The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-01-01
NO CLEW TO SNYDER
The Murderer of Mrs. Olive Cloud
Is Still at Large.
Further Details of the Tragedy on
South Pine Street-RelatiOns Be-
tween the Two People.

6Oulo oHyucIs Tie SldgtE VI MIS-. OANc
Cloud. late Saturday night, is yet a fugitive.
The body of his victim lies in the little par
Tor of her home at No. q South Pine street.
Oran. the fifteen-year-old son Of the unfor-
tunate woman. roams from room to room
and has yet scarcely come to a realization
Of the fate that befell. his mother. Little
groups of men and women stood about the
premises all day yesterday discussing the
tragedy. Inside the home kind neighbors
and distressed relatives of the dead woman
busted themselves quietly with the affairs
of the family. Mamie Ferriter, the little
domestic who last saw her mistress alive.
tip.toed ~shrinkingly in and out of the apart
ment of death Morbidly inclined : visitors
were excluded. Throughout the day police
officers and detectives visited the place, but
learned little more than was told yesterday
morning.
The only witness Of the crime was the
terrified youth, Oran Cloud, who was awak-
ened from his slumbers by the sharp crack
Of a pistol. The boy clings to his first state
ment. The sensational details Of the tragedy
reveal the inevitable result of an indiscreet,
If not erring, woman's intimacy with a pas
sionate, jealous man. Although both had
reached the stage of matured manhood and
womanhood, they led a life of gay pleasure.
Divorced from a husband for whom she no
longer nursed a wifely affection, Mrs. Cloud
naturally sought for other companionship.
In Louis Snyder, L-r murderer, she found
a handsome, reckless, but devoted lover.
The woman, although over forty years old,
retained her youthful figure and comely
face. Snyder's infatuation for her is some
thing remarkable. He undoubtedly loved her
and desired her TO marry him. She. on the
other hand. was contented to receive his
somewhat lavish attentions, but at no time.
1t seems. had any intention of consenting to
the proposed marriage. TIL acquaintance Of
the couple began a year ago while Snyder
was the owner of the Gold Bar" a West
End saloon. Snyder lost his wife a year
before and was living with his children. He
was a man of courteous mein, and was ex-
ceedingly polite. He was a splendid speci-
men of physical manhood and always wore
the finest attire. From the hour he met the
somewhat dashing widow his admiration for
her was marked. Mrs. Cloud dressed well
and was at all times lively and vivacious.
She permitted Snyder to have the entire to
her home and for six months was almost
constantly in his company. The fact that
he desired TO marry her was we'll known to
her family and neighbors, but the exact nat
ure of the relations between the couple was
not known.
Lately it grew, evident to the friends of
Mrs. Cloud hat she was growing tired of
her lover and, in fact, she informed some of
her neighbors and also her sister that were
she not afraid of her life she would dismiss
Snyder at once. However, she continued to
be found in his company. A few months ago
1t is understood that Mrs. Cloud assisted
Gnxydor RI Sfart the Co10oo ~ +bo 49, -
Washington and Oriental streets, at the
same time promising to marry him if he
was successful. The business was a failure
and two months since the place was sold
to James Highnight, formerly of the fire
department.. Since the tragedy of Saturday
night it is learned that Snyder renewed
his suit a few weeks ago and was refused
again.
HAD THREATENED HER.
To her brother, Oran Shaw, the woman
made the statement that Snyder placed
a revolver to her breast and
avowed his intention of killing
her. Shaw, at the time, advised her to
cause the arrest of her insolent lover, but
she declined. She stated that she knew
this move would only hasten an impending
tragedy. Although she feared him, she
offered him employment on a new house
she was building, which he accepted. All
last week he worked on the structure, talk
ing his meals at the house, and, it is said,
slept there a part Of the time. Saturday
afternoon Snyder was mOroSe and gloomy.
Once when Mrs. Cloud stepped from the
door of her kitchen, adjoining the new
building, Snyder was high on the roof nail
ing a plank.
BE careful or you'll fall and kill your
SELF she cried in a jocular way. Snyder
replied:
gNv1 s1-zI TN - tnt
to stay here and look after you"
Late Saturday evening the men left off
work on the house, and Snyder repaired
to Mrs. Clouds for supper. During the
progress or the meal the woman mentioned
the fact that she intended giving a Sunday
dinner to some of her friends. SNYDER
asked who the guests were, and took violent
umbrage at the mention of one of the
names. For a few moments a heated quar-
rel progressed and then subsidized. About
8 O'Clock Mrs. Cloud ettractively attired
herself In a street costume and set out
FOR the downtown district. Snyder ac-
c~oInpanied her. They spent an hour at
the home Of Mrs. Clouds relatives. at the
corner of Market and Linton streets. From,
there it is supposed they went to the New
York store, where the woman purchased
a pair of gloves. Just when they started
after 10 o'clock they entered the wine room
or Frank OBrien, corner of Washington
and East streets. Here they remained un-
I'll nearly Ii o'clock. Mrs. Cloud had a
- - @Co'f fNAAL ~ LIN Viz III M I4GSe
of beer. Snyder drank freely. and proba-
bly, took In all seven or eight glasses of the
beverage. From the wine room the couple
went directly east. As was her cIISrt,r
the widow entered the kitchen. SNYDER
presumably followed her, and he had
scarcely crossed the Threshold before he
began his murderous work. The sleeping
boy in the bedroom adjoining the Kitchen
heard four pistol shots. There NAV have
been more. The agoniZed cry of his moth
er, on, Snyder" aroused him. and he
threw himself from the bed as she stag-
gered from the kitchen through the dini1g
room and fell headlong on the floor of the
sitting room. As she fell the dying woman
exclaimed, "Oh, I'm shot," and attemntod
to reach a sofa lounge. With a p;tifui
groan she sank down and expired instantly.
She had no time TO relieve herself of her
target for the aim OF a man Who mr.
fessed 20 love her. In one hand she held !.
glove which she had Just removed and tba
glove OF the other hand had been nulIed
down from the wrist. She had evidently
Deen In the act of drawing il off when
Shyuer began hring. -Four bullets pene-
trated her body, one OF which would bava
been fatal. The left breast was niarced
the bullet passing through both lohes of
the left lung. 1t also severed the nuln,onar ~,
artery and lodged in the back within an
inch of the spine. Another bullet str,,ct-
tns right arm just above the elbow and
passed entirely through. One Of the Shoe
struck the left wrist. and a ragged v,oI,nd
on the forehead Just above the left eva
suggested to the physicians that = buIiot
had struck the bone and glanced Off Tbe
murdered did not stop then to Wow bis
deadly work. but coolly walked cut of the
rear door Of the kitchen. "0
THE MURDERER RETURNED
A moment later he returned and stepped