Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1880-12-28
MURDER AND LYNCH Law.
A BLOODY CRIME AND QUICK RE.
TRIBCTlON.

Judge or Jury.
The state of Pennsylvania has been
stained by the first lynchiug that has ever
occurred within its borders. Jacob Gogle
and Annie, his wife, with their three
children, aged respectively Q, IL and 16
years, a quiet German family, lived in the
little hamlet Of Santee's Mills, four miles
north of Bethlehem. on the Lehigh 4
susquehanua railroad. Joseph Snyder, p
years Of age, Of Easton, Pa, worked in an
ore bed in the neishborhood and boarded
in the family. He had frequently made
improper advances toward Alice, the pre-
possessing daughter of Mr.. Gogle, aged
lG. The daughter had complained to her
parents of the actions of Snyder, ard
her father had had several stormy inter-
views with him, telling him that he must
either leave the house or stop ct once his
disagreeable attentions to his daughter.
On Saturday they had bitter quarrel, and
| Snyder was told that he must pay his board
and leave the house. On Sunday, Snyder
remained home in cheerful mood, join
ing with the children and two girl friends,
who had come from F.rmersville, few
miles distant, to spend the night with
them, i'll singing their Christmas anthems,
which they were practising for an enter
tainmcnt in which they were to take part
in few days. The family including Sny-
der retired at the usual hour. At2o'clook
yesterday morning George Il. Ritter. who
lives f.w rods from the Gosle resi-
! dence, was awakened by Snyder, who said
that robbers had been to the house and
murdered Mr.. and Mrs. Gogle. Ritter
called his hired man, Hugh Sandt, who
accompanied Snyder. The two stopped at
the house of Joseph Santee, and they has
tened to Goggles house. In the room oc
cupicd by Goslc and his wife shocking
spectacle was presented. A prcttily
wrought bei-quilt' was removed from the
head of the bed and there were exposed
to view the murdered couple, Jacob Gogle
and his wife Annie, the former about 38
and the latter 81 years of age. The in
strument with which the deed had been
committed, al axe, was still lying Cross
wise over the breast Of the woman, as
placed there by the murderer. The sharp
end Of the axe had been used in doing the
work. Mr.. Goggles head presented a
shocking appearance, the upper portion of
frightful cash had been made across the
mouth. His bead was almost severed.
Mrs. Goggles skull was also fractured
side, weltering i'll their blood.
country had by this time iocked to the
Everybody present was so excited that it
was difficult to obtain any particulars Of
the tragedy. Before o'clock Snyder had
mystcriously disappeared. From the
children it was learned that Snyder had
entered their room in the night and en-
deavored to accomplish Il hell;sh purpose
on Alice, the eldest daughter. Not sue
ceetling in his purpose, he locked their
door On the outside. Then it is sup
posed that he went down stairs and
murdered the sleeping couple. Snyder
was attired in shirt only, and with his
hands dripping with blood, he crept back
into Alice's room. She had companion
sleeping with her, and as soon rs ho
touched the bed they awoke and ran
screaming from the room. He followed,
and drove them and the children into the
upper room, and locked the door.
Through 4 stOvepipe hole they saw him
burn his shirt in the room below. Then
he dressed himself, let them out, and took
them to tic room where the murdered
parents lay, saying that burglars had done
the deed, and that he was going to alarm
the neighbors.
With Snylcr's disappearance from the
premises there also disappeared four
barrel revolver, which was kept in al
empty cigar box Oh the window sill in Mr..
Goggles bedroom. The revolver was
owned by Mr.. Gosle. Under the dircc-
tion of Detective Yohe, the country was
secured to find Snyder. Every foot print
was followed, and at length Yohc, search
ing through the straw in Capt. Ritter's
barn, caught the murderer by the leg. lie
made no resistance, and tho detective
handcutTcd him and took him to the scene
of the tragedy, followed by large crowd
of persons, who yelled ''Hang him -
found on Snyder. At about $50 4. m.
Coroner Uhler drove to tho house in a
sleigh. The prisoner was taken into the
house and carefully guarded by Detective
YOhe with revolver in hand. Threats Of
hanging the prisoner were continuously
made. The people would not listen to any
reasoning. The Rev. D. +. Bremlle OF
Bethlehem, who was present, asked the
prisoner
Did you do this dreadful thing ~
Yes, l did, he answered.
When asked why, he said lightly "Ah,
that is the question:
The coroner started with the jury to go
to room upstairs. AS soon as be was
gone the crowd entered and hustled the
detective out of the way. A ropo was
thrown over Snydcr's neck, and he was
dragged and pushed to the door. The
clergyman implored the lynchers to pause
and addressing Snyder, said "Thcy will
make short work will, yoa do you want
to say a prayer p
lie answered "No, want to le hung.