The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1882-02-18

Mahoney City, Pa, has been greatly
exercised over the fact that five boys,
named Clinton w. Winters, Herbert
Noakes, Henry and Philip Kline and
HerbaI't Entcrhister, found number
of old coins in field ajacent to the
borough. The coins are mostly En-
glish, and the dates on some of them
run back 200 years. The report of
their discovery spead like wild-fire
and hundreds rushed to the scene in
the hope that fortune had been
buried there. One person proceeded
to the spot with pick and shovel and
dug all around il, but without success.
The history of the field is only known
to one person in the place, an old
man named John A. Kleckner. Mr..
Kleckner is eighty years of age, keen
and intelligent. A correspondent called
upon him and learned the following
facts: In the year 1910, when the
country for miles around here was a
vast wilderness. and contained only
one house, country inn stood at a
point which is now the central part
of the town.
A Jewish person named Foulhoyer
was in the habit of going on horse
back with his wares from Reading to
Sunbury. On a particular day he
stopped at the inn in question. A
hunter from New Jersey, named
Bailey, was also stopping at the house.
When the peddler alightod, Bailey
carried in his ssddlc-bags for him.
While Going this he heard the jingle
of money, and, as the bag was heavy,
he came to the conclusion that there
was considerable gold and silver in it.
A desire for this money at once
preyed upon his mind, and murder
Gus spirit seized his heart. He ac-
cordingly proceeded up the mountain,
and lay in ambush for the approach of
the peddler. When FoulhoSer WAS
passing where be lay concealed, he
drew his rife upon linn and shot him
through the heart. The horse be
rode, strange to say, stood perfectly
still, and Bailey approached aud ritled
The saddle bags. Taking all the gold
and silver therefrom, he carried the
bags, with the smaller coin, to the
point where the contents were recently
found by the boys, and deposited
them in the earth. Bailey then went
to Reichstorlon, the proprietor. See
ing his hands and clothes besprinkled
with flood he asked him the cause.
He replied that he had shot deer.
He then left the inn and was not
heard of for some time.
Persons going along the road found
the body of the peddler and it was in
tered by the roadside. a small
mound marks the spot to this day,
and people from adjoining places
never pass the place without referring
to the fate the peddler met. Bailey
was traced to New Jersey by the
authorities and arrested. lie was
taken to Reading, lodged III Jail and
tried for the crime. The circum-
stantial evidence was strongly against
him, aud he was found guilty and
subsequently hanged. Before his
death he made confession in which
he stated where he buried the saddle
bags, but the exact spot never could
be found.
This case is spoken Of as the first
white man murdered by another in
cold blood in the district that now
comprises Schuykill county. The field
in which the money was found had
recently been plowed and the coins
turned to the surface had been cleaned
by the rains, thus leading to their dis
covery. One boy holds over three
hundred of them. All the possessors
of the coins hold them with tenacity.
The subject at present is the sole topic
of conversation, and a thousand differ
ent stories are afoat. This is the true