The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1877-07-07
The Shooting in MahOning Valley.

miles up the Mahonlng valley, Wnlle |
engaged stealing cherries. The parti
culars of the affair as we learned, ap'
pear to be about as follows Late on
Saturday night party of boys and
young men, ranging in age from IA to
21 years, consisting of James Burke,
alias Kelley, Patrick O'Donnelt No. 1
and 2, Francis Malloy, Manus Bonner,
William Mclaughlin, William MCLEAN,
William Davis, Hugh O'Donnell, and
Frank Brady, left Summit Hill and pro-
ceeded to the Mahoning valley, with a
supply of baskets and pals, which they
proposed to fill with stolen fruit, before
the farmers were about Sunday morn
ing. A heavy storm Of rain accom-.
panied by vivid flashes Of lightning and
terrific peals of thunder, passing over
the valley between 8 and o'clock, they
were compelled to seek shelter, which
they obtained by entering an unoccu-
pied building, through the windows.
In this place they remained until the
storm had passed, when they proceeded
to the farm of Mr.. Amos Reigefjsoyer
which Mr.. Daniel E. Fritz has been
placed as manager or superintendent,
and commenced to gather cherries from
the trees, without asking permission
from any one. Being observed by Mr..
Fritz, ne armed himself with gun and
proceeded to the SPOT. Arriving there
he ordered them to iesist from picking
cherries and to leave the premises,
which they all appeared to do with the
exception of one James Burke, or Burke
Reilly, as he is called, young man
about 20 or 81 years of age, who loitered
on the tree, and, on 'fpally coming
down, became abusive TO Fritz and
commenced to throw stones at him,
whereupon Fritz went up to him and
struck him with his gum alongside the
head. Burke then reached to his pocket
and exclaimed Damn you, III shoot
you I" when Fritz, believing his own
life in danger, fred the contents of his
gun at the lower oxtlemities of Burke
but the latter STOPPING, as he supposed
to dodge the shot, received the load in
his neck. He staggered to and over the
fence into the road, where, sitting down,
he attempted to take off his coat, but
fell over dead before he could accom-
plish it. Fritz then went to his house,
but shortly returned and surrendered
himself to Justice of the Peace. A
coroner's jury was empanneled, aud
after hearing the testimony, rendered
the following verdict "That deceased
was shot by Daniel e. Fritz in self
, Defense" The following are the names
/ of the gentlemen who composed tht
jury Josiah Mhsselman, Thoma
: Musselman, Geo. Maurer, Elias Hop
pes, S. Slttler, Wilson Miller, Rober
Mclean, Daniel Kressley, A. Hontz
. Solomon Sitter, Samuel Zimmerman
5 and j. II. Arner.
~. On Monday afternoon, at the reques
' of District Attorney Siewers, DR.. ]. K
: Kistler held post mortem examination
on the body of deceased. Fifty ,sevel
wounds were discovered about the nee
/ and shoulders, and 80 shots were ex
tracted after which the body was in
y. tered in the Catholic Cemetery at Sum
. nit Hill.
!. THE HABEAs CORPUS HEARING.
l. About z O'Clock on Monday evenin
y Daniel Z. Fritz had habeas corpu
hearing at the Court House. in Mauc
C Chunk, before Hon. S. S. Dreher, Pre-!
d ident Judge, and his Associates, LeoI
ard and Wentl. The prisoner waive
all formalties relative to the warraI
# issued for his arrest. A large crowd
1t the curious were in attendance. II
District Attorney having announce
r. that he was ready to proceed, Edwai
u Gallagher, Que of the cherry picker
!" was called and, being sworn, depost
as follows :
r was up ON the tree with the rest in abo
=, | 10 minutes Ffit2 came out and said, "COI
vi down on them trees on l will shUOt Won -
iz all got uOWn ana some ran through the iel
~ | then Fr' said, Get out Uf that ueId, oc / W
shoot you out :" BIrhe jumped over IN the co
field whe g Fritz was 1 tnen heard n shC
Jim Burke atterWard cume runDing and Jump
in over the fence INTO tic rOad ne went uaCK
,s piece and tell down Paddy o Dannel a
no Daliny COnauan went 10 him anu he ii him
"a for a moment Whlie he was uying; he was sl
al IN the throat chm and shoulder he md
al sleBK after the shot was hreu / saw Fr
r. afterward and he had gun IN his hand he "
gong toward his son, who was staQdmg
apiece.
1e Cross examined by General Albrignt.-T
o parties with me were Burke, the two PADDY
ID Dpnnes, Francis MallOy, Manus SubueT, "
Y. | lie Mclaughlin, W illia Mclean, MIlle Day
ad Hugh O'DOnnell and Frank BTadV we W.
- aOOuU fifteen YarGs from the fence we did
10 have permission 10 go ON the trees we
IL summit Hlh abndt y O'clock ON SaturC
I II Pat; we got to Frtzs about daylight
IeT went IN an Odd Store nOlse near bN out OF
ralu we had Duokets aId DasKeIs to picK ch
rites In We n went over 10 the trees Wi
Jto Mclaughlin was one ast One TO COME down
in oil ran away buJ Burke
"a Daniel CUnuhun swOrn,-I was in the stC
ilu house at the time OI the shooting; Brady
le- me Burke WAS shot 3urke walked past
n, about Ten yards, turned around ana tTled 20
III OF AIS Cuat, ami tel.
ue CrOssexamined-Ic came with BurKe star