies to the grave, the procession COM
prising over thirty carriages and not less
than one thousand people on foot. For
an hou- before the time appointed for
the funeral the house was surrounded
by an excited crowd, and the excitement
was so great that detachment Of police
kept guard on the premises. The cir
cumstances attending the death of the
mother and children were such as to
create the strongest interest, which par
takes largely of indignation. Bissinger
is keeper of a saloon in this place, and
his family consisted of himself, his wife
and three children. His mother also
made her home with his family. OF
late there has been considerable nnhap-
piness, caused, the neighbors say, by
the treatment of Mrs. Bissinger by her
husband and his mother. The report
commonly accepted Is that Bissingei
had bestowed his affections upon an un-
married woman from Philadelphia
whom he frequently had at his house
On Monday, as it is stated, quarrel
took place between the husband and wife
on this account, and he ordered her out
of his sight He told her he would
give her s., 900 to go away and return
no more-she to take the two girls and
he TO keep the boy-and threatened tC
kill her If she returned. This prospec
of separation from one of her children
added to her previous unhappiness, man
ifestly proved upon her mind, and sh'
was very much depressed. On Tuesday
accompanied by her three children, sh'
left the house and entered n street car
in which she rode ont of the city for
distance of about two and a half miles Il
Il point on the bank of the canal. Sh
had basket with her, ane this she pro
ceeded to fill with stones, her ehildrel
assisting her. Having filled the basket
she bound il securely to her waist, am
then taking child under each arm, an
holding the third to her breast, sh
jumped into the canal. The cries of III
children attracted the attention of MAJ
who could not swim, and before he eoul,
get help all were drowned. The bodie
were recovered and removed to the hons
Af the husband. and he was notified q
the occurrence, receiving the news, it
said, in the company of the party VIII
had caused the unhappiness. So grea
was the Indignation among the people a
large that detachment of police wa
kept guarding the house of Bissinger til
after the funeral. 1t is stated that in tn
crowd in attendance yesterday not les
than fifty men, and even some womer
were arrested with pistols for the avow
ed purpose of shooting Bissinger. Fl
was guarded by the police all the way
the grave and back, and, as a fHrthe
protection, the coffin containing the Iii
tie boys body was placed in the earring
with him. When the bodies had bee
lowered into the graves part ofthe crow
hooted at Bissinger, and a number {
women tried 10 get at him. One she
was fired at him without effect. He Wa
then instantly hustled into his carriag
and driyen off. Another shot was fire
at him while passing the gate, and
supposed to have struck him. as he wa
carried from the carriage into the hous
Great indigna tion still exists IN the cit.
and Lynch law is freely talked of.