The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1894-08-03
DOWN ON THE
MUMMEYFARM
The Farmer and His HOusekeeper
Have a Battle Royal.
BOTH BEFORE A JUSTICE
An Incident of Country Life When the
Corn is Waving-A Farm Hand to
the ReScue-COunter Suits.

The society circles of North Union town
ship have been again shaken to their very
foundations by a scandal in the household
of Tax Collector Joseph Mummey, arising
out of quarrel between that gentleman
and Mrs Amanda Hill, his housekeeper
Mummey is farmer and has had Mrs
Hill and her two children in his house
hold for over year. Mrs. Hill is what
is known as a grass-widOw. Mr.. Mummey
is a widower. Last night both figured in
law suits before Justice II. Il. Williams, in
this town. 1t is said they have antagOniled
each other in several previous law suits,
but have still continued to retain the re
lationship OF employer and emplOye.
As the story of the present case goes,
Mrs. Hill, on Wednesday last, took
Mummey's two horses and carriage and
drove to town with Mrs. Letzel and Miss
Phoebe Carl, who are also residents of the
township. Arriving in Shenandoah Mrs.
Hill put the horses and carriage in a
stable aud proceeded with her friends to
Pottsville.
While at the county seat Mrs. Hill ex-
pended money with a lavish hand and
would not allow either of her friends to
spend any money She paid for the din
ners and male several purchases, and had
| very enjoyable day all through.
AT midnight Wednesday Mrs. Hill
arrived at the Mummey farm and from
| that time trouble brewed Mummey
claimed that the money with which Mrs
| Hill enjoyed herself at Pottsville was
taken from a trunk in which he kept his
tax collections, and the amount taken was
twenty dollars Mrs. Hill denied the
| accusation, and the more the couple
| argued the worse the feeling became.
On Sunday night Mummey's rath
broke forth and he ordered Mrs. Hill from
his house. She left, taking her children
/ with her 1t was in the night. Mummey
| followed with lantern in hand and, over
taking Mrs. Hill, clutched her by the
throat. The woman screamed for helI
| and Harvey Frein, a farm hand employed
| by a neighbor named Miller, hurried tC
the rescue.
At first the farm hand could do nothing
He attempted to persuade Mummey tC
release the woman, but the latter wa
| ferocious and threatened to kill her. Will
desperation Mrs. Hill struck her assailant
and Mummey was about to retaliatt
when the farm hand jumped between tht
couple and pitched into the farmer.
For several minutes there was a no
| battle between Mummey and Erein anC
when the smoke cleared away Mummel
twas found to be badly beaten man
Both his eyes were black and blue anl
badly swollen and his face seemed to havt
been pounded into jelly. The farm hanC
| was comparatively unln1ured and he es
cOrted the woman and her children from
the scene.
Mrs Hill brooded over the affair unit
yesterday, when she came to town ant
appeared before Justice Williams for
warrant against Mummey on a charge o
assault and battery. just as the con
stable was about to start out of the ofiic
with Mrs. Hill to execute the warran
Mummey walked into the Office and pre-
ferred a charge of larceny against tn
woman.
After hearing the case the Justice pu
IMummey under $500 bail for his appear
ance at court and Mrs. Hill was required
to furnish $500 bail to appear before tn
Justice tomorrow morning for furthe
hearing. BY that time the woman claim
she will be able to produce proof to shoy
where she got the money she spent.
Both Mummey and Mrs. Hill are yer
well known in this town and the interes
aroused over the case here is equal to tina
manifested in the township.