Valley Girl Views: Murder At Mifflinburg

The Commercial Inn, located at 500 Chestnut Street in Mifflinburg, later became the Buffalo Valley Inn

Murder at Mifflinburg.

"An unfortunate killing occurred at Mifflinburg, Tuesday night [June 14 1910] , the result of a bar room altercation. The victim was an old man named George Rishel, aged about sixty years. Olive Strickler, a young farmer, aged about thirty years, with a wife and two children is the man who has the fife of a fellow man charged up against him. It seems they were teasing the old fellow and he became angry and threw a waiter at his tormentors. Strickler struck Rishel on the head with a beer bottle, fracturing his skull and causing his death in a few minutes. Strickler gave himself up and was taken to the Lewisburg jail to await a hearing. The killing occurred in the bar-room of the Commercial Hotel."

Assorted newspaper accounts throughout the state varied in the description of the fight. In some, Strickler struck Rishel with a beer bottle. Other accounts say he struck him with a water pitcher, his fist, and one account states it was a cracker jar. At the trial, a dr "admitted on the stand that this clot of blood may have been caused by a stroke of apoplexy." Strickler was acquitted of all charges.

This murder was part of the impetus causing a group from Mifflinburg to raise money to purchase the hotel, remove the bar, and turn the establishment into a "Temperance Hotel". The remodeling project was carried out in the spring of 1913.

See more of the history of the Inn here:

https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2021/10/the-buffalo-valley-inn-mifflinburg-pa.html

JURY ACQUITS P. 0. STRICKLER DELIBERATES AN HOUR BEFORE REACHING VERDICT. FREED OF MANSLAUCHTER CHARGE

The Young Farmer of Near Mifflin-burg Exonerated in Charge of Causing the Death of George W. Rishel. Verdict in Accord with Public Sentiment. The jury on Thursday afternoon returned a verdict acquitting Oliver P. Strickler, Indicted for voluntary manslaughter, in causing the death of Geo. W. Rishel.

When the session convened Tuesday afternoon the jury was drawn for the manslaughter case. Almost all afternoon was consumed before twelve men were selected. The following were finally sworn: William J. Kanck. John Oldt, H. V. Lohr, .1. Wesley Snyder, Jacob P. Berie, Drew A. Allen, Ambrose Fairchllds, R. M. Darlington, Jacob Coates, George H. Brown,. Wm. H. Bartley, George A. Svpher. This is the case in which Oliver Strickler, a young farmer living near Mifflinburg, was charged with having caused the death of Geo. W. Rishel, in the barroom of the Commercial hotel at Mifflinburg, a night last June. District Attorney Cloyd Steininger was assisted in the prosecution by John H. Dandoe. Esq., of Wilkes-Bar-re, and the defendant had as counsel D. L. Glover, of .Mifflinburg, and Grant Herring, of Sun bury. Tuesday afternoon after the jury had been drawn Wm. H. Smith, proprietor of the Commercial hotel, was the first witness placed on the stand. Mr. Smith testified that Harold Barber, Rishel and himself were in the barroom with him at the time. Barber was behind the bar, and was teasing the aged man Rishel, calling him several times, a "guerilla,'' which made Rishel quite angry. Barber finally tossed a small glass of water at Rishel when the latter hurled a small plate at Barber in his anger. The defendant, Strickler, was in the office and came into the barroom during the fuss between Barber and Rishel. As Strickler passed through the slatted door the attention of Rishel was attracted to Strickller and he applied a vile epithet to Strickler. Picking up a tin tray on the bar, Rishel hurled the tray at Strickler, striking him on the hand, cutting the skin on the knucklers. Rishel moved toward Strickler and blows were exchanged, when Rishel sank to the floor and in a few minutes expired. The testimony of Harold Barber of the incidents in the barroom and fight were in the main the same at that given by .Mr. Smith. Other witnesses for the commonwealth were Charles Bibighaus. Elmer Spigelmyer, Mrs. Martha Rishell, the widow of the deceased, and Drs. Wm. Leiser, J. C. Steans and A. A. Hill, who performed the postmortem examination on the body of English. The testimony of the physicians was to the effect that Rishel showed a bruise on the nose close to the left eye, and a cut of about an inch on the lower lip. An examination of the skull showed a clot of blood at the base of the skull, the evident cause of the death of Rishel. it was admitted on the stand that this clot of blood may have been caused by a stroke of apoplexy. The commonwealth rested on Tuesday noon, and at the afternoon session, the defendant, O. P. Strickler, was placed on the stand. His testimony of the affair was in accord with that Continued on fourth page. Milton after as earthly and R. Sturgis is his his He Watson All the Milton the the of on is plenty for of to is to at fever, Taylor his of Mr. Smith and Harold Barber, and that he struck Rishel only in self defense. He stated that he bore the dead man no ill will, and had not seen him for nine years. Other witnesses for the defense were Samuel Strickler, Daniel Musser, Frank Dieffenderfer, Wm. H. Smith, Daniel Beaver and Edward Klingaman The defense also offered to produce fifteen witnesses to testify to the character of Strickler In that he had never been known to pick a quarrel and that he had always borne a good reputation in the communities iu which he lived in the county. The commonwealth did not insist upon these witnesses being placed on the stand and about four o'clock, the case rested. Court was adjourned until Thursday morning for the arguments to the jury. Thursdav morning arguments were made to the jury. Mr. Steininger opened for the commonwealth, and he was followed by the other attorneys. An l our and a half was allowed by side The attorneys finished their arguments to the jury at noon and after the recess Judge McClure made his charge to the jury. The jury retired after two o'clock, and after deliberating about an hour returned a verdict acquitting Strickler The verdict was in accord with public sentiment, and was no surprise to those who attended throughout the trial and heard the evidence.

==========