4-23-2024 12:04am

April 23, 1898: "Ally" Gresh's Near-fatal "Accident" Investigated, Deemed Alcohol-related

Lesley Misko Editor

By Margaret Leidy Harner from her book One Day at a Time: A Social History of Boyertown, PA.

April 23, 1898: Physicians are optimistic that “Ally” Gresh will recover from his life-threatening wounds suffered last week, and his “accident” may involve several of his companions in a “peck of trouble.”

Later developments have revealed that the injuries were not the result of being struck by a railroad train. In the company of a number of friends, Gresh had helped drain a keg of beer after work and they were “more or less under the influence of liquor.” It is now believed that Gresh was “too full”” to know what really happened to him.

His family is determined to learn how he had really been injured and they have enlisted Detective “Bully” Lyons to investigate the matter. As a result, warrants have been issued for the arrest of five companions, and they will be called to account for their part in the unfortunate affair.

They have each posted $300 bail before Squire William Fox, for their appearance at a hearing in Reading. The accused have declared that they know nothing about Gresh’s injuries. On the night in question, they were having a good time after work, and that is all there is to it, as far as they are concerned.

They are alleged to be men of good character and of good family, and their arrest has caused much excitement in Boyertown. None of their names were ever publicly announced. Since Gresh is recovering rapidly and is able to be out again, it is believed that the hearing will result in the discharge of the accused men, so that no one will ever be held to account for a nearly fatal beating; they were just having a “good time.”