Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-03-04
Is the Charge Brought by a
Chicago Editor
AGAINST HIS SON-lN-LAW.
Marrying His WRe's Daughter, He Kills the
Old Lady TO Get Her Money.
a Mystery at GaIveston-A Bank Presi-
dent Kills Hfmself-A Prominent
Engineer Found Dead with
Holes in His Head.
An Ugly Charge.

An Ugly SnAIEe
CHICAGO, Ill, March 3.-It's- an ugly
thing to say of a man who occupies good
social position that he murdered his mother
in-Iaw for money. Yet this Is what F. h.
Drenton, an aged and wealthy man, accused
DR.. H. NJ. Scudder of having done. Scud-
der married the adopted daughter
Of Drenton, whose feeble wife
had a large fortune in her own
right which at the last moment as she lay
in bed only half conscious of what she was
doing, as her husband alleges, she was in
duced to sign over to Scudder's wife. On
February q another physician was hastily
summoned to the bed side and found
her expiring with ominous:
wounds in the head, produced by fall
from chair, Scudder says. As Scudder
was the last man said to have spoken with
her and as he could not satisfactorily &C
count for the wounds, suspicion fell on him
and so warrants were sworn out for his
arrest by Drenton yesterday. The body of
Mrs. Drenton was buried at GAINESVILLE, Wis.
To-day it was exhumed and two physicians
are making a minute examination. DR..
Scudder is a son Of the eminent Rev. DR..
Scudder. The latter appeared before
Judge Scales to-day in tire county court and
applied to have his son committed to the
detention hospital for examination as to his
sanity. Drenton is proprietor of the
Spirit of the Times
Mrs. Drenton and Mr. Scudder had never
been on very good terms with each other,
particularly since the marriage last Sep
TENDER Of the doctor with Mrs. DrentOn'S
adopted daughter. His marriage was OPP
posed by Mrs. Drenton, and she was never
reconciled to it. She cut her daughter off
with scarcely i shilling in her
will, and this is the reason. it is
alleged, that DR.. Scudder assaulted
his mother-in-law that he might secure
possession of her will, change it and then
n. l.
ing, 2lst, she seemed unusually well
walked about her room, read the morning
paper and seemed much improved. Her
breakfast was brought to her. Fifteen
minutes 2 later Mrs. Drenton was
heard to scream. Everyone in
the house rushed up stairs
Hannah Johnson, a domestic, was the first
10 reach the room. She has made the state
ment on oath that she saw DR.. Scudder and
that he was beating his motner-n-law
over the head, but when others
reached the room he had ceased and
Mrs. Drenton lay upon the floor face down
ward bleeding and unconscious. Neighbor-
ing physicians were quickly called, one of
whom DR.. Bassett, as he went up stairs
met DR.. Scudder coming down.
Subsequently while the newly arrived
physicians were trying to restore the in
lured woman to consciousness, DR.. Scudder
came in. The physicians asked how Mrs.
piled that in a fright she had fallen
and struck her head upon the furniture.
This answer surprised DR.. LeaYitt, since
the room had very little furniture and it
seemed impossible that any one could have
fallen and received cuts of such peculiar ap-
pearance and IN such positions DR.. Scudder
was also asked if he had administered any
medicine to Mrs. Drenton. He replied that
he had given her an injection of one-Cuar-
ter grain OF morphine. Here" said he,
sis the syringe / used. She struggled so
that 1 bent the needle.'' and he took
from his pocket a syringe whose needle
was bent almost to form a right angle. He
appeared greatly excited and as DIR. Leavitt
was about to leave inquired if it would l
not be well to give Mrs. Dren-
ton another injection and produced
another syringe. DIR. Leavitt replied that
an injection of whisky or brandy would be
beneficial, and DR.. Scudder thereupou
made preparations to administer
it. But" said Dr. Leavitt, tonight
do not know what drug
should be administered. l only know
that Mrs. Dreuton never revived, and died
that afternoon DR.. Scudder'S designs
extended TO Mr.. Drenton. it is believed. On
February Is. while visiting Drenton at the
Office of the Spirit of the Turf, the doctor
told him that he looked i'll and gave
him dose Of medicine which made aim |
violently Ill. He was scarcely able to reach !
home, and became unconscious Immediately |
after. continuing in that condition for |
thirty-six hours.
The case has elected unusual |
and no little excitement owing to the high |
standing OF the families involved, and the |
secrecy observed as to all details. Little |
stock IS generally taken in the statement !
that the alleged murderer is insane.