Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1883-11-07
A Pistol at a Wedding.
MINISTER FORCED TO .oFr1c1ArE.
One of the Members of the Notorious
Welsh Mountain Gang Marrying
Deaf and Dumb GmI-.9n
Exciting Chase after
the Outlau.
From the Philadelphia Times.

professor Jake Bonsall, the
young desperate and highwayman
who became the commander of the
notorious Welsh Mountain gang of
land pirates after Ike Buzzard was
deposed and locked in Lancaster
Jail few months ago, has just placed
the capsheaf on his criminal record
in Berks, Lancaster and Lebanon
counties by forcing a minister, at the
point of a pistol, to marry him to
Miss Lydia McComas Kline, the
young, rich, pretty and deaf and
dumb niece of Jacob V. Fletterman,
of Norwegian township. The en-
forced marriage ceremony was per
formed on Thursday last in the house
of an ignorant German farm hand
named Andrew Book, who lives on
the road between Schaefferstown, in
Lebanon, and Cocalico, III Lancaster
counties. On Friday the girl disap-
peared from her uncle's house, and
yesterday Bonsall and tramp called
"Horse' Spiegle were brought to
bay by Constable Schwartz, Mr. Fet
terman and two other men. in Klineis
woods, near the spurs of the noun
tains, near Womelsdorf Both sides
engaged in pistol practice at long
range and when the constable's posse
emPtied their revolvers and Bonsall
did not surrender, they retreated,
leaving the representative of the
Welsh Mountain gang in possession
of the bloodless field.
SEPARATING PAIR OF LOVERS.
Bonsall is the son OF Berks coun-
ty farmer and is not more than thir
ty years old. Three years ago he
taught school in Norwegian town
ship, and during the winter boarded
with Alr. Fletterman, whose daugh-
ter Addie he became infatuated with
and wanted to marry. Fietterman
made some inquiries about Bonsall,
and learning that he WAS dissipated
and had been arrested In Reading for
garroting and robbing a drunken
man he ordered him out of the house
He also endeavored to have him re
moved from his position as teacher
of the district school, but failed
Bonsall then went to board at
neighboring farm and kept up a Sc
cret correspondence with Miss Flet-
terman, Miss Kline, who was at that
time sixteen years of age, carrying
the letters between the separated
lovers. Miss Kline is an orphan and
has for eleven years lived with her
uncle, who holds in trust for her 1885,
600, which is her share of her faith
ers estate She is a blonde and very
pretty, and, although deaf and dumb,
has had several offers of marriage
When Bonsall learned that she was
an heiress he at once began making
love to her, and although lie is nei-
ther handsome nor intelligent she
fell in love with him and, III order to
keep her rival cousin out OF the field,
exposed her letters to Mr. Fletter-
man. He at once sent his daughter
to Philadelphia, where she still lives.
Before the school term ended Bon
sail was accused of stealing a gold
watch from Henry W. Zuhch Con
stable Hoffman then attempted to az
rest THE Professor" who, III the
school room, in the presence of his
pupils, drew a revolver, shot the offl-
Ger through the shoulder, dashed out
of the house, jumped into the Con
stables sulky and drove of. He
went West and did not appear in this
part of Pennsylvania until last spring,
after Zulich was dead. Shortly af-
ter that he was arrested in Bethle-
hem for robbery. The charge was
not proved, and in Easton few days
later The Professor" stabbed a
tramp called Dublin Dan.' with
whom he quarreled over the division
OF the proceeds of a robbery. He
spent the summer travelling about
Lebanon, Berks and Lancaster coun-
ties and although the police authori-
ties have suspected him of scores of
offenses they were unable to fasten
any of the crimes upon him. He
made his headquarters while in the
Welsh Mountains with the Freeligs,
Strouses and other families connect
ed with the Buzzards.
THE MARRIAGE.
Last Thursday morning Miss
Kline left her uncle's house, saying
that she intended to pay a visit to a
girl friend who lived half mile off.
That afternoon. as the Rev. Andrew
j. Hoechler was driving from Schaef-
ferstown to Cocalico, he overlook.
Bonsall, whom he did not know. At
his invitation Bonsall got into the
carriage. They had not gone one
hundred yards together before Bon
sail grabbed the lines, pulled the
horse to a standstill and excitedly
asked:
Are you preacher?"
The astounded minister replied,
"Yes."
Then you are the man I'm look
ing for. | was just making for Co
calico when you met with me.
With that he deliberately turned
the horse around towards Schaeffers-
town Mr.. Hoechler objected, ON
the ground that he had business to
attend to and could not go back
You must CO. said Bonsall.-I
This is business, and if you make
any fuss there will be trouble" Then
he told the minister that two miles
back there was a dying man who
wanted to make "a confession that
would release an innocent man from
the penitentiary. They drove two
miles, got out and walked half mile
across the fields to the cabin of Book.
Bonsall went in without and when
Mr.. Hoechler enteree .sThe Profess