Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-02-03
MORE TESTIMONY FOR sCHNEIDER.
Several Witnesses Testified Yesterday to
His Eccentric Actions.

THE WARDEN or THE JAIL GIVES KvIpENcH-THx
PR1soxxR's MOTHER A. A WITNESS GIVES IN
| STANCES OF HIS ERRArIc BEHAVIOR IN HIS
cHrLDHoop-sHE BRxAKs DOWN UNDER CROSS
xxAMINArIoN.
Warden Burke Of the District Jail continued
his testimony before the Court in General
Term in the Schneider insanity inquiry after
The Stars report closed. He said he had
seen Schneider frequently, but not rs fire.
quently as some other prisoners. When asked
how he felt Schneider invariably said that he
had pain in his breast and knee, which he
said came from things which people threw on
him. The cook Of the Jail had told witness
that Schneider would not drink milk punches
until the cook first tasted them. Witness had
never heard from Schneider of his invention.
He had noticed no great change in him since
! the end of the trial. He quite detected
and seemingly Indifferent anticipating nothing.
cRoss-ExAMISATIoN.
On cross-examination Warden Burke said he
had not noticed Schneider much until after the
trial. His mother was in the habit of bringing
him food every time she called during the last
three or four months.
DIR. LOUIS K. BEATTY.
DR.. Louis K. Beatty testified that he had
practiced medicine since 1881. He had been
an assistant to the Jail physician. He knew the
defendant a prisoner. He was we'll &C.
| quainted with his brothers Will and Frank. He
had observed the prisoner and had conversed
with him both before and after the trial. He
| first saw him some weeks before the trial. Tried
| to recall himself to him, but could get only
rambling questions, and Schneider finally ac-
cused witness of being a detective. The diff
Guilty of obtaining intelligent answers from him
1 H. Il.
| ing OF the fingers as if grasping at something
or nothing. There was no sudden change in
his conduct, it being a gradual. progressive
change. The burden of his talk that he
was being poisoned and he asked for medicine
to throw it out of his system. He had blank,
hang-down look about the eyes. an unintelligent
look. Il concluded some months ago, and be-
heve now" he said, that Schneider is insane"
THE DOCTORS CRoss-ExAMISArIoN.
DR.. Beatty stated that lie acted as DR.. Nc
Williams assistant out of accommodation to
the latter, with the consent of the warden. He
said he could not say whether it was in warm
or cold weather that he first saw Schneider.
| District attorney-Then how can you say
that you saw him before the trial?
| The witness-Well that is my impression.
| District attorney-Do you admit that you now
believe that he was crazy when you first saw
him in jail?
The witness-Yes. sir.
District attorney-Wh1n did you first tell any
one that he was insane!
The witness-WeIl, that's hard to answer
Some time ago-before the G. A. R. encamp-
ment.
District attorney-You say that you are inti-
mately acquainted with the prisoners brothers?
The witness-Yes. sir.
DR.. Beatty said that the only subject men,
toned by the prisoner to him was that he was
being poisoned While Schneider did not rec
] vii at no first int ifne
would not have recognized him unless a guard
had pointed the prisoner out.
District attorrey-Wel, there was nothing
remarkable in that, was there?
The witness-No, sir; and / attached none
to it.
THE PRISONERS MOTHER.
Mr.. Wilson then announced that he would
call the mother of the prisoner, and at his sug-
gest:on the prisoner was taken back to Jail be-
fore his mother entered the court room. Mrs.
Schneider. dressed in black. leaning heavily on
the arm of her son Frank. was escorted to the
stand and began her testimony in a very low
voice. She was in great mental distress and it
required great effort on her part to compose
herself sufficiently to proceed.
She said that her husband was sixty-eight
years OF age, and that they were married in
1850. She stated that her husband was con-
| nected with his brother, Louis, in the brass
foundry business, dlssolving the partnership in
1861. Mrs. Schneider said that she first
noticed the change in her husbands mind at
that time. after he had suffered from spell of
| sickness. Mrs. Schneider then detailed the con-
duct of her husband and the removal to the
farm in Maryland. related by the aunts of
the prisoner the day before. She said her hus-
band was worse for about two years after NOV
ing to the country, and that after that and
since he had been comparatively quiet. She
said that while her husband would then at
times become very much excited and would
threaten violence, she not afraid Of him
and he never attempted to harm any one. She
because he was excited by the presence of
strangers and because she felt it her duty to
care for him herself.
= THE PRISONERS CONDUCT WHEN A Boy
Mrs. Schneider stated that Howard was born
after moving to Maryland. She said that her
son had acted strangely all his life. He was
never studious and it was with great difficulty
that she compelled his attendance at school.
He always shirked his school duties. He would
curse and swear at her and others Of the family,
and his conduct was generally dsagreeable and
unaccountaDle. He would often break out vio-
lently at the table without the slightest provo
cation and jump up and leave without a word
of explanation. He was never known to get
along well with any one in business affairs.
Often he would be heard talking to imaginary
persons in his room. He would make appoint
he would run out by the back way. His mental
condition had often been disclosed By the
family.
Mr.. Matsingly endeavored to show by Mrs.
Schneider that before the shooting her son
Frank had considered the propriety of taking
steps In the matter, but the court thought that
the matter could be shown by Frank Schneider,
if necessary.
INSTRUMENTATION.
To District Attorney Cole Mrs. Schneider said
that two days ago she carried pint OF stewed
oysters, some sandwiches and some cake to her
son. After she had tasted the food her son ate
half OF the oysters and part OF a sandwich She
left him some of the food. She called to see
him on Sunday and Monday last, carrying him
food each time. He complained generally to
her of pain in his body or head. He always
ate something when she brought him food. He
always recognized her. generally in dazed sort
OF way. One morning, shortly after the trial.
he came out to her in tears, saying that he had
been treated badly on the trial He first COM
planned of poison in his food after the trial.
Soon after the trial he became careless in dress
| and more quiet in his manner. The change was
not sudden. Some time last summer he COM
planned Of the imaginary persons and within
the month he had begun to talk of people
throwing acid on him.
1 THE CHANGE OF CLOTHES.
District Attorney-"Mrs Schneider, where are
| the clothes he wore at the time?'