The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-03-04
DIR. SCUDDER IN TROUBLE.
THE SON OF A FORMER BROOKLYN
PREACHER ACCUSED OF MURDER

PREACHER ACCUSED OF MURDER
He IL Charged with killing Ms Mother.in-
law and with Forging Her Name to n
Will Leaving Her Property TO His WIZ
The susPicions that Led 10 His Arrest
-He 10 Said TO Ne sick md is Guarded
BY Police Mt n Hospital Pending nm In.
sulry a. to His Sanity-Sketch OF His Life
CHICAGO. March 3-Dr. Henry NJ. scudder.
son OF the former pastor Of Plymouth Church
here. is under arrest at his fathers home. 1921
Grand Boulevard. charged with murder. Ow-
ing to DR.. Scudders assertion thnt he 10 sick
and unable to leave his bed he has not been
removed to the jail. but Is closely guarded by
the police.
Tho warrant on which DR.. Scudder is hold
was sworn out by +. II. Dunton. proprietor OF
the Spirit Of the 7hrf and tho father-in-law OF
the accused man. In the complaint on which
the warrant was issued Mr.. Dunton alleges
that on Sunday Feb. 81. Dr.. Scudder murdered
Mrs. Dunton by beating her on the head with
blunt weapon. Scudder married On adopted
daughter Of Dunton. whose sickly wife had
fortune Of over 100000 In her own right.
which up to a few days before the time Of her
death she had proposed leaving to some blood
relatives. The will was changed in her last
hours, leaving tho property to scudder's wife.
Then another physical was hastily summoned
70 her bedside and found her dying with
wounds in her head which. Scudder says. were
produced by q fall from her chair rs she was
sitting un.
As Scudder is the last man who is believed
10 have spoken to her. and as he could not
satisfactorily account for the wounds. sus-
picion fell on him. On the morning Of Fob. 81
DR.. Scudder. who was constant visitor at the
nrpnt ION nail Ivoo n nnnfnn
during the temporary absence Of the servant
Mr.. Dunton was reclining on a bed in the back
room. Just recovering from q dangerous ILL.,
moss. Mrs. Dunton uttered piercing scream.
which was heard all over the house. At or
about the snme moment q witness. whose
name Is withheld. saw her on all fours on the
floor and DR.. scudder striking her on the head
with something like club. The witness was
in fear OF scudder. and suppressed the fact
until later
When Mrs. Dunton screamed every one in
the house ran to the room. tho first arrival
being Mr. Dunton. whom DR.. Scudder gently
pushed back. assuring him that he was too 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 tho furni-
ture. When they arrived Mrs. Dunton was
lying on her face. with her head near the door.
bleeding profusey from several wounds. She
was only partly conscious. and said nothing
that was ineligible before she died. DR..
Scudder and others started out for
physicians. and the first ono to ar
rive was DR.. Bassett, who lived only
two doors away. When he saw the condition
OF the woman he ran back home for probe.
and as he went out DR.. Lesvitt came in When
DR.. Bassett had returned they made an ex-
animation OF Mrs. Dunton's scalp. and found
that It had on It five or moro wounds. which
penetrated to tho skull bone. IL they did not
fracture the skull. 1t was plain also that thoy
were made downward and forward. on the top
and rear OF tho head. DR.. Scudder told tho
other physicians that he was present whom
Mrs. scudder fell three times against tho
furniture while he was attempting to hold her
up. DR.. Bassett expressed establishment. as
there was hardly anything for her to strike
her head against.
DR.. Leavitt believed the wounds were not
such as casual fall would produce. He COM
municated his suspicious to the husband Of
the dead woman. Mrs. Dunton lay uncon-
scious until 3 80 that afternoon. and then died.
The funeral was MANAGED by the Scudders.
who had the services at the house. and gnvo
no ono an opportunity to view the body. which
was Immediately removed to GAINESVILLE. Wis.
for burial.
1t is charged that DR.. Scudder tried his hand
first on Mr.. Dunton. On tho Thursday proceed
ing Mrs. Duntons death he was conspicuously
attentive to Mr.. Dunton. who was in very feeble
health. He accompanied him down town to
his Office In the morning went home with him
to lunch. returned with him in the afternoon
and went homo with him again at 4;3O
o'clock. He told Mr.. Dunton that he was
evidently Ill AMI no wanted to watch
over him. Just before tho couple left Mr.
Dunton's office at $3.50 p. NJ. to go homo for
the night. DR.. Scudder told him thnt no must
take stimulating drauGht. He then admin
istered to him. In the presence Of witnesses. n
dose OF something that he called brandy and
quinine. But tho tonic was SO active that by
tho time Mr.. Dunton got home he was out OF
his head. and then went into conatose state.
exhibiting all the symptoms OF apoplexy. from
which he did not recover for forty. eight hours.
Three days before her death. and while Mr..
Dunton WAS lying In comatose state in the
adjoining room. DIR. Scudder. 1t is said. brought
Mrs. Dunton new will. DIR. scudder read it
to her. had her sign 1t. and then had it wit
messed by himself his IA year. old daughter.
and Mrs. Dunton's 10 year-old daughter. He
then made pretcXt to tnko tho pen and
Ink down stnirs. and soon afterward got little
Miss Dunton to follow him. Ho 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 right place. But tho allcgn-
tioh 10 Inhue tIIt BIG WHh ucluueu into sign.
Ing different will az witness. II il charged
that afterward DR.. Scudder and his daughter
also signed 1t as witnesses. and that then he
forged Mrs Duntons name to 1t. This third
will. 1t Is said. gives pretty much all OF Mrs.
Duntons property to Mrs. Scudder.
As for Scudder 1t is said that no is crazy. or
at least there is an attempt on the part OF his
family to make 1t appear that such is the case.
To-day the Rev. DR.. scudder. his father. and
his wife appeared before judge Scales and
asked to have him committed to the Detention
Hospital for examination as to his sanity.
Scudder Is 80 years old and has IN Office at