OBIT:   TREESE, Sanford W.; 1908; Wilmore, Cambria Cnty., PA

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Cambria Freeman
Ebensburg, Pa.
Friday, 23 Oct 1908
Volume 42, Number 41


Foreman is Killed by a Man He Fired 
Sanford Treese of Wilmore Dead from Shotgun Wound in Chest
Assailant Arrested
Murdered Man was Well Liked

The body of Sanford W. Treese, a PRR foreman at Wilmore, 
Monday morning, was found in an elderberry clump with a 
hole in the chest. He had evidently been killed by the 
discharge of a shotgun and the county and local authorities 
at once took up the case.  Quite unexpectedly the wife of 
Jim Bongewana, a foreigner, who lived [sentence missing] 
was found, came up with the story that Sunday night about 8 
o'clock somebody had knocked at their front door and that 
her husband replied by firing through the door with the 
shotgun.  [Next sentence too blurry to read] of the woman's 
story and the burn wound in Mr. Treese's chest was 
[remainder of paragraph too blurry]

Bongewana's actions gives force to the question of just why 
Treese should rap at the door of a foreign boarding house 
at that time of the night.

Treese's body was evidently dragged some distance to the 
spot where it was found.  Nobody in the Bongewana's house 
did the dragging in the opinion of the officers, who think 
that possibly Treese may not have died instantly and 
probably was able to drag himself along some distance 
before succumbing.

Sanford Treese was born in Blair County and came to Wilmore 
18 years ago, residing on a farm just outside of the town 
in Summerhill Township.  He was 47 years of age. Mr. Treese 
was a foreman over a gang of laborers on the PRR for the 
past 27 years.  He was recognized as an efficient foreman 
and was well acquainted with the work of railroad 
construction. Mr. Treese was held in high esteem by 
everybody in the locality.  For the past 15 years he was 
Republican Committeeman of this district. He was married 
before coming to this county and is survived by his wife 
and the following children: Florence, Elsie, Margaret, 
Robert, Anderson and Roy. He was a brother of Harry Treese 
of Ohio, and Morris, William and George Treese and Mrs. 
Heck Fair of Hollidaysburg.  His body was removed to the A. 
H. Cullen property and was later taken in charge of 
undertakers George Bros. of South Fork. The funeral took 
place Wednesday.

Bongewana Captured

Acting upon advices from District Attorney James W. Leech, 
the Police of Buffalo, N.Y., Wednesday morning arrested the 
man, Bongewana, in a house on Cypress Street.

The Wilmore foreigner admitted the shooting 

He will be brought back to Cambria County for trial within 
a few days.