The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1894-09-22
IS IT A CASE
OF MURDER !?
Peculiar Circumstances of George
Schmidt'S Death.
STATEMENT BY HIS WIFE !
After the Man Had Been Put Into His
House Through a window He
Was Found Dead.
STATEMENT BY HIS WIFE

John George Schmidt, aged 80 years, and
a well-known character about town, was
found dead in a bedroom at the hovel
which he called his home, located at the
west end of Coal street. The hovel is 10.
Gated on property owned by Lord Nc.
Guire."
The circumstances surrounding the case
are peculiar and public opinion Is about
evenly devided as to whether or not a
murder has been committed. Deputy
Coroner Manley has taken charge of the
case and will hold an inquest tonight
Thus far the dead mans wife is the
only person found who has been able to
give a story of the affair. She is a small,
very thin woman, in the neighborhood of
fifty years and of somewhat dissipated
appearance. The two rooms in which she
lives are very small, about eight feet
square. One is used as a kitchen and the
other as a bedroom. They are striking
pictures of poverty and neglect.
Mrs. Schmidt told a HERALD reporter
that her husband reached home from
work at the Fowler's Run reservoir at
$3.50 last night and after washing himself
and eating his supper asked the wife
how much money she had. He took
about a dollar and a half from the
woman after n little tustle and went
into a shanty nearby in which
number of Italians board Mrs,
Schmidt says she did not see her hus-
band alive again. At midnight she went
to the Italian shanty, but the occupants
denied that Schmidt was there. Mrs.
Schmidt says she is positive her husband
was In the place at the time, because she
heard his voice The woman then went
to the Lord McGuire's saloon, but could
learn nothing of her husbands where
abouts, He had not been there.
After theunsuccessful search, although
convinced that her husband was in the
Italian shanty, Mrs. Schmidt returned to
her hovel and retired to bed with her two
sons. At about half past twelve the
woman was awakened by the sound of
something heavy falling upon the bed
| room floor. The something heavy" proved
| to be e body of old Schmidt. He had
been put into the bedroom through the
| window, the glass having been broken
| during the operation.
Mrs. Schmidt paid no heed to the body,
because, she says Schmidt was used to
| coming in drunk, and as she had locked
the door she supposed he had crawled
through the window.
The ten-year-old son, George, was more
curious, however He commenced search
| ing his fathers pockets (the mother says
| it was the boys custom) and found a
tifty-cent silver piece and silver watch.
1t was through this search that
boy found the body was lifeless and in.
formed his mother who jumped from the
bed, which was but three feet from where
| the body was, and made an investigation
that confirmed the boys statement. Mrs
Schmidt then alarmed the neighborhood
Mrs. Schmidt says that is all she knows
about the case. There were no cuts on
the body, but the right side of the face
and the forehead were fearfully bruised
Schmidt's son, Henry, by a former wife,
claimed the body this morning and took
it to his home on West Juneberry alley.
Schmidt is survived by four sons and
three daughters The latter are married.
They are Mrs. Jacob Bonnebeyer, of St
Nicholas; Mrs. Harry Smith, Gordon, and
Mrs. Federman, Fountain Springs. Al
bert Schmidt, one of the sons, resides in
Pittsburg. The other sons reside in town.
None of these recognize the second wife,
who mas the custody of the ten-year-old
son by the second marriage and her own
15-year-old sou.
Mrs Schmidt says she believes her hus-
band was beaten while drinking beer in
the Italian shanty and then dumped into
the bedroom through the window. She
has an eye which is surrounded by all the
colors of a rainbow. When asked how
her face became bruised she said her 10
year old son got drunk few nights ago
and hit her in the eye with his elbow.
Henry Schmidt, who has taken charge
of the deceased's body, is hardworking
and respectable man who lives in q COM
fortably furnished house on Juneberry
alley. He said to-day that he knew abso-
lutely nothing OF the facts of the case and
had taken charge of the body simply to
give it christian burial
The Shenandoahs will give the Harris