Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1893-03-20

$1,000.
ScHNEIDER's BODY CREMATED.-Thc
body of Howard J. Schneider, who was
hanged in Washington on Friday for
the murder of his wife and her brother,
was taken TO Baltimore on Saturday
and cremated in tho retort at Loudon
Park Cemetery. The remains arrived
at the cemetery at half past one O'Clock
in charge of Undertaken Gawler, OF
Washington, and were at once taken 10
the crematory AT $3.50 o'clock four
Washington physicians arrived, accom-
panied by the dead mans counsel, for
the purpose Of holding an autopsy. The
greatest secrecy was observed with re-
gard TO it. 1t had been urged during ard
since the trial that Schneider WAS in
sane, and his friends still believe this,
even though he was declared sane by
medical experts short time ago. The
Washington party went over very
quietly, the physicians taking their
cases of instruments with them, and
proceeded at once to the crematorium,
where the plain walnut coffin awaited
them.
The lid of the coffin was removed and
the remains of the executed murderer
exposed to view. The body was that
ola slender young man, with sunken
cheeks and pinched features. The
ghastly pallor of the face was intensi-
fed by the coal black hair and whisk-
ers, the latter being rough and un-
kempt in appearance. 1t had first been
intended to hold the autopsy in Balti-
more, but it was found that would re-
quire too much time, so it was determ-
ined to remove the brains and heart
and take them back to Washington.
Accordingly, the body was placed upon
the table in the ante-room, and the
physicians sawed through the top of
the skull and removed the brains.
They then took out the heart. Both
organs were placed in jars of alcohol
and securely sealed. The body was
then given over to the creamatorium
attendants, and the Washington party
left for home taking the jars with them.
At $50 o'clock the body had been pre-
pared for incincration, and was at once
placed in the retort. Nine hours was
required TO reduce the body to ashes.
The retort, however, was securely
locked up, and the ashes were allowed
to remain in the incinerating pan until
yesterday, when they were taken out
and placed in a jar. To-day they were
shipped to the dead mans family in
Washington. The ashes measured one
pint and half.
A dispatch from Washington says
An autopsy was performed at Loudon
Park Cemetery on Saturday upon the
brain and spinal cord of Howard ].
Schneider by Dr. Irving c. Ross, profes
sor of nervous diseases at the George
town University, and DIR. Blackburn,
pathologist at the government hospital
for the insane. The autopsy revealed,
in the opinion of these experts, sufficient
evidence of degeneration and disease to
show that the murderer was insane at
the time of his execution. The brain
was much drier than usual, and there
was much sickness of the pia mater,
with patches of opacity on both sides.
At the base of the brain the left verte
brae artery was double the size of the
right both postcrior communicating
arteries were larger than usual. This
portion of the brain was slightly soften
ed, but there was no sign of disease Of
the vessels. The right motor ocult
nerve was narrower than its fellow
spinal substance quite soft (; patch OF
hardening on membrane covering a
part of left anterior lobe, and csteo-
phytes were found in the dura mater.
Fluid in ventrical, slightly tinged with
blood lungs slightly hypostatic, and
lower portion emphysemation n few
pleural scars, with tuberculous deposits
in upper portion of both; heart normal
except tricusped valve, which was en-
larged to the extent of admitting four
inger-tips the right heart subnormal
spleen soft, malpigian bodies promin-
ent capsule smooth ; kidneys showed
evidence Of disease more blood than
normal, and somewhat hard-fed cap
sule not really removed urate depos-
its in apices of pyramids mesentine
glands enlarged and diseased, gray and
softer than normal, probably tubercu-
lar. The Schneider case has excited
keen interest in medico-legal circles.
Articles will appear in leading journals
devoted to medical jurisprudence dis
1:.-x III eo,it,. hnib OF Tho fip,a nf