The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1891-04-02
The UmbergeT Tragedy.
Story Of the Crime.

foothills OF tDe LtutCt
mile north Of the village Of Jenner'oWh
and twelve miles north Of Somerset Inc
dwelling was occupied by farmer her
man T-mlercer and his wife, Mamie hor-
per a ten.vear-old granddaughter Of
AIrs Tmberger. and Ella Stern, servant
yiI II seems that farmer Amberger
haa little confidence in BANKS, and rather
than trust his money TO them, he kept IL
with him in bis house. The Tact that
he always had a large amount Of cash ID
his house appears to have been well
known. For several months prior to the
murder he had made q special effort to
collect in all money that he had at IN
tarest. When cautioned by neighoors
ofthe danger Of keeping 50 much money
in his house. he invariably replied that
he was able to protect his property
lie was man Of powerful strength, ana
was a stranger 10 fear, but had been
greatly debilitated by increasing age and
sickness.
The family had partaken Of a late sup
per Wednesday evening, February =,
1889. and the inmates Of the house were
together in the sitting room when, the
hour being about o'clock, knock was
heard at the front door and the hired
girl was told by the mistress Of the house
10 20 70 the door and see who was there
The door was opened, and two men step
ped into the room. saying, Good even
ing Mr.. Umberger" They were invited
to sit down and took chairs facing Mr.
Umbenger, and with their backs TO the
females. After some conversation they
said they were officers that ieweiry
box had been lost between Jenner and
Iohnstown, and they had a search war
rant to search every house between the
two places unless the box was found, and
that. although the duty was unpleasant,
they would have to search his house.
One Of the strangers Was a large man,
with a yellow spotted handkerchief tied
around his chin. The other was com
paratively small man, dressed in dark
clothes, and wearing derby bat and
gum boots. The latter did all the talk
ing and made the search, his companion
remaining in a standing position IN the
sitting room Mr.. Umberger, accomDan-
led by his wife and granddaughter, con
Quoted the stranger into the parlor which
adioins the sitting room, where he made
a cursory examination Of the articles 10
1t. and then passed into the room adjoin-
ing-Mr. Umbergef's bedroom. In abureau
drawer in this room were two long pock-
ct books in which Herman Umberger
had laid away the earnings Of long life
of labor. toll and strict economy, from
twenty TO twenty-five thousand dollars
in currency, besides papers to the value
of from fifteen TO twenty thousand dol
lars. On opening this drawer farmer I'm
berger said. these pocketbooks contain
little change guess you don't want
10 examine them" The stranger replied
that he did not, ane the little party re-
turned 10 the sitting room. by this time
the suspicious Of Mr. Umberger began tc
be aroused, and stepping back into the
bed room he took the pocket books from
the drawer and, being without his coat
placed them in the inside pocket Of hi
vest. and again returned TO the sittini
room. As ne stepped into the sittinl
room the smaller of the two mel
whipped ont revolver and pointing
il full in the farmers face demanded
the money or his life. Then ensned {
fearful struggle. The robber fired fou
shots from his revolver, and as he did :,
the little girl and the hired girl rushe,
ont of the hosles, eiio a.s-.-- > i,er, ~
" -. ~ . rang the large din
ner bell. She had given the bell rop
but one OF two pulls when she heard on
more shot, when her husband staggere,
into the kitchen and fell dead at her feet
shot through the heart
The ringing Of the bell and the scream
Of little Mamie and Miss Stearn soor
brought a number of terrified neighbon
10 the farm house, who were Mortified I,
learn of the ghastly tragedy that ha,
been enacted there The murderers
with their booty, escaped in the dark
ness
Mrs. Umberger thought that her hus
band recognized one of the men and that
they killed him on that account, as they
could easily have overpowered him and
secured the money without doing him
any bodily harm.
The news Of the terrible crime spread
with great rapidity throughout the com.
munity, and caused the most intense ex-
citement. People for miles around flock
ed 10 the scene of the murder early the
next morning and searching parties were
Organized and started out in every direc-
ton. The murderers could be tracked
for some distance through the snow, the
tracks leading in the direction of the
mountains
DESCRIPTION oF THE AssAssINs
Mrs. Umberger, Ella Stern, and Mamie
HOrner gave the following description Of
the murderers. The larger OF the men
Nas a,s0nt feet 10 inches tail, weighing
perhaps l70 pounds, wore cap. dark
overcoat, and overalls with yellow stripes.
he kept his mouth and cheeks covered
with two red handkerchiefs with white
dots. the one having larger dots than the
other. he appeared to be about thirty-i i've
years of age. and Mrs. Umberger dis
tinguished him from the other as the
-'red faced man"
The other man was about five feet
seven inches tall. and wore a brown
derby hat, with hole in the crown, and
wore it set back on his head. He had
long mixed gray whiskers aad moustache
but both had the appearance % being
false also his hair. which was kind OF
curly and tangled lie wore dark
overcoat, dark cloth trouser, aud gum
b0o<s.
TEACHING THE MURDERERS.
shortly after the alarm was sounded
by lIrs. Umberger. the neighbors came
running in and made every possible
effort 20 follow the mnrderers but the
trail Was soon lost in the darkness
Thursday morning the tracks OF the men
were traced from the house 20 the noun
tain The footprints revealed peculiar