The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1881-01-01
Double murder and LynchinR Near
RetInlehena.

Double murdsr and I.ynchinR Near
Bethlehem.
Jacob Geagle and wife, German farmers,
living four miles west Of Bethlehem, at the
little village Of shntee's Mills, were brutal
ly murdered Sunday night, while sleeping
in their bed. At 3 O'Clock Monday morn
ing, Joseph Snyder, hailing from Easton,
who has been boarding with the Geagle
family, went to neghboring farm house,
and awakening the inmates, related the
terrible death of the couple, stating that he
had been awakened by noise, and, on going
down stairs, found them murdered in their
bed.
The news spread quickly, and almost be-
fore daylight hundreds from the surround
ing country were on the scene. The bodies
were found lying side by side, as though
they had been killed instantly and without
struggle. The brains of both were scatter
ed over the bed, walls,aud ceiling, and their
throats were cut from ear to ear. Four
children sleeping up stairs were aroused by
the noise below. The eldest, a girl Of 16,
said she went to the stove pipe hole and,
looking down, saw their boarder, Joseph
Snyder, cleaning the floor and walls from
the blood with which they were spotted aud
burning the clothing he had on. When he
had finished, he started for her room, but
her cries for assistance, mingled with those
of the younger children, frightened him
away.
At eleven o'clock Monday morning, De-
tective Yohe found the murderer, Snyder,
secreted in a baru not far from the scene of
the tragedy. lie was taken to the spot
where the bodies lay, and during the time
the Coroner's jury was in session, made
full confession 10 Rev. D. F. Brendle, stating
that he had murdered them with an axe
while they were sleeping, the intention be
ing to commit ielonious assault upon the
eldest daughter. When the crowd, number
ing now about $50 to 200. heard this, they
grew wild with excitement, and cries OF
Lynch him." "StriHg him up" &C., were
heard on all sdes-among the loudest being
the voices Of the women. 1t was no sooner
said than done, and almost before the officers
of the law could realize it, the prisoner was
dragged from barn where they were guard.
ing him, and rope was placed around his
neck, the other end thrown over the CON
venient limb Of tree, and his body jerked
skyward, where it hung long after life had
departed. The officers did everything in
their power to save tie prisoner, butthe ex
cited and infuriated crowd hurled them
aside, threatening personal violence if they
iuterfered.
After the body had been hanging about
half an hour the Coroner. coming down with
his jury, met a man on the stairs, who said,
Here is another subject for you-look at
this" and pointed to the tree. The Coru-
ner's jury had just rendered verdict "that
the said Jacob and Anna Geagle came to
their death by blows and cuts inflicted upon
their heads and bodies with an axe in the
hands Of Joseph Snyder, December 26."
"Who did this?" said the Coroner. Why
=
the people did. said some one, BY and by
the District Attorney, G. NJ. Austell, arrived
The body Of the murderer lay at the foot OF
the tree. "This is all wrong, all wrong
said he. ais it ?" said respectable farmer.
"Go in and see what this man did. This is
all right. You don't get any more men off
on the ground of insanity" "Did You have
hand in this ?" said the District Attorney
"No, sir; but it is right" "Do you know
who did ?" mo, and don't care. 1t was
good thing to do
But as the officers of the law came, max
ing inquiries the crowd dispersed. No in
quest has yet been held on Snyder's body.
LATER.-When caught and brought back
he was so cool and indilierent-so brutally
careless in the manner in which he confess
ed-that there was an uncomfortable desire
for summary punishment These quiet
Pennsylvania farmers were influenced by O
wrath that. without being administrative
was terrible to witness Their faces wer,
pale and their teeth set When the Coroner
went off up stairs with his jury, they listen
ed tn the conversation between the clergy.
man aud the murderer, and they made
= rush for him. He cody smiled when they
= bad hun under the tree, and carelessly
kicked the snow around with his foot. IL,
, never asked for mercy, and he made no re
, sistance.
Who hung HIM? Those who were there
. and saw it all say they do not know. Blu
! men have been heard To say since +"
was there, and lent hand b. swinging hin
up" TIE leading men III the neighborhooC
were there and, 1t is said, all took hand
II was mere youth who climbed the tire,
and fixed the rope. 1t was women Who die
most us the shouting,and cried Tor yengeanc,
The men said very little, The rope was
hempen bed cord. Il was not long enougl
for all to get hold of who wanted to. Mel
J. joined hands aud pulled at the men VIII,
}, held the rope. II they had not hung him
, IT is saidShat the women would have tori
him in pieces.
q, The authorities will take some action, o
E course. Those who took part in the lynch
= ing are known. The officers present saw
the men, and all engaged are guilty as prn
clpals. But the sympathies of the psopl,
/ are with the lynchers.
e AT Squire Fradennecks office. in Bethle
!. hem, tue same jury which held the lnques
$ on the murdered couple met Monday even
a ing, aud rendered verdict TO the eilec
that Joseph Snyder came to his death bl
hanging, at the hands Of persons unknown
To the jury.
BELL Dedication.