Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1892-03-04
FRIGHTFULLY ACCUSED.
Black Crimes Charged Against
a Noted Clergyman's Son.
MIXTURE OF MURDER AND FORGERY

MIXTURE OF MURDER AND fORGERY
DIR. Scudder. rt Is Alleged. Beat His
Mother-in-Law 70 Death, Tried TO Poison
His Father-in-Law aud Forged the Muir
dered woman's Name to Bogus win.
CHICAGO March 4--Dr. Henry NJ scud-
der, son of the famous pastor of Plymouth
church, il under arrest at his fathers home,
1921 Grand Boulevard, charged with muir
der. He il sick and is closely guarded by
officers. The warrant on which Dr. scud-
der is held was sworn out by the venerable
f, II. Dunton, proprietor Of The Spirit OF
the Times and the father.in-law Of the ac-
cused. Scudder married an adopted daugh-
terof Dunton's, whose feeble wife had for
tune Of 100000 in her own right, which up
10 a few days before the time Of her death
she had purposed leaving to some blood rela-
tives.
On the morning Of Feb. 81 DR.. scudder,
who was a constant visitor at the Dunton
mansion, was alone with Mrs. Dunton dur
ing the temporary absence Of the servant.
Mr.. Dunton was in bed in an adjoining
room recovering from an illness with which,
IL is also claimed, Dr. Scudder is painfully
connected. Mrs. Dunton uttered a piercing
scream which was heard all over the house.
At, or about the same moment, a witness
whose name is withheld for the present
saw her on all fours on the floor and DR..
Scudder striking her on the head with some
thing like a club, The witness was in fear
Of the Scudders and suppressed the fact
until later
When Mrs. Dunton screamed every one
in the house ran 20 the room, the FIRST ar
| rival being Mr. Dunton, whom DR.. Scudder
! gently pushed back, assuring him that he
was too III 70 see his wife. To the rest OF
the family he said that Mrs. Dunton had
fallen down three times and struck her head
ngainst the furniture Mrs Dunton was
lying on her face, with her head bleeding
profusely, and she said nothing intelligible
before she died Dr. scudder and others
started out for physicians and DR.. Bassett
and DR.. Leavitt came in.
Very Suspicious Wounds.
They made an examination of Mrs Dun
toms scalp and found that 1t had on 1t FIVE
or more wounds, which penetrated to the
skull bone. IL was plain also that they were
made downward and forward on the top
and rear Of the head. DIR. Scudder told the
other physicians that he was present when
Mrs. Scudder fell three times against tho
furniture while he was attempting 10 hold
her up DR.. Baasett expressed astonishment.
The explanation was not sufficient to DR..
Leavitt To his practiced eye the wounds
, were not such ms a casual fall would pro-
duoe He communicated his suspicions to
, the husband Of the dead woman, who re-
I called circumstances connected with the
, viii which sharpened him IN memory and
/ shaped his action later.
The funeral was managed by the Scud-
, ders, who gave no one an opportunity to
view the remains which were Immediately
, removed 20 GAINESVILLE, Wis, for burial
IL Is charged that Dr. Scudder tried his
hand FIRST on Mr.. Dunton. On the Thurs
day preceding Mrs. Dunton's death he was
/ conspicuously attentive 20 Mr.. Dunton,
who was ia very feeble health. He accom-
i. panied him down town TO his Office and told
I Mr. Dunton that he was evidently IN and
= he wanted 20 watch over him. just before
p the couple left Mr. Dunton's Office TO 20
: home for the night Dr. Scudder told him
r that he must take a stimulating draught.
: He then administered 10 him. in the pres.
\ ence of witnesses, dose Of something that
he called brandy and quinine.
By the time Mr. Dunton got home he was
tose state, exhibiting all the symptoms OF
, apoplexy from which he did not recover for
, forty-eight hours IL is supposed that the
Z failure Of this attempt may have produced
the determination TO put Mrs. Dunton out
Of the way
Tried His Hand ON Her Husband.
Previous 20 both Of these events, how
r ever, DR.. Scudder had made arrangements
] ] 4 al "a
! factory will. Mrs Dunton had often said
. that she would not object to making some
little alterations in her viii. Accordingly,
three days before her death and while Mr.
Dunton was in a comatose state, Dr. Scud.
I der brought her a new win in which the de.
/ sired alterations were embodied and which
r pleased her very much Dr. Scudder read
!, It to her, had her sign IL, and then had II
+ witnessed by himself, his fourteen year-old
v daughter and Mrs. Dunton's ffteen-year-old
D daughter. He then made a pretext TO take
the pen and ink down stairs, and soon after
ward got little Miss Dunton to follow him
He told her that she had signed the will
. In the wrong place. and easily induced her
! to sign it again, as she supposed, In the
q right place. But the allegation is made that
5 she was deluded into signing a different
y will. as witness. It is charged that after
ward Dr. Scudder and his daughter alsc
signed it as witnesses, and that then he
forged Mrs Dunton's name 70 it. This
; third win gives pretty much all Of Mrs
< Dunton's property to Mrs. Scudder.
Today the Rev DR.. Scudder, father Of the
accused, appeared before Judge Scales and
asked to have him committed to the Deten
ton hospital for examination as to bis
sanity. Scudder is thirty-nine years old
: and makes a speciality of examining appli
s cants for life insurance in eastern com
s panies II is alleged that several companies
have got rid Of him for shady operations.
Burned to a Crisp.