Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1890-12-11
CHESTER'SMURDER MYSTERY
Startling Revelations In the
Pfitzenmeyer Case.
LIKE JEALOUSY AND REVENGE
The Girl Brutally Slaughtered
and Mutilated.
zhoories AS to the Cause of the Brutal
rutchery--shoclSing Disclosures by the
Rhysicisns--A Missing Lock of Hair.

Rhysicians--A Missing LOCK oil Hair.
q CHESTER, Pa, Dec. 5.-Very suspicious
circumstances surround the death of
Emma Pfitzenmayer, of this town, who, |
clothed in her ball robes was found dead |
with her throat cut after her return from
dance on Wednesday night. The theory |
Of suicide, which was at first generally |
entertained, has given place i'll the minds |
Of many to suspicious of mysterious MUIR
der.
the floor at the time the wounds We're in
flicted was heard by her brother-in-law,
Harry f. Schmidt, in different part of
the house at No. 704 Edgemont ayenue
but he gave it no importance, thinking it
was caused by the fall of chair.
Coroner Bullock first had his suspicious
aroused by the nature Of the wounds inthe
dead girls neck, which. he decided, could
not have been self-intlicted, and, although
himself n skilled surgeon, he Immediately
summoned Drs. j. lI.Forwood and Jetteris,
two of Chester's leading surgeons, to make
IN autopsy. At the inquest last night they
both agreed that, while there were six
wounds, only one had caused death-a deep
thrust in the back of the neck, the nature
of which cast u doubt on its being self-in-
ficted.
When the girl returned alone from the
ball, which was but block from her
home, she went to the dining-room where
her brother-in-law, Henry II Schmidt, was
reading, and after kissing the baby tripped
lightly up stairs. The hall in which the
stairs are located is reached directly from
the street, and between ii and the room
where MIR. schmidt was is the rear of the
grocery store, which would have ellcctuallv
deadened the sound OF an assassin entering
and following Miss Piit2enmayer up stairs.
DIR. Jeiieris whncOnductcd the autopsy,
said that either one or two among the six
a., TfV1' Y,i+ ytFat
have been sufficient to have CAUSED death,
and while he did not think it impossible
for them all to haze been self-infiictcd,
the case was certainly an unusual one. No
arrests have vet been nlade, and the in
quest will be resumed as soon as the coro-
rer has thoroughly sifted the affair.
CHESTER, Zee G-SeNeral important
links were to-day adaeli 70 the chain %
evidence that + belhg loFlheu 20 prove
that Emma fht2ehmeyer was nlufaerea
ana mat we penple u NY Eotse Wtfs ~
least cogn2ant oi the murder:
Adjoining the house M winch Henry r.
Schmidt lived with ms Wlle, 9abN, ana INC
dead girl 4 the residence Of l'hotograPhslr
Jeanes. lis family CONSISTS Of lilnSelt,
wife and daughter: since the mlifGer they
have kert very qtnel, ndef the eNHilllha-
ton of The coroner, however, they ADMIT
that violent struggle ana ellteres ipr
help were heard IN the adjoining house,
There + only INN paftltloh separating
the two houses, lie back room occupied
by Mrs. schmidt, and IN which me girl
was found murdered, y next 70 the room
occupied by Mr., and Mrs leans, It WAS
towards O'Clock, on Thursday morning;
that they and their daughter We're startled
by screams from the othersiGe 81 the par
titinn, Then there were sounds OF ayoleht
strllggle,an then everything became quiet.
Mrs.Schnldt IS now practically lmderar-
rest. Both she and her husband nave been
constantly under surveillance since the day
following the commission Of the crime
The watch Is NOT 50 stringent on tine nus
band, and this afternoon he drove to the
cemetery with his brother otto NOeIters,
when the body Uf the murdered girl was
fanally laid at rest. The wife, however,
is under close watch, and has been warned
not to leave the house. An officer j. on
guard constantly, with warrants in his
Jacket pocket for service if necessary.
Whether these warrants are simply to
hold them for witnesses or crime is not
known.
The terrible story is thus closely OUT
lined, although no human being except
Mr., and Mrs Schmidt can ill the details.
On the night of the ball the murdered girl,
ut her sisters request, paid several visits
% the house to see how the sick child was
getting along. The husband was in the
down stairs room with his clerk until the
last visit when he was alone This time
Emma remained d long time and tho
sister and wife at the ball became anxious
and hastcned home herself. Here the alb
sence Of her husband from the room and
the movements in the chamber above
famed her already aroused suspicion into
q dreadful certainty Maddened with zeal
ousy She grabbed short, sharp butcher.
knife from its place and rushed up stairs
Hprp a sight met her ewes which mad