Charles F. Rachel - Jerusalem Western Cemetery - Allentown, PA, USA - Graves Mentioning a Cause of Death on Waymarking.com

Charles F. Rachel (pronounced 'Rockel') was a German immigrant who was a wine maker and merchant in Mountainville, a portion of Allentown about 3 miles east of this cemetery. The murderers were after money and the 'scoundrels' had absconded with about $100.

Local coroners were able to find the cause of death and that the investigation was abandoned by private investigators who were not reimbursed.

Charles R. Rachel has lived a long life (78 yrs), and was murdered when somebody robbed his home. He was a successful winemaker and merchant. The following is paraphrased from an article in the Morning Call from December 21, 1900:

"Coroner Goheen determined via autopsy and an inquest that Mr. Rachel was smothered while his residence was burgled on December 18, 1900. A nephew and employee of Mr. Rachel (Ed Blumer), last saw Mr. Rachel between 9 and 10 in the evening and described a man who was there and fetched several gallons of wine who was between 40 and 50 yrs old, who was accompanied by a younger man with whom he spoke Pennsylvania Deutsch. Mr. Blumer got some wine from Mr. Rachel and went home to his home and came back the next morning at 6am, where he noticed the gate mysteriously open. Mr. Blumer found the deceased Mr. Rachel. Apparently, Mr. Rachel could not hear very well and the Mr. Blumer thinks he was snuck up upon.

Witness WIlliam Reinhold lived next door to Mr. Rachel. He said that Mr. Rachel usually slept with a light on, but the night of the murder, there was no light on in his house.

Amandus Rutter lived near there and was a laborer who happened to be passing by and saw the commotion and went inside the house to see the dead Mr. Rachel.

The rest of the witnesses seemed to be curious our gossipy.

The examining doctor, Dr. Dickenshied testified that he thought the death might have been due to suffocation or asphyxiation. Dr. Bean testified there was bruising of the lips. They concluded it was suffocation in bed, and that the bedding had been ripped.

The jury investigating concluded that the death was due to suffocation caused by person or persons unknown to the jury."

Paraphrased (not copied) from the Morning call article of 21 December 1900.

The murder remains unsolved. A truly Cold Case.

Type of Death Listed: Murder Cause of death inscription on headstone: MURDER Website (if available): Not listed

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