August 11, 1797
Three miles north of Mahanoy City
225 years ago today, August 11, 1797, a heinous crime fueled by greed was noted as the first documented murder in soon to be Schuylkill County. This murder has prompted legends and ghostly experiences noted by hikers who travel to pay their respects at the location known as The Peddler's Grave.
Back in August 1797, Schuylkill County was nothing but a figment of the imagination. The county would not be established until 1811. The wooded, mountainous region was part of Berks County. The area was sparsely populated, however, there were some homesteads and taverns within the region.
In the confines of present-day Mahanoy City stood a small log tavern and overnight house owned by John Reich. The small structure was a stopover for travelers who made their way along the old Catawissa Road through the wilderness. It was nothing to write home about, but it was warm and supplied with food and drink for dark nights.
A 31-year old hunter named Benjamin Bailey had called Reich’s small tavern his temporary home for about ten days. Bailey was indeed a long way from home. He had a wife back in Morristown, New Jersey, awaiting her husband’s return.
As a trade, Bailey hunted game and sold the meat and hides to support his family. Short on money, Bailey and Reich set up an agreement. Bailey could eat and sleep in Reich’s confines for a portion of the small game the hunter killed. This agreement was set in stone. That is, until a peddler arrived looking for a sale and lodging.
Jost Folhaber was a peddler by trade. He traveled long distances, mainly between Reading and Catawissa selling trinkets, pots, and other tidbits to make a meager existence for him and his family. Folhaber was making his way towards the Ringtown Valley when the night began drowning the daylight.
Having still a distance to travel, Folhaber opted to take up lodging for the night. He settled on Reich’s log tavern to rest within before resuming his journey.
Sitting that evening enjoying his dinner, Folhaber was approached by Bailey. The two men struck up a friendly conversation. During some background and banter, Folhaber lauded his selling ability. He said his talent resulted in many sales and he carried much wealth with him inside his satchel.
Bailey became intrigued with the Peddler’s claim. The hunter offered some friendly advice where Jost could stop to find fresh water and berries on his journey. The interested peddler thanked Bailey for his friendly advice and wished him a good night. Bailey’s gaze followed the peddler walk from the table with a sinister plan brewing in his brain.
Early the next morning, Bailey approached the breakfast table. He spotted the peddler selling pots to the tavern’s owner, Reich. The peddler took his coin payment and placed it in his satchel with the rest of his wealth stash. With glee, Bailey listened to the coins ping off each other, picturing his soon to be wealth. His plan was a simple robbery to line his own pockets.
Folhaber boarded his horse, clutching his satchel of trinkets and coins and started off along the path suggested towards the Ringtown Valley. As the peddler rode his steed, it never dawned on him he was being watched and followed.
Just out of sight, Bailey took up his hunt on foot. The hunter knew to stay far enough back so that the peddler or his horse would not detect his presence.
For a distance Bailey followed Jost. He watched as Folhaber stopped at the sites Bailey suggested for ice-cold stream water and succulent berries. Folhaber then rode into a clearing. Sensing his opportunity, Bailey positioned his rifle to his shoulder. The unsuspecting peddler was now dead in his sights. Folhaber paused for a second and allowed nature to serenade him. The momentary stoppage was just enough for Bailey to take aim and fire.
Folhaber was violently struck by the bullet in the back. The peddler fell to the ground, writhing in pain. In a life or death struggle, Jost dragged his body towards the rocky path. Using every ounce of strength, the peddler attempted to make it back to his feet and escape. Folhaber clung to the hope a passerby would hear his anguished cries and save his life.
Bailey, realizing the peddler could easily identify him, shifted his original plan of robbery to murder. Fearing a passerby would indeed hear Folhaber’s cries, Bailey reached down into his own satchel. From within, he took out a sharpened tomahawk.
Approaching the wounded peddler, Bailey looked down while raising the tomahawk. The sharpened metall sparkled in the sunlight as Bailey brought the tomahawk down onto the peddler’s head over and over again.
Folhaber lie motionless as Bailey completed his mission. The hunter took the peddler’s satchel in hopes of collecting his reward. To his dismay, Bailey found only a fraction of what Folhaber claimed he possessed. Counting the coins, it amassed to only about 5 pounds. The coins within were not even silver. Instead they were ordinary copper.
Bailey knew his deed would quickly be detected on the well-traveled path. He dragged the peddler’s body out of view from the road. Sure enough, within a short amount of time, several travelers passed the murder scene. However, None became wise as to the massacre that lie about 30 feet away.
By the time his deed was complete, Bailey was completely disheveled. He panicked upon the realization he was covered in his victim’s blood. Bailey took off his bloody clothing and burned it in a hastily made fire causing the evidence to turn to ash.
Bailey looked at Folhaber’s lifeless body, and opted to take some of the garments. He put them on, and made his way back towards the tavern riding the peddler’s horse. Still a distance from the tavern, Bailey took the horse deep into the woods and tied the animal to a tree. He found an old rotting tree, partially hollow, and concealed the coins he had just murdered for within.
