Part 6. The Nathan Henninger farm was located in Cameron Township, near Shamokin, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. While four to six men were burglarizing Henninger’s stone house, a gunfire exchange took place, and one of the robbers was killed. Four men were later captured and put on trial in Sunbury in March, 1876. All four were found guilty and sent to prison. Another man, who testified against the burglars, was believed to have been involved but was never charged.
Follow the story as reported by newspapers of the time.
Featured photo (above) shows some of the early headlines that reported the crime.
From the Sunbury Gazette, March 24, 1876:
Testimony of George Mowery.
I am a son of Mrs. Billman; live with my mother, Mrs. Billman; was at home when the robbery occurred; was in the summer house; it was dark when the robbers came; we all set in the summer house. Mrs. Henninger went out to feed the calf and some man drove her in. She came in, and after she came in I got hold of the door and pulled it shut. Then she begged to go out, but we would not let her out. Henninger said he saw a light outside; then the man outside told Henninger to go back in the house; then my brother Phil said I will go and get my gun. Phil went to the door and opened it when they shot in the door. I went back and they shot in again. Henninger then began to shoot. When Henninger shot last they shot three shots up through the house. I saw nobody there; heard them shoot, and the slivers flew past me till they hummed. After the battle was over I thought I was safe and went out; did not stay long after they were gone; then went over to the stone house. Al the doors were open at the stone house. We went up to the chest – that was broken open. I had $800 altogether, all silver and gold – about $540 in silver, the balance in gold; three $20 gold pieces, the rest $10, $5, $2 1/2 and $1 gold pieces, 20 whole dollars, and the rest in 1/2 and 1/4 dollars, and smaller bits. I don’t know how much. My mother and brother’s money were in the chest – she lost $525. We don’t know how much my brother lost, but five or six hundred in gold and silver, and don’t know how many notes. The chest was open and the drawers broken, and the lid off, and the papers scattered over the floor; found a file there – nothing else; did not see the cap.
No cross examination.
Testimony of Philip Mowery.
I live in Cameron Township, this county; am a son of Mrs. Billman; lived with mother at the summer house where the robbery was committed; was at home the 12th of January when the robbery was committed. The robbers came there and wanted to keep us at the stone house. I wanted to go out and they shot through the door and I slammed the door shut and they shot again; did not see anybody; heard the shooting; when everything was over I went out; did not see much but the dead man; went over to the stone house; everything was open and everything was empty; saw the clock, it was open; saw the chest, it was upside down. The drawers which contained the money were knocked out; about $990. About 80 gold and $530 silver; balance in notes; it was all gone. Had the money in the drawer of the chest; do not know what they opened the chest with. The file lay there; The doors looked as if they were open with a hammer; never saw the file there before. There was nothing wrong with the lid, but around the hole where the key went in it looked as if it was done with a file; saw the cap there. The man that was shot had a black hat one.
Cross Examined. – I had $80 gold; two $20 pieces, two $10 pieces, and the rest were $1 pieces. The silver was half dollars. quarters, ten, five and three cent pieces; do not know how much of each it was. The bank notes were three $50 notes. The rest were $20 notes but one which was a $10 piece. The man that was shot had a hat like this (hat shown witness); it was not on his head, it lay two or three feet from the man; it laid about twenty-five feet down toward the woods.; I was the first that saw that cap.
Testimony of Coroner Taylor.
I live in Shamokin; am coroner; was at Henninger’s at between 12 and 2 o’clock on the 13th of January; was there to hold an inquest on the body of the man laying between the stone house and the summer kitchen; the distance is 27 feet from stone house ant the summer kitchen; north side of stone house is porch, and on the south side there is a full story more; it is not on the public road. The stone building is about 50 years from the public road; this is the road coming from Mahanoy Valley. The first thing I saw was fifteen or sixteen men with shot guns &c. I took a lantern and went along t where the dead man lay. I took the two men that came with me from Shamokin and and turned the dead man over, and asked them if they recognized him; they did and said it was Phil Hughes; I did not see a gun beside him; searched him and found a powder flask. When I picked the cap up it was about 5 feet from him. The hat was on his thigh, which was a black felt one. The summer kitchen was riddled with shot. The only door going out of the house was shot through the panel and jam; each load scattered about 8 inches; there were buckshot holes, and holes you could stick your finger through; did not go into the stone house that morning; was holding the inquest, and stopped for good reasons, and went to Shamokin before any one knew it in Shamokin; went to Shamokin and told my family I was safe. The defendants live in Withington’s Row on Franklin Street. Three of them live in the same house; am not positive whether any of the defendants boarded with Hughes. The only person I know anything about is Mr. Haley – he is a miner; found Mrs. Haley, Mrs. Hughes and George Levans a few minutes before or after 7 o’clock; did not see the clock, but know by the train which leaves at 20 minutes past 7 o’clock; did not see George Levans when I first went in. He came into the room dressed in his shirt sleeves and pants; was not present at the arrest of Farrell, but was at the office part of the time. They sent for me.
Court adjourned until 9 o’clock Saturday morning.
To be continued….
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Articles from Newspapers.com.
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