The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1892-04-06
Good Prospects for a
Neck-Tie Party.

Y t4ou -tf Observation-Disclosures thTfe
years ago by the Nicely brothers-and May
term OF court viii have to deal with erimi-
nals Of all degrees.
The latest tragedy occurred about five
O'Clock Wednesday afternoon, when Jona-
than C. Hochsieiler was dubbed to death
on public highway crossing the Laurel
Hill mountains, two and half miles above
Trent postofiioe in MiddIeereek township.
There is not shadow of doubt bat that
the victims life was taken BY men who
had sworn to be avenged because he made
their illicit occupation known to officers of
the Internal Revenue Department
RosERr MILLER TELLS THE STORY OF THE
MURDER.
A HERALD reporter visited Robert Miller
in the jail Friday night, when he told the
following story:
! was setting in the house ready 10 go 10
Trent aud had paper in my hand writing
down a few things my wife wanted me to
get at the store, when old daddy came in and
said, the detectives are looking for us, you
are the main man, come cut here, behind
the house there's man who can tell you
more went cus and Bill Pitts was there
BE lad 4 quart ofwhisky AID gave ne
drink. We started up the mountain and
saw three bnggies coming down the road
They pointed to the buEgies and one ofthem
said, When we tell you thing you can
count on it" We went on to Crab run, l
was behind and the two men we're talk
ing and made something out. Cd daddy
went on ahead Pdtts said let Us 60
np behind big tree Saw q man come
Old daddy said. win We try it or not2 Bill
Pritts answered 90 ahead. Then one of
them said well all stick together and daddy
said III halt him and we'll capture him.
That was the first knew of what they were
going % do. As Hochstettler came nearer
old daddy stepped into the road and throw
ing up his gun cried Halt Halt Yony pick
ed up stone and said Cd d-n you Iii
halt and let the stone fly at daddy. Daddy
shot his gun in the air as ifto scare The man.
-Yonyn stepped across the road and picked
up the stone a second time and threw it at
daddy; this time the stone struck him on
the shoulder Then old daddy hit him on
the head with the bat Of the gun the sec
ond blow brought him down part way.
was standing on the bank on the right
with gun in my hand when 'Yony" look
ed up aud cried, Bob, shoot ne; Cd d-n
you" Old daddy bit hin a third time with
his gun and then "Yony" said Bob don't
let them Kill me-" he was groaning fear
fully and cast my old mnSket acros. the
road and threw my arm out 10 protect him
from daddy's blows with the gun. Daddy
struck two more licks. but they were too
severe for my arm and could only break
their force but little Here the prisoner
barred his left arm to show the abrasion on
the skin where the gun had struck him. The
arm was not discolorsd-l
was awfuily excited and don't know
how often daddy struck him; but I think
five times: the third blow brought him TO
the ground. Pitts was on ~YOnny's" back
and had good hold on lisIs K didn't See
Prirts strike "Yony.7 Hoehstetler was
moaning and groaniug at terrible rate and
when one Of the men said lei Is pull him of
the road, started 10 run and said I'm
going to tell this snd am going right down
and give myself up, IL knew this was what
yen were after wouldn't have come along
They called me back and said that /
shouldn't run away that they would see that
didat get hurt, that they would protec;
me-" They then dragged "Yony" down to
the water and threw him in. face down. He
groauei and gurgled and I ran up snd pulled
his head and shoulders CIT OF the water snd
laid him on the sand.
They Eantsd to make me go back and
put his bead into the water again, bot that
was too tough. aud started 10 rga toward
the Scott road. and in the direction Of home,
They said don't run, lots Of men will stick
to Us and we weil see that you won't get in
! to any difficulty [ didn't stop, bat they
| soon eanght up With me and wouldn't let
me 90 homo. They said il went home I'd
be captured. We went on down to Jake
GeaTy's mill. 1t vas Just getting dark. Old
/ daddy went into Jzke's house and told
/ Pritis and me 70 walk on up the read II
got too cold, and me and PTitts went into
/ the house, too. Abe Fletcher and Jake
/ GearT were both there. Old daddy aud
Pritts told these men that the detectives
were coming, and that they were close; that
they were going to take them forthwith
snd that they had better fix up and 90 along
Abe Fletcher said that be had TO go home
first, but Gesry got ready, took up MS rife
and went along. We four went up the bill
to Abe Pleicher's shanty, and after little
Abe came to Us. The shanty is q half mile
above Geary's mill. There was coal stove
there and they made fire We sat around
till about I2o'clock, when laid down on a
board and went to sleep. When | got aEaks
Abe was gone. II daylight old daddy
and Pritis called me OFT behind the house,
and when I told them | vas going home
/ they told me never to give them away,
whether was arrested or not. called TO
Geary to come on, and We started. When
We got near Geary's house we saw a squad
Of men leayins there and when we went &c
the house we found that they were looking
| for -Yony" Hochstetler. l toll Geary
would 20 after those fellows and help to
hunt for him caught up with them al
old daddy's house, billy Gsbe Hochstetlei
and Milton Berg. They told me what they
were out on and asked me If wouldn' I
help hunt for @Yonyr Billy Gabe said
Where was you last night2' told him
over above Jake Gezry's. He then said
"WiH you 20 along over to Geary's till We
see whether you were there this morning.
Ms. Geary told them had been Then w
went I'D to Gallenfine's and met Abe Pletch
er at the sugar camp, and he said was with
him that night, bat none Of rs told then
that old daddy and Pritts had been there
too. At dinner time We met the other fel-
lows who were looking for HYony." tolC
Milton Berg 10 60 down 20 old daddy
(whsre my wife vas) with me and to let th'
other fellows 20 strsight through. He wen