Arriving back at Reich’s tavern, Bailey was questioned about what had happened to his coat. He deflected the question by stating he had taken it off and accidentally left it behind. The tavern keeper offered to go with Bailey to find his clothing. The hunter took him to a secluded area, far from the murder scene. After some time of imitating searching, Bailey stated it was gone for good. The two men made their way back to the log lodging.
The next day, Bailey made his way back to the scene of the murder. He concealed the victim’s body. He then set his sights on the peddler’s horse. Travelers would become interested in why a horse was left in the woods.
The hunter made his way to the location the horse had been tied. Taking the same tomahawk used to finish the peddler, Bailey struck the horse over and over. Feeling as though his effort had succeeded, he hurriedly the area.
The next day, Bailey returned to find the horse was somehow still alive. Shocked, the hunter then knew it was time to leave the wooded area before anyone learned of his heinous crime. Bailey left and began traveling east with some of the peddler's possessions in hand.
On August 26th, just over two weeks after Jost Folhaber took his last breath, the peddler’s body was discovered. It was a sad and reprehensible sight. The corpse was partially decomposed, covered in dried blood, and his face mangled beyond recognition. Only through close examination did John Reich realize this body was his patron Jost Folhaber.
An inquest began. It was obvious the man had been brutally murdered, and the perpetrator was at large.
Upon questioning Reisch, Benjamin Bailey became the prime suspect. A search immediately ensued for the hunter.
Bailey was finally tracked down far from the scene of the crime in Easton, PA. He had attempted to sell some goods that at one time belonged to the peddler. This had aroused suspicion and authorities were alerted.
Bailey was returned to Reading and placed under arrest for the murder. At first, he accused John Reich of committing the heinous crime. However, no evidence supported his claim.
Bailey went to trial. The proceedings had much fanfare in Berks County and were front-page news. However, within a short amount of time, the jury rendered their verdict - guilty in the first degree
The punishment - hanging from the gallows until dead.
Bailey’s fate had been sealed. He was going to die for mere pennies. The hunter then decided if his life was going to end, he would choose the method. Taking a long, jagged piece of glass, Bailey attempted to take his own life. He cut deep into a vein on his arm. However, his attempt was was when the cell keeper discovered his attempt before completely bleeding out. The hunter’s life had been extended, if just for a short amount of time.
The choice was made to shackle the inmate to the floor to ensure he would meet his appointment with the hangman.
On a cold Saturday, January 6, 1798, over 6,000 people braved mid-winter temperatures to watch the third execution in Berks County history. Just prior to the hanging, Bailey finally admitted his guilt of the heinous crime and exonerated the tavern owner Reich. He then implored all who could hear to avoid temptations sent from the devil and lead a Christian life. Bailey lamented he was sorry for the disgrace his parents and his wife Sarah lived with because of his actions.
Bailey took his position as a noose was draped around his neck. His body dropped with a thud and swung lifelessly in the winter breeze. Bailey’s wife Sarah was at the location, but chose not to witness the execution of her husband. She shied her eyes away from the ghastly ordeal.
It is said after Bailey’s corpse was cut down from the gallows, Sarah requested her husband’s body be buried deeper than normal. Sarah did not want her husband’s grave desecrated by macabre souvenir seekers. She stayed at the burial site until she was satisfied Benjamin’s body would not be disturbed. She then made the long journey home to New Jersey a newly branded widow.
Jost Folhaber's remains were buried at the spot they were discovered. White stones were ceremoniously placed at the head and feet of the burial plot marked the location.
Pottsville Republican
Over time, people came to pay their respects to Jost. A Monument was erected that still stands to this day. It details the terrible event the unsuspecting peddler had bestowed upon him extinguishing his life.
There have been numerous individuals who have claimed otherworldly experiences at the grave. Due to this, many people in the area believe the peddler is still there in spirit.
Moans have been reported near the site as though a man was in dire agony. The sound of a dashing horse hooves have been heard on multiple occasions by hikers approaching rapidly. As the curious hikers wait to see the galloping horse, it simply never appears and the echoey sounds slowly fade.
One of the most common sightings is that of a silhouette of a man on horseback frantically riding away as though for his life. The image is seen darting through the forest at a rapid pace. It is believed to be Jost trying to save his life in death, since he was unable to do so while living.
People have also made the claim of witnessing one shadowy figure being chased through the woods by a second tomahawk-wielding shadow. Balls of light, known as orbs, have been witnessed and even photographed near the peddler’s grave. Individuals have also claimed that during snowfalls, the forest floor will turn a clean white, that is except on Folhaber’s grave, where the snow is said to melt instantly. Grass has even been noted as hardly growing on the burial site.
As a sign of respect for many years visitors to the spot have left coins to give Jost back his bounty taken from him over two centuries ago. It is also believed if you offer the peddler a coin gift, he will bestown upon you good luck.
Interested in having a paranormal experience of the peddler? Although experiences have been claimed throughout the year, they are said to happen most frequently on the anniversary of the murder - August 11th.
Historical Society of Berks County
Publication Volume 2 1905-1909
Evening Herald - July 27, 1933