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Lebanon, Pennsylvania, December 9, 1878.

Yesterday morning, about 2 o'clock, Israel Brandt arrived in town from Indiantown Gap in search of the

coroner, stating that a man named Joseph Raber had fallen into Indiantown Creek and was drowned.

This neighborhood, not being celebrated for the moral character of its inhabitants or its acts of charity

caused a great deal of comment when it was understood that Raber was heavily insured

and the chief amounts held on his policies were residents of the neighborhood.

The coroner left a little before seven o'clock and proceeded to the place to make an investigation.

He was frequently interviewed on his route in regard to the case, and all seemed to be of the opinion that something was wrong.

The coroner arrived at the scene of the disaster about half-past nine and selected a jury.

After impaneling the jury, they proceeded to the creek where they found the body in about

19 inches of water, a few feet below a couple of planks that are used as a footbridge.

The body was lying on its side with the elbow sticking out of the water,

and was taken to the stable of Israel Brandt, where Dr. Alwyn held the examination,

and there being no bruises or marks on the body, the jury, after hearing the evidence, returned a verdict of accidental drowning.

The chief witness in the case was Charles Drews, who testified that he knew Joseph Raber

as a sober man. Quote, he was at my house in the neighborhood of four o'clock on Saturday

afternoon and said he was going to Peter Kreitzer's house to get some flour. Saw him from the window going down the path into the direction of the creek.

Saw him at the creek and saw him on the first bridge.

Suddenly he disappeared. I saw him fall.

I told my wife that the creek was low and old Rayber could get out. I did not see him get up and went

down and found him dead in the creek. About ten minutes after I saw him fall, before I left the house

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