The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1901-07-25
FOUND DEAD.
The LiieIess Body Of lanes Thomas Dis.
covered Sunday Morning.

was found by Mr.. and Mrs. Peter
Seltzer, OF Park Street, while out for a
walk in Creveling's Woods about half
past nine Sunday morning. The body
was lying about eight feet from the
road, but in all probability would
have escaped the vision of pedestrians
on account of heap of underbrush
which screened it from view. Mr.. and
Mrs. Seltzer were looking for shady
place to rest when the discovery was
made. Mr.. Seltzer was the first to see
it and he was under the impression
that the man was only intoxicated.
Leaving to get more desirable place
he took second glance which salts
fed him that the man was dead. The
two then hurried to Andrew Creve-
ling's and disclosed their find. The
latter rode into town and notified Guy
Jacoby, Esq, who in company with
Isaiah Hagenbuch and w. II. Gilmore
drove out to view the body. Upon
instruction from Mr.. Jacoby the body
was removed to w. J. Cogrell's under
taking establishment.
Coroner Sharpless, who was at once
notified that his presence was needed,
arrived here with J. ID. Bodine, of
Catawissa, about four o'clock in the
afternoon. lie empanelled jury
consisting of Thos. Corey, c. A.
Klein, Frank L. Faust, w. J. Correll,
]. ID. Bodine and J. s. Grimes. These
gentlemen went out to where the
body was found, and after looking
around decided that it would be i'm
possible to arrive at verdict in the
case until the procurable evidence
had been heard. The inquest. was,
therefore, continued until Tuesday
evening.
At the inquest, which was held in
the parlor OF the Central Hotel Tues
day evening, it was brought out that
Thomas had left his home, on Fifth
street, about halfpast six Saturday
evening. About an hour thereafter
he was in conversation with Charles
Hartman, near the hose house of the
Rescue Fire Company, on East Fifth
street, to whom he expressed his in
tention of going out to Andrew Crew.
eling's to purchase load of hay.
This was the last seen of him alive.
The hrst witness called was d. P.
Butler, of Centre street. He said
that Thomas was his fireman on the
d. L. & w. Railroad; had worked
together for nearly year, or since
last August. He described him as a
good, jolly fellow, always full of fun;
never knew him to have any trouble
of any kind; was shocked when in
formed of his tragic death, and be-
heved the rumor incorrect, until he
had seen the body. They had quit
work late Saturday afternoon and the
last thing Thomas said to him was
that he would see him in the vicinity
of the Exchange Hotel that evening.
He waited around til nearly half-past
ten, and Thomas, failing 70 material
ize, went home.
Mrs. Peter Seltzer was the next
witness called She told how she and
her husband had started for walk,
and how, while looking for shady
spot, they had discovered the body.
She appeared to be badly mixed as to
time, location and distance, and her
memory, too, was very poor. She
testified that she never knew Thomas,
and didn't think that she'd ever seen
him before. She was not in the habit
of walking out East Fifth street, had
not been out in that direction for a
long time, and had never been out
that way alone. This portion of the
witness testimony was disproved by
Thomas Savage, w. w. Achenbach
and Jay Brown, who saw her sitting
under an apple tree near the Crevel-
ing house, and not far from where the
body was found, about halt.pas seven
Saturday evening. The testimony Of
these gentlemen was taken for the
purpose of satisfying the minds OF the
jurymen whether or not the woman
knew more about Thomas wherea-
bouts on the night preceding the find
ing of the body than she cared to tell.
She treated nearly all OF the questions
asked her in a manner that was de-
ciaedly aggravating, and had to be
reminded several times that she would
be compelled to answer, before she
would even open her mouth.
Peter Seltzer was then called. He
is the husband of Mrs. Seltzer. He
described the Sunday morning walk,
which led to the discovery of the body.
Throughout Saturday night his wife
did not rest very well, and the stroll
was proposed by him, thinking that
the morning air would do her good.
Mrs. Andrew Creveling bore testi-