Part 4. From the Lykens Standard, 16 May 1902:
RECOLLECTIONS OF 40 YEARS
Regarding the Lykens Valley Coal Mines and Vicinity Adjacent
BY RICHARD NOLEN, ESQ.
Which first appeared in 1865 in the Upper Dauphin Register and Lykens Valley Miner, published by Samuel B. Coles and G. Washington Fenn.
On the way over the mountain, as she was coming along the path that leads from where she lived to the Big Run Gap coal mines, nearly on top of the mountain, but on the south side, she was struck by a very offensive smell, of which circumstance she informed company assembled at Mrs. Lebo’s, and as he intention was to return home that evening, Mrs. Lebo and Mrs. Shoop volunteered to go with her to the top of the mountain and ascertain the cause of the offensive smell. Upon arriving at the place in the path, Mrs. Shoop deviated some six rods below the path, where she saw the body of a man lying on his back dead. The other two women came down from the path to where the body lay and concluded it must be that of Daniel Henrich. The word soon came to Lykens that the body of Hendrich was found. I called on James Ferree, Esq., in relation to the matter, and together we agreed to go where the body was found; a number of us started off for the place, which was about three miles below your town. By the time we arrived there it was getting dark, but we had taken lights along with us. When we came to the foot of the mountain, ‘Squire Ferree empaneled and swore a jury of twelve, designating me to act as foreman. We then went up and saw the body lying on the mountain; I called the names of the jurors and they all answered, after which I directed them to examine the body and the clothes. John S. Updegrove, with whom Henrich had been boarding up to the time of the murder, being one of the jurors, stated that Henrich carried a watch in his pocket, but had left his money at home. Search for the watch was instantly made, but there was none to be found in the pockets of the deceased; a piece of watch-guard was attached to his vest button hole and had the appearance of having been cut off. This aroused the suspicion that he might have been murdered for the sake of the watch. Some bystander stated that William Williams had a watch answering Updegrove’s description of the one Henrich owned. After we had examined the body that night we went down to Williams’ house, arriving there about midnight. I asked Williams if Henrich had been at his house, to which he replied in the affirmative. I then asked how long since he (Henrich) had been there, to which he replied “yesterday three weeks ago.” I informed him of my intention to swear hm as a witness in the case, which I did. After he had sworn by the book, I asked him what time Henrich had come to his house. He replied that it was about noon of the third Sunday before that, and was intoxicated – that he and Henrich had taken a drink together from some whiskey that was in the house, and then they went out together but Henrich shortly after returned to the house and took a drink by himself and then left, saying he was going to Gratz. Williams said that he would go with him as far as the mines, which were about 200 yards from the house. I asked Williams if he saw Henrich have a watch the day he was there; he replied, “No I did not see him have a watch that day; but added “I often saw him have a watch before that.” I asked him no more questions at that time, and the jury left his house agreeing to meet the next morning at 5 o’clock at ‘Squire Ferree’s. Some of the jury went up to Wiconisco that night and saw William Thompson, who repaired watches, and asked him if Williams had a watch there for repairs. Mr. Thompson said he had one there but had taken it away. The next morning we met according to arrangement; I got a warrant from ‘Squire Ferree for the arrest of William Williams – I being constable of Wiconisco Township at the time. With John S. Updegrave and other men I started for William’s house, but we met him about half a mile on this side on his way to work. I asked him if had not a watch about his house; he replied “yes, but I left it at Mr. Witman’s to get fixed.” I asked him what kind of watch it was; he replied that it was a silver watch; Williams did you not take a watch away from Mr. Thompson’s yesterday morning?” He said, “yes, but it belonged to an Irishman up in the Gap.”
[Continued in part 5].
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From Newspapers.com.
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