The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1892-03-04
ACCUSED OF MURDER
DR.. SCudder, of Chicago Is In
Trouble.
GUARDED BY THE POLICE.
He is the Son of lha Pormgr Pastor Of
Plymouth Church in Brooklyn.

Says Heis Sick and Unable to Leave His
Bed-He Is Charged with Killing His
Mother-in-Law and with Forging Her
Name to win Leaving Her Property to
His wife-It is Said He is Crazy.
CHICAGO, March d. - Dr. Henry NJ.
Scudder, son of a former pastor of Ply.
mouth Church here, is under arrest at
fathers homo, 1891 Grand Boulevard,
his charged with murder Owing to Dr.
Scudder's assertion that he is sick and
unable to leaue his bed, he has not been
removed to the Jail, but is closely guard
ed by the police.
The warrant on which DR.. Seudder is
held was sworn out by f, II. Dunton,
proprietor Of the Spirit of the Turf -
and the father-in-law of the accused
man In the complaint on which the
warrant was issued MI Dunton alleges
that on Sunday, Feb. 2i. DR. Scudder
murdered Mrs. Dunton by beating her on
the head with blunt weapon. Scudder
married an adopted daughter of Dunton,
whose sickly wife had fortune of over
500, 600 in her own right, which up TO a
few days before the time of her death she
tives The will was changed in her last
hours, leaving the property to Scudder's
wife Then another physician was hast
lily summoned 10 her bedside and found
her dying with wounds in her head
which, Scudder says, were produced by a
fall from her chair as she was sitting up.
As Scudder is the last man who is be-
lieved to have spoken to her, and as he
could not satisfactorily account for the
wounds, suspicion fell on him.
On the morning of February 2l, DR.,
Scudder, who was constant visitor at
the Dunton mansion, was alone with
Mrs. Dunton during the temporary alb
sence of the servant Mr.. Dunton was
reclining on a bed in the back room,
just recovering from a dangerous ill
ness. His wife uttered piercing
scream, which was heard all over the
house.
At or about the same moment, wit
ness, whose name is withheld, saw her
on all fours on the floor, and DR., Scud-
der striking her on the head with some
thing like a club. The witness was in
Zoo, nf Scudder, and suppressed the fact
until late,.
When Mrs Dunvcn screamed every ono
in the house ran to the room, the first
arrival being M Dunton, whom Dr.
Scudder gently pushed back, assuring
him that he was to i'll to see his wife
To the rest of the family he said that
Mrs. Dunton had fallen down three times
and struck her head against the furni-
tura. When they arrived Mrs, Dunton
was living on her face, with her head
near the door, bleeding profusely from
several wounds. She was only partly
conscious, and said nothing that was
;,+alIi,,t hIa before she died.
Dr Scudder and others started out
for physicians, and the first one to ar
rive was DR. Bassett, who lived only TWO
doors away
Whsn he saw the condition of the
woman he ran back home for probe,
and as he went out DR.. Leavitt came In.
When DIR. Bassett had returned they
made an examination of the woman
scalp. and found that it had on it five or
more wounds, which penetrated to the
skull bone if they did not fracture the
skull.
1t was plain also that they were made
downward and forward, on the top and
rear af the head
DR.. Scudder told the other physicians
that he was present when she fell three
times against the furniture while he
was attempting to hold her up
Dr. Bassett expressed surprise, as
there was hardly anything for her to
to strike her ad against
Three days before her death, and while
Mr. Dunton was lying in comatos(
state in the adjoining room, DR.. Scudder
It is said, brought Mrs. Dunton new
will Dr. Scudder read it to her. hat
her sign it, and then had it witnessed by
himself, his l4-year- old daughter, ant
Mrs. Dunton's l5-year- old daughter h
then made a preteXt TO take the pen AM
ink down stairs. and soon after got littl
Miss Dunton to follow him. He told he
that she had signed the will il
the wrong place, and easily indu3e
her to sign it again as she supposed, II
the right place. But the allegation
made that she was deluded into signin
different will as witness. 1t is charges
that afUerward DR.. Scudder and hi
daughter also signed it as witnesses, AM
that then he forged Mrs. Dunton's nam
60 it, This thi will, it is said, give
pretty much all of Mrs, Dunton'
property to Mrs. Scudder.
AS for Scudder, it is satd that he
crazy, or at least there is an attempt o
The part of his family to make it appea
that such is the case.
The Rev Dr. Scudder, his father an
his wife have appeared before Judl
Scales aud asked TO have him committe
to the Detention Hospital for eXamin
tion as 60 his sanity.
Scudder is 80 years old, and has q
Office at 80 La Sale street. where
makes specially of examining app
eants for life insurance in Eastern con
panies. 1t is alleged that several con
panies have got rid Of him for shady O.
erations.
The Usual Result.