The New York herald., 1879-02-11
Brutal Assassination to Secure In
surance Money.
A SOLDIERS SHAME.
Raber Despatched for Fifteen
Hundred Dollars.
SIX MEN ACCU SED.

Wednesday next has been fixed for the hearing OF
the six imprisoned here to the charge of
the murder of old Joseph Raber to obtain $4,000 of
insurance money on his life. This murder is sur
rounded by web of romantic interest. Lebanon is
the county seat of Lebanon county and is about
hundred and fifty miles west of New York. on the
Allentown line to Harrisburg and the West. Here
are located the famous Cornwall iron hills,
owned by the Coleman estate. where General
Grant frequently passed his summer days
during his Presidency. But after the visitor
leaves the beautiful Lebanon Valley and trsverses
northward he reaches wild and desolate swamp
country and forest along the base OF the Blue Noun
tains 1t was in this dreary and barren backwoods
that old man Raber murdered. Passages through
the bleak hills are called gaps small settlement
fifteen miles from the county seat. is known In
diantown. Close by is Indantown Gap. and a lazy
muddy stream creeping through the forest is known
as Indiantown Greek. The houses or cabins Of the
backwoodsmen are miles apart. The region may be
said to be hundred years behind the age in many
things, yet the spirit Of speculation and deviltry
seems to be abroad here and fully abreast of the
| crimes of the most modern development.
FACTS CONCERNING RABER's DEATH.
| The allegation is that Joseph Raber
murdered Saturday afternoon, December 7, Of
last year. He was about sixty-fve years Of
age and without family. He was absolutely
penniless so poor that he went abroad to beg -four
and tobacco from the ncighbors. Yet few years
ago few of his acquaintances held policies Of in
surance on his life amounting to about $4,000
Raber species of tramp with settled or fixed
residence wandering about the forest and backwoods
country. working here and there. and irregularly
turning up in the vicinity OF Indantown when not
elsewhere employed 1t is stated that he struck
on the head with blunt instrument, thrown into
the shallow stream of the Indiantown Creek. and
few of the neghbors who knew that the body was
there allowed it to remain the water all that after
noon Saturday night and until Sunday afternoon be-
fore it dragged out by Coroner Armand Weber
and his jury. -. 1t appears there exists an az,
along this section OF country traversed by the
Blue Mountains. Old man Raber was selected
s were scssd with this mania for
surance speculation. They formed pool and in
vested all their surplus earnings; Strange to say
companies with agents willing to take risks OF that
kind Policies to the amount of $4,000 were issued
a Wild desolate and dangerous country. and among
class Of men that considered the taking OF human
'''' sEcKLEss INSURANCE BUSINESS.
Why $20OO0 OF the policies were dropped is not
definitely known more than that required too much
money to pay the premiums. Subsequent opinion
attributes it to the fact that the Job of numbering
the old man could not be successfully barganed for
and secured soon enough: that 1t was the intention
on the part of interested parties to have the
old killed mysteriously as soon AS possible after
the entire amount OF insurance on his life had been
arranged for; but, as the murderers could not be
employed the deed was not done. Raber was horn
in this vicinity Many years ago his wife deserted him
and their three children were apprenticed to trades.
Here also resided Charles Drews, one of the alleged
principals In the murder. Drews went brayely sll
was valiant soldier aud came home full Of honor.
His daughter married to young soldier in the
months ago Peters obtained furlough and left his
command that had been stationed along the coast OF
Maine. and returned home ON visit. He proceeded
to the house of his fatherinlsw, in the wild back
woods above described where he met his happy wife,
and found everybody apparently happy and getting
along toerably well. His wife was devoted woman
| to Peters and an ahectionste daughter.
ATTEMPTING TO HIRE AN ASSASSIN.
Soon after the young soldier, Peters, had returned
home he alleges that he realized that some wicked
| conspiracy on foot having for its object the
murder Of somebody in that vicinity, He was ap.
parties. all apparently having the same object in
view Finally he 80 alleges he ..vs was offered sasU 500
ters AS was told I'D that hat his furio1sh was was about
| expiring; that he could do the job without
| being suspected, aud with the money paid to
him cash in advance he could quietly leave home to
join his command. and nobody would ever entertain
the slightest suspicion that he had committed the
| crime. Peters says he refused this. few days
afterward the dead body of the old man was dis
covered in the shallow waters OF the stream. The
| and the body was taken from the water. The
| official refused the privilege OF bringing tho
into Ss any U ne nena
| the body into barn and there conducted tho
examination Of witnesses. number of persons tes-
titled, and one or two swore they saw the old man
crossing the plank the creek. and while in the
| act of crossing he fell into the water and was
ance they made evasive replies that excited consider
able suspicion. Notwithstanding the mystery sur
rounding the death ana inc ~ meapea upon
In the water the jury returned verdict OF accidental
| drowning. and the body WAS buried in q cemetery
miles away. This verdict, however, was not ut all
satisfactory and when IL learned that this large
amount OF insurance was held on the old mans life
suspicious OF foul play ut once arose. Tho jurymen
were not aware that deceased was insured ut all.
YOUNG PETERS STORY.
After the funeral the local press occasionally re-
| surance companies sent experienced detectives to
see what in the The young soldier, Peters.
was still ut his father-in-law's house, but alter
| naming there q few weeks he removed to Manada
| Hill, Dauphin county, about twenty miles away. He
posed that he had simply visited there to see
his relatives, but subsequent events developed
the fact that he removed there 70 escape the
are now charged with the murder of Raber. Ac-
cording to the sworn information OF this young
! soldier he WAS an eyewitness to that crmo. His
| story Is full of dramatic interest. Peters said
nothing to his wife his father-n-law that certain
parties had approached him to bargain for a murder
He tried to dismiss it from his mind. The young
soldier says he the bloody deed committed, and
Of the Ss ws Of the .s tss Us
| terrible blow. and the murderous twain had left
old Raber to drown aud die In the creek.
|
| battle without fnching any time, and brave
enough to engage in . hand-to-hand conflict
with any ordinary toe, quaed st the sight Of this
murder, lost his presence OF mind and was undeter
mined what to do. His desire first to rush from
the house to the creek and old Rabers life II
possible. Tho young wife was informed Of the
tragedy and she piteously pleaded that her husband
should not 20 near ror tear he too would be mur-
dered by those desperate men, The scene of the
murder was not one hundred yards away:
"Joscph. dear husband. do not go. You VIII
| be witness to old fathers terrible
crime DO not. I beg Of you. leave the
| house, but let us stay here and appear to know
nothing about IT,, exclaimed the almost heartbroken
| young woman. Duty gave way to the supplication
and pleading OF the young wife. and the young sol
der remained Ia doors. A half hour later the old
man came in and informed them that old Raber had
been seized with attack OF vertigo while crossing
| the creek, had fallen In aud was drowned. The
young soldier was amazed at the GOODNESS with which
the old man made this announcement
How do you know that p he quickly asked.
II saw him TALL in," replied the old man.
"Why. father, that water IL not eight inches deep.
II you saw him fall in you could have saved him
| In he oxcit oil