The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1903-01-08
Economy and cur.n, Literature
.Ar. Shellenberger's
Life Threatened.
An Anonymous Letter is Sent t, the
Bannerville Merchant.

/
Bannerville Merchant.
From Beaver Springs "Hcraid".)
Mr.. She'lenberger, the merchant
at Bannerville, this county, who
shot a burglar in his store several
weeks ago, from the effects of which
he died in MidGleburg Jail, received
the following letter, with no little
surprise, last Wednesday evening:
December q, 1902.
MIR. SHELLENBEReER
Sir -
AS you shot and killed our leader we
will give you one chance 10 save your
life. You must keep this to yourself
and burn this note you must 90 by
your own self and put five hundred dol
lars In paper poke and place it on
the top of the hill north west of Adams
burg on the left hand side of the road
coming down you will find box over
the fence where YOU must put it. 1t
must be put there not later than Dec "a
1902 not later than 8 O'clock p m and
we will See you put it there this money
will save you also will help to support
the ones who had to depend on this
man you shot for a living You must
do this SO no person will lind it out or
you will be in just as much danger as
you are now. We are watching every
move you take or make read this care
full and then burn it as described be-
fore and keep it secret and do what
this note calls tor and we will leave the
country and will never give you any
trouble here after We mean just what
we say.
! While the letter was dated Dec. 2lst,
the postmark showed that it was mail.
Led onsfbe train. Sunburv ep,'ss .epis-
3 town railway postofflce, on Tuesday
I afteracon, Dec. %. The train was late
that day and the mail carrier left Me-
Clure, the star route Office for Banner
vile and seveial other offices, without
the mail from that train. This delay
ofthe train caused the letter to remain
in Mcclure post office until the next
afternoon, not reaching its destination
until about three hours after the time
set in the letter.
+ On receiving letter of such q threat
ening nature, Mr.. Shellenberger ac-
kncwledges that he was considerably
worried at first and slept very little
that night He conflded the contents
of the note to few of his personal
friends, some ofwhom told their friends
and by next day the public was in
possession Of the facts. Had it been
possible to keep the matter quiet, the
culprits could have been more reaGily
apprehended.
| The report was brought to town on
Christmas afternoon and the editor of
this paper Immediately called up Mr..
| Shellenberger by telephone and asked
forparticulars, that gentleman acknow-
Lodging the receipt Of such letter and
asked our opinion Of 1t. We promptly
told him 1t looked to us as coming
from some one who was trying to play
q bluff game and secure the $500 on the
burglars credit, and assured him that
we Aw little cause for anxiety over
the thNats.
Mr.. SAellenberger was anxious to
know If fthSsbox referred to was still
at the place Specified and asked us to
| go and look for 1t. We were also some
what curious to know II box was
really to be found or If it was only
hoax and started out in search of 1t in
company with our brother, about five
o'clock Christmas evening. Reaching
almost the top of the hill northwest of
town, known as the Isle o'Que, we
were surprised to find the object of our
search on the side of the road, as stated
in the letter, close to the fence on the
inside. twas so placed that persons
driving Or walking past would not
notice itaId at point where man
could be stationed In a position in the
woods on the ridge, only q few rods
AWAY, without being seen and yet at
4 the same time observe all that tran
1 spired at the box or on the road for
some distance each direction. This
/ was q very shrewd act Of the rascal, as
part Of the ridge Is cut away here and
AFFORDED an elevated and safe poeition
for observation.
1 Leaving the box untouched, the
|snow of tho previous night having al-
most-half fllled II We returned to town
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