The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-02-10
The Astonishing Story
From Bloomsbury, Pa.
Dramatic Conspiracy to Wipe
Out a Family.
An Acquaintance of the Parties
Sums Up the Evidence.
To the Editor OF the News.

Bloomsbury. Penn, is a pretty town,
OF II, 600 souls, on the Susquehsnna river,
in Columbia County, Penn. 1t Is the
county-seat. Being tho centre nf rich
farming section of the Wyoming Valley,
II has come to be retiring place for oil
the farmers who accumulate fortunes.
Ibe stately tress that line both sides
OF the wide streets, its spacious lawns and
flower gardens, Its productive orchards
ell load the air with . characteristic,
pleasant odor and earn for the town the
name, "NaIure's Paradise" 1t is said TO
be the prettiest and the richest town in
the Wyoming Valley.
On a bill overlooking the miles OF the
winding river ano the whole OF the town
stands the hrst Normal school in the
State. The dgnitied presence of four
hundred matured scholars, the retired,
wealthy class of citizens, the marked alb
sence of menial occupations and pro-
fusion OF churches lend to the place
socia! and moral chara cter high above the
average.
THE PLO1 AND Tue ACTORS.
In this ideal place there has, during the
past two years, been terminating plot,
the execution of which woult have
startled the vorln. IL was plan to MUIR
der Hon. Levi T.. Waller, his wife and
two pretty and intelligent children in
order that Lloyd s. Wintersteen, a promi-
nent lawyer might win fortune involved
in a suit pending in the court Of equity.
The evidence thus far disclosed, reveals a
reached ty any except the possessor OF an
intellect trained to such research and the
basepess Of which cannot be oxcelled by
a Nero's moral depravity.
10 carry out his dsstardly plot Winter
steen enlisted the services Of a college
graduate ma med Clifton Knorr. Besides
being indirectly interested in the decision
OF the trial, Knorr was TO receive 5000
il he would successfully dispatch the
Waller family and thus gain the suit.
And to add a bideous feature to the al
ready black conspiracy, Knorr was to
rid the world OF mis- own stsp-motber
VINO is tho owner of the property at stake
in the suit.
An unluccessful attempt to blow up the
Waller mansion ann the sleeping family
led to the arrest of Knorr and later to a
confession from him.
THE CONFESSION.
A troubled conscience caused Knorr to
go away after tie explosion. His absence
and a number OF other little things wove
q chain of suspicion about him and de-
tec'ives were put upon his track. He
was caught and Immediately relieved bis
heavy heart by an open confession. lie
told of how he had On several occasions
put poison into the coffee of his step
mother wi hout the desired result, OF how
he and Wintersteen had studied and
planned ways Of killing their urey Ia a
manner that would not excite a suspicion
of murder. lie rscited how he then
bought dipbtheria hacilii and tried to
give his step-mother that disease by
sprinkling them ON her shirt waist.
toiled in all his attempts to kill his step
mother he and WiEtersteen resolved upon
desperate measures to Kill the Waller
family. One dark night he (knorr)
placed a quantity of dynamite under the
porch OF the Waller mansion. lie attached
a fuse that reached to tho Sidewalk and,
lighting 1t, he ran. When several hiocks
away he heard tho explosion bur diu net
know the result nntil Minterstecn sent To
bin in Reading, $50 with a note telling
him tnat but little d image had teen done
and advising him to flee becarse he VS.
under suspicion.