The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1878-02-01
II Sensational Scandal,
A Bethleham pa dispatch Of Jan. 2sth
tells the following scandAlous story of Sin,
shame and a heartless murder:

A Bethleham pa. dispatch of Jan. 26th
tells the following scanda lous story of Sin,
shame and a heartless murder:
The people of Northampton are excited over
scandal that has endci In murder by poison.
Adam Bartholomew is Il man eightysix years
OF age, and resides near tn: base OF the Blue
Ridge, in Moore township, shout ten miles
nOrth OF this place. He Is u man well TO do III
this worlds goods, and the owner OF several
large farms UntlI lately his household cou-
ed OF his wife. his widowed daughter, Mrs.
H"user. and hired RirI named Eliza Ann
Sptngier, aged eighteen years.
Eliza Ann was "A comeiy Datcn girl, and by
her willy manners cuptIvated the octogeuar. an
farmer. The intimacy between The two became
81 notorious hat AT the age OF seventy five the
mother WAS driven from home. and went to
live with daughter at Sicgfricds Bridge, on
the Lehixh The widowed daughter Mrs
Hhuser was an invaiid. suffering with dropsy.
She continued To live with her father and his
young charmer after the mother had let the
old home. though not in perfect harmony with
the woman who had usurped the place OF her
Mrs. Bartholomew was taken III and died
Then. with indecent haste, the two asked
neghboring Justice OF the Peace to marry
them. Indeed, the couple were ia the Squire :
office making their request when the funeral
procession passed the door, Neither the widow
er OF his servant sirl attended the burial. The
Justice refused lo marry the couple, and they
returned home. From that day tney Iived to-
gethpr MS in II married state. but there was trOu-
bic in store for them. Relatives protested, and
the invalid daughter refused To recognize the
woman SpanKler rs the head of the house.
On Tuesday, the 18th inst. Bart h0lomew and
his servant made another marraxeable at
=
ESQ, OF Bath. The scandal hal, howe, err,
spread over the entire township. and again t.ley
were unsuccessful. The woman then declared
she would no longer live in this dependent way.
something definite must he done to satisfy her.
Bartholomew ave her an ncxn " Itdged jung
ment against his property in the SUN OF $3.50,
conditioned tnat she live with him through the
remainder OF his lie. with this document u
her poSsession, she returned as Mrs. Bdrtholo-
new 10y agreement, and lost 10 time in inform
Ing Mrs. HouSer that now a different state of
sfatrs existed; that she was the head of the
house ana allowed the invalid five days in which
| to leave the premises. The daughter failed tn
leave, aud detted the W 1man ~ho had been iIi-
stalled in place of her mother. The ueighbors
feared trouble. and were scarcely surprised ON
"Wednesday last that Mrs Houser had died the
previous night.
Slowly the facts come to light Mrs. Houser
! was taken more than usually i'll on Tuesda y
of tea, but she refused to take it, Beug as
sured that II was harmless, she fipaliy consent
/ ed. BY midnight she corpse. Before
, daylight the body had been remoy ed neigh
bor's house t0gei her with all her worldly ef-
! fects. The District Attorney heard of the at
( lair. ana AT once directed the Coroner Ia cause
; post n1'rtem examination To be had. Coroner
: Upler proceeded to the scene and found tina
/ the church. The body was being carried into
the church when the Coroner reached thet e
= A conference enSued. and the corpse was hand
, ed over TO the aul hOritts nd the services ere
panneled, and eight witnesses were .xumiu-d
/ Their testimony was very damaging To the gir
Spangler. AS the ppst nertcm had not beer
completed and the case being very inpOrtan
one The inquest was adjourned.
Since the Larus poisoning. when three peO
pie were killed aud II whole family endangeI ed
nothing has caused so great sensation III thi:
[ section as he death of Mrs. Houser. That kus
hcient evidence Will he obtained for the con
/ viction of the woman Spnngler. there is hardl /,
doubt, and she is now under arrest.