The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1899-01-22
body OF MRS. SCHREPLER
The Identity of the Drowned
Woman Cleared Up.
THE CHILD STILL MISSING
Husband Finds the Remains af His
Wife at the Morguc--supposcd to
Made Hn Attempt To Commit sui
eide on Two Previous Occasions.

The mystery concerning the identity of
the woman found floating in the river
shortly before noon yesterday at the foot
OF Ninth Street by Capt. Robert Brown
and James Ashton, Of the police patrol
boat was cleared up yesterday evening
about 6 o'clock when Joseph Schrepler ap-
peared at the morgUe and after viewing
the body stated that it was that of his wife,
Katherine Coroner Carr had previously
viewed the remains and gave a certificate OF
death by accidental drowning. Mr.. Schrep-
Ter took charge of the remains and turned
them over TO Undertaken Lee 10 be pre-
pared for burial.
Though the mystery concerning the iden
tity of the woman has been solved, there
is still a greater mystery confronting
Schrepler and the police. What has be-
come OF Louise, the 3-year-old daughter,
who has not been seen since the mother
disappeared is the question which now
agitates the mind of all those concerned.
1t is more than probable that the little
one was drowned with the mother who,
arms and while mentally unbalanced
jumped into the river. This theory is ad-
vanced by persons familiar with the cir
cumstances and is shared by the husband
and father, who has given up all hope of
ever seeing his daughter in life.
The theory that the woman had the child
in her arms is strengthened by the fact
that when the body was recovered the arms
were crossed over the breast as if they had
drowned persons the arms hang limp,
either beside the body, over the head, or
stretched out from the side. The position
of the arms in the case of Mrs. Schrepler
serves to show almost beyond question
that they had encircled something of some
size
The body when found was dressed in a
blue and white Powered calico dress. Over
this and pinned tightly about the limbs
was a black apron