Duel In The Streets, Watsontown 1884

In the Miltonian's Historical Notes, published regularly in the 1920s, on July 7th they included: 1884 - Sensational shooting occurred at Watsontown. No one was killed however.

A quick look shows that it was merely another fight over a woman.

Charles Werner, a butcher, and his wife, the former Amelia Hilger, lived in an apartment next door to the Watsontown pharmacy operated by Henry Reader.  The Werners separated in the spring of 1884, with Amelia and the 4 children going to Milton to live with Amelia's parents.   In July, two of the four children went to visit their father, asking him to come home, as they had nothing to eat.  The father took a load of provisions to the home, and at that kindness, his wife broke down and confessed an affair with  Reader.    She claimed that Reader had first "stupefied her with drugs".

The couple reconciled, and lodged a complaint against Reader, entering a civil suit for damages.  Reader was arrested, but released on $2,000 bail.

Reader then went to Milton to attempt to reconcile the case with Mrs. Werners parents.  At the same time, Werner took the day off work and traveled by train to Milton to visit his wife in Milton.  Mrs. Werner went o the door after dinner, just as the buggy containing Reader was about to stop.  She motioned for him to keep moving.  Reader then went to a back alley, where Mrs. Werner went out to meet him.  "An exciting conversation was in progress, when Werner put in an appearance".  Reader jumped into his buggy and took off, with Werner in pursuit.

Reader was able to make his escape, but Werner caught the rain to Watsontown and called at the drug store.  Unable to locate Reader, he "repaired to a hotel and fortified himself with whiskey".  While there, he looked out the window and spotted Reader coming up the street.  Werner rushed out and confronted him, pulling a pistol when Reader failed to heed his commands to stop.  Reader, also armed, then drew his pistol, fired, and ran.  Werners pistol failed to go off at first, but he gave chase and continued shooting.  

Reeder found refuge in a nearby stable, and Werner was arrested and placed under heavy bail.  No one was injured in the shooting, but a bullet whistled past the had of a young man walking by, and another bullet penetrated the walls of a house and landed on the floor of the parlor.

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For More Local Stories & History Of Watsontown

https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2020/04/watsontown-pa.html

And for more from the surrounding towns:

https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/p/history.html

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In 1906, Charles Werner purchased the Watsontown Opera House, operating his meat buisiness out of the first floor.  Prior to his purchase, the John Dunn Drug store and Trate's Music store operated out of that space.

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