The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1890-12-12
Chester's Mnrder Mystery.

The supposed suicide of pretty En-
ma P0itZ=DmayeT, OF Chester, Pa. af-
ter returning gayly from dance last
Thursday morning, viii probably be
proved 20 be a CHASTITY murder. Her
throat was cut III several places and her
handsome bali dress was spattered with
/ blood.
An inquest was held Friday morn
ing, at which the dead girl's sister.
Mrs Schmidt, testified that Emma went
to the ball at O'Clock with her brother,
and witness followed a. 8. Emma Was
cheerful all the evening, and upon Mrs.
| SchmidL'5 request went home at IL
! O'Clock TO inquire after child. They
| left the hall finally about 1.3O A. NJ,
| Emma proceeding the witness some ten
minutes. When the witness arrived
| home she asked her husband about En-
ma, and WAS told she was up stairs.
Going TO En- mas room witness called f,
| and, receiving no reply. went TO her
| own room, where dim light was buI D.
| ing, and saw her sister lying on the
| floor. at first she supposed Emma was
sick with cramps, to which she was
| subject, but on approaching saw knife,
and, realizing the truth screamed.
Her husband went 20 the top OF the
stairs, led her down, and both left the
| house to seek doctor.
DIR. Graham, the 6rst physician to
see the body, said 1t was evident that
Emma did not kill herself and that she
| WAS not killed while standing up, as
| there was no blood on the top of the
| bureau, which there should have been
| from such . wound had she stood.
| He could not reconcile the pools OF
| blood with the position OF the body.
DR.. FoIwood said there were six
wounds, only one Of which caused
death. The deep thrust in the back of
the neck could not have been self
was great bruise on one leg above t. q
knee. 1t would take q fairly strong
| man in good health to inflict such
| wounds.
He does not believe that the knife
| found could have made the wounds. as
it does not fit them. He does not be-
lieVe she killed herself. He saw marks
on the doors, as though they had been
grasped by bloody hands.
One theory is that some one went
home with her the last time she left the
ball, followed her up stairs and killed
her, bit the motive has not yet been
developed.
Another theory of those working on
the case is that Emma was murdered by
Mrs. Schmidt after jealous quarrel.
The body was found in the latteI's
room. Yesterday bunch Of hair was
found In the same room, and Emma's
uDdersbirt, with a clean cut across the
back, has also been found. II Is
thought that after returning from the
ball Emma and Schmidt entered the
room and that while they were there
the wife caught them in a compromis>
ing position. Enraged with Jealous
fury, she is supposed TO have plunged
the knife into the guilty girls neck
with terrible effect. After the muI-
der, the theory runs, The husband and
wife procured the dull. blunt cheese
knife, and after smesring 1t with blood,
placed it near the body in order to
make it appear as though the girl had
taken her own life.
It is expected that the Schmidts
will be formally taken into custody
and that the evidence now in the
hands of tie authorities will be made
public at the Coroner's inquest. which
Will be called in q day or two.