The Morning Press
Bloomsburg, PA., Monday, April 14, 1919
Joseph Carl Was Murdered,
The Coroner’s Jury Decides
Lifeless Body, With Bullet Wound in Head Found-- Almost $300 Said to Be Missing From Safe
Murdered by an unknown assassin, according to the verdict of the coroner’s jury which conducted an inquest yesterday afternoon, the body of Joseph Carl, well known farmer residing on the top of River Hill about a mile from East Bloomsburg, was found shortly after midnight yesterday morning with a bullet hole in his head, with the bullet entering through his right ear and passing through his left temple. Death is supposed to have been instantaneous. A bullet from a .38 caliber revolver caused his death and was found later lying on the floor by his side. Missing from the safe which is kept on the second floor of the home, is $285.
The body was discovered by his daughter, Marcellia, and grandson Orval, who resided with the aged man, upon their return from Bloomsburg, where they had spent the evening. Entering the house about 12:15 o’clock they were greeted by the sight of his lifeless body, sitting upright in his favorite arm chair by the side of a cupboard, with blood trickling down his shirt front. In their excitement neither the daughter nor the grandson noticed the wound in his head nor the revolver lying on the floor. Both thought that his death had resulted from a hemorrhage and it was not until the arrival of undertaker Berninger of Catawissa, who arrived about an hour later, that the hole through his head and the revolver were discovered. When first found his body was still warm and it is the opinion that death occurred about an hour previous, which would make the shooting at about 11 o’clock Saturday night.
Mr. Carl had gone to Bloomsburg about four o’clock Saturday afternoon, driving a buggy and as was his custom taking the week’s accumulation of eggs and a few potatoes and a quantity of oats. Charles Welliver, of Eight street, with whom he had been working on the roads around his home in the morning, came back to Bloomsburg with him. Finishing his business in Bloomsburg the aged man left here about seven o’clock and as he was driving up the hill toward his home, was passed by his daughter and son-in-law, who stopped and spoke a few minutes with him, after which he continued toward his home and they continued to Bloomsburg. He appeared in the best of spirits. Returning from town after attending a picture show, the daughter and grandson notice the light in their home still burning, an unusual circumstance. As they entered the room they saw the aged man sitting in the chair, in a perfectly natural position, with his forehead bent slightly toward his chest, with his left arm resting on his lap and his right arm resting at his side. Their first impression was that he was sleeping in the chair, but a closer investigation showed fresh blood stains on his shirt. It was then found that he was dead. Undertaker Berninger, of Catawissa, was quickly summoned and the grandson drove to the home of Ralph Carl, a short distance way and notified them of his death. The body was not disturbed and the undertaker found the fatal wound in his head and the revolver lying on the floor just below his right arm. The bullet passed through his head and penetrating his brain, lodged in the ceiling of the room. Orval knowing that his grandfather had a sum of money in the safe, made an investigation and found $285, which was the amount last known to be in safe, missing. The keys were in the dead man’s pockets and the revolver found on the floor was the property of Mr. Carl and was always kept in the safe.
Undertaker Berninger notified the corner Dr. R.O. Davis, of Berwick, of the affair yesterday morning and an inquest was held yesterday afternoon. From first appearances it was thought to be a case of suicide. Exact measurements were taken of the position of the aged man when found and the upward course of the bullet as it passed through his head and left the left temple about two inches above his ear, were found to be on a correct angle with the hole in the wall, showing that the shot had been fired while he was sitting in the chair. With the bullet entering his right ear and the revolver lying on the floor just below his right hand which extended downward at his side, it was presumed the shot was fired with his right hand. All the witnesses called, however, by the coroner, testified that last summer Mr. Carl had suffered an accident which made it impossible for him to raise his right arm more than a few inches and not to a sufficient height to place the barrel of the revolver against his ear. That the barrel had rested against his ear there is no doubt, as the skin was burned and the hair scorched. On the other hand if the shot had been fired with his left hand he would have had to reach around and firing in that manner, the bullet, it is argued would have passed through his head in a backward course when it passed almost in a straight line and slightly upward. All the witnesses testified that Mr. Carl had been in the best of health and spirits having only a few days ago completed his spring plowing and made all arrangements for his spring work. He had been talking for some time of purchasing a car. He was not in financial troubles as he was considered one of the most prosperous farmers on the South Side. When he left the house to come to Bloomsburg in the afternoon and all day he had been in his usual good spirits and never had been known to utter a word about taking his life. The idea of suicide in that section is given no credence whatever, the general opinion being that he was murdered and robbed by the assassin.
In this case, however, the assassin would have had to inflict the wound with another revolver, for at the time the keys to the safe were in the pocket of Mr. Carl, where he always carried them, and his own revolver was locked in the safe. This could easily have been done with the murderer using a .38 caliber revolver and rifling the pockets of the dead man, after which he could have robbed the safe, and placed an empty shell in the murdered man’s gun and then placed the gun by his side. The general opinion is that he was killed in this manner while sleeping in the chair. No clue whatever could be found yesterday that could help the authorities in locating the alleged murderer or in giving further support to the theory.
Charles Bankes, who likewise passed Mr. Carl coming up the hill on his road home Saturday night is confident that some one was riding in the buggy with him. Passed by his daughter and grandson a short time later, however, he was alone and said nothing about any one being with him. The coroner’s jury also learned that upon arriving home Mr. Carl had put his horse in the stable, and attended to some light chores about the barn and had put everything in condition for the night. Going to the house he had eaten a hearty supper, as was evidenced by the remains which were found on the table. From all the evidence which was offered and considering the good health and temperament of the man, the jury decided that he had met his death at the hands of some part unknown. The following were members of the jury: Coroner R.O. Davis, Frank Hummel, John Shaffer, William Berninger, D. L. Henrie, Benjamin J. George and Roger Davis, Jr.
The tragedy came as a shock to the entire South side, where Mr. Carl had resided all his life and was a well known and highly respected resident. Born in Roaringcreek on September 12, 1844, he was aged 75 years and 7 months to the day. He resided in Catawissa several years after which he moved to what is known as the Ostrich Farm just above Espy, where he lived for eight years. He then moved to River Hill where he has since resided for the past 33 years. The death of his wife occurred a number of years ago. He attended the Lutheran church.
The following children survive: Joseph, of Bloomsburg; Fred, of Main township; Mrs. Harvey Hummel, of Bloomsburg; Ralph of Catawissa township; Marcella, at home; Mrs. William Smith, of Trenton, N.J. and a grandson Orval, at home.
Funeral services will be held from his late home Thursday afternoon in charge of Rev. Norman S. Wolf of town. Interment will be made in the Hillside cemetery.