The farmers' union. (Memphis, Mo.) 1891-1895, 1892-03-24
DIR. SCUDDER'S CASE.
A Chicago Crime Rivaling in Interest the
('ronia Mystery.


Chicago special; Every day brings 10
light some new and startling fact i'll con-
nection with the s;cuider- Dunton traS-
edv. What appeared at first to be very
ordinary murder. growing cut of Il COM
m"nplact family quarrel is fast devel-
opinS into Il scnSati, nal crime, beside
which even he bloody tronin consplr-
acy is dwarfed. If onehalf thr state
nleEtS which are now alleged can be
sustained in court, DR.. Scuddcr is either
a crafty. srheminy maniac or the most
brutal and hloodthirsty villain that ever
walked the streets of Chicago. His
friends are trying hard to prove that he
is crazy-the proof Of murder being SO
strong that they do not hope for ac4ut-
tai on any other ground. DIR. Scudder
is the son of the ex-past"r 'f the Ply
mouth congregational Church, and Is d
skilled ard successful practitioner.
Last Septembarhe married Dora Dun
ton. the adopted Gaug.t r of Mr.. and
Mrs. +. II. Dunton, owners of the Spirit
OF The Turf, in this city. Mrs. Dunton,
although an invalid, and near to death
with bad ease of tumor. Was the active
manag OF the paper and all the prop
eriy, valued at Si25.0na. stood i'll her
name The securing of this property is
the alleged motive Tor DR.. Sculdcrs
crime. Mr.. and Mrs. Dunton had no
direct heirs. ;nl Mrs. Dunton. who had
been told by her physicians that she
| could not live SIX months more. made a
| will, leaving the estate to her husband
! and at his death to DIR. Scu 'der's wife.
| knowing that his mothcr-in-law could
| live but little while. DR.. Scudder tried
about February II last to poison MIR.
Dun.on, so as to bring The property di-
rcct!y into his control a. Mrs. Dun
ton death. by sonc providcntial in
! :erfcrcncc the dose, while it made Mr..
| Dunton dcathly sick. did not have Il
| fatal effect. Finding that his plan in
| this direction had failed Dr. ScUdder,
on the prct"xt of having some small be-
| quests made to other members of the
| family. got Mrs. Dun:on to consent to
| make a new VIII i'm viii h her husband
was again the principal beneficiary. He
had the will carefully drawn and Mrs.
Duon was 50 we'll pleased with the
changes that she signed it at once. the
| witnesses being DIR. Scudder hin self,
| his 14-year-old daughter and a youthful
| ncice of Mrs. Duntons. Going down
stairs soon after DR.. Scudder called the
two girls and told them they had signed
the will in the wrong place and must
write their names again. Chi.d-ilkc,
they thought nothing of this, and thus
ur. Scu,ider secured their signatures as
witnesses to a forged will which he "runS
in" on them. and hy which his wife was
made the sole leSatc of the Eunton
fortune. This was on Saturday. Feb.
; 20. 1t was now 10 the o.tor's interest
TO get Mrs. Duntun out Of the way as
soon as possible lest he children should
| chance to mention the mistake" in sign
ing the will and thus arouse suspicion.
The next day, Sunday, Feb. 2l, he wont
to the Dunton hcmc. on.Aldine Square,
and beat Mrs nunton's brains out. Mr..
| Dunton saw him do it and attempted tC
interfere, but Sculder pushed him out OF
, the room. leaving as he did so the bloody
i, mark of his hand on Mr.. Dunton's night
, robe Hannah johnson, a domestic
) also saw the murder committed. DR.
, Scuddcr has been indicted by the Grand
Jury for murder.