The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-08-23

READING, PENN, August 21.-Yesterda
I the funeral Of Mrs. Paul Bessipger aud be
three children, whose death by droHniD.
occurred hero Tuesday, took place. Tn,
utmost excitement prevailed, and very
large coneDurse Of people followed the DO
dies to the grave, the procession comprisins
over thirty carriages and not less than ,0Ot
people on foot. For an boEr before the
time for the funeral the house was sur
rounded by excited people, aud the excite.
ment was so great that a detaehnent oil
police kept guard on the premises.
The circumstances attending the death of
the mother and children were such as to
create the strongest iDterest, W hich pertakes
largely of indignation. Bessinger IS The
keeper of saloon here, and his family con.
sisted of himself, wife, and three small chill
dren-a boy and two girls. His mother also
made her home with his family. Of late, It
is said, there has been considerable unbapDi-
ness, caused, the neighboss say, by the i'll
treatment of Mrs. BessiDger by her husband
and his mother. The report commonly &C:
cepted Is, that Bessipger bad bestowed his
affections upon an Unmarried woman from
Pbiadelphia, who be often had at his house.
On Monday, as it is stated, a 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 $4,000 to 20
away and return no more, she TO take the
two girls and be to keep the boy !: and he
threatened to kill her if she returned. This
prospect of separation from one Of her chill
dren, added 10 the previous unhappiness of
her position, manifestIy preyed upon her
mind, and she was very much depressed.
On Tuesday, accompanied by her three chill
dren, she left the house and entered street.
car, in which she rode out OF he city for about
two and half miles to point on the bank
of the canal. She bad i basket with her, and
this she proceeded to ill with stones, her
children assisting her. Having filed il, she
bound it securely to her waist, and then,
tsking child under each arm and holding
the third child TO her breast, she jumped
into the canal. The cries of the children at
tracLed The attention Of a MAN who could not
swim, and before be could get help all were
drowned. The bodies were recovered and
removed to the house of the husband, and
he WAS notified of the occurrence, receiving
the news, it is said, while in company
with the woman who had caused the un-
happiness. So great was the Indignation
among the people at large that detachment
OF police was kept guarding his house from
the first until after the funeral. 1t is stated
that in the crowd in attendance yesterday
not less than fifty men, and even women,
were armed with pistols for the ayowed pur-
pose of shooting Bessinger. He was guard
ed by the police all the way to the grave and
back, and as further protection the coffin
containing the little boys body was placed
in carriage with him. When the bodies
had been lowered into the grave part OF
the crowd booted at Bissinger and mum.
Der of women endeavored to get at
him. One shot was fired at him without ef-
feet. He was instantly hustled in his car
rage and driven Oft. Another shot was
fred in passing the gate, and it is supposed
to have struck him, as he was carried from
the carriage into the house. Great indigna-
tion still exists, and lynch law continues to
be freely talked Of.