News: Washington and Sallie Rhinehart Arrested, 1909, Hanover, York County, PA

Contributed and transcribed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Kathy Francis

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RHINEHART COUPLE ARRESTED.

Charged With Keeping A Disorderly, Ill-Governed House.

Washington Rhinehart and his wife, Sallie Rhinehart, were arrested Friday morning by Constable 
Harry C. Matthews, of the Third Ward, on warrants issued by Justice Sell.  Rhinehart and wife 
are charged on oath of Constable Matthews with keeping and maintaining a common, ill-governed, 
and disorderly house.

The domicile of the Rhinehart’s is on Pennsylvania Avenue, close to the freight station of the 
N. C. Railway, and it is alleged that since the couple took up their abode, there about a month 
ago, there have been “sounds of revelry by night” very frequently.  Sometimes, it is said, the 
“sounds” became so loud that the neighborhood thought a battle between Highbinders or Black 
Hand gangs was in progress.

A hearing was held at 3 p.m. Friday in the case of the Commonwealth vs. George Washington 
Rhinehart, charged on oath of Harry C. Matthews, constable of the Third Ward, with keeping and 
maintaining a common, ill-governed and disorderly house.

After the hearing the defendants, in default of bail, were held for the action of the grand 
jury, and sent to jail.  The following witnesses submitted evidence at the hearing, which was 
corroborative and proved that the Rhinehart home was a menace and a nuisance in the 
neighborhood.

Constable H. C. Matthews, Councilman Charles Ludwig, John D. Flickinger, Jacob Hostetter, 
Officer J. W. Kiser and Charles Carr.

Orgies, according to the evidence, occurred nightly, both on the interior and exterior of the 
dwelling, which were disgraceful.

Wednesday night, Aug. 4, the noises and obscene language became so offensive that constable 
Matthews was requested by citizens of the neighborhood to lodge a complaint, which was done, 
and the arrest of the parties followed.  The participants in the revel, however, had all 
departed by the time the arrests were made, except the Rhineharts themselves.

A raid on the house during one of the ????????? would have been amore satisfactory mode of 
procedure, as in such manner the full outfit of gay and happy frequenters of the place might 
have been captured. 

The Hanover Herald – Saturday, August 14, 1909