125 Years Ago

Herald of April 5, 1894

William Butler of West Martinsburg was fatally wounded when he was shot in the head by Frank Kyler of Roaring Spring. The shooting took place about midnight Friday night at the Clover Creek residence of Adam Acker, whose daughter was dating Kyler. Miss Acker told Kyler that she heard a prowler in the front yard, and he fired his revolver from the front window of the house. According to Dr. Royer, the bullet entered Butler’s head above the left ear and became lodged in the bottom center of his bran, preventing Dr. Royer and a consulting physician, Dr. Fay of Altoona, from removing it. Butler died two days later, and Kyler was arrested and jailed.

The old stoner mansion near Martinsburg was sold by C.B. Stoner to Henry Shingler. The mansion was the Stoner family homestead for more than 75 years.

G.S. Grass, 21, of East Freedom was killed when he was caught between two freight cars during a train shift at Kaylor Rail Station near Cresson. Grass was an operator and agent for the Cresson & Clearfield Railroad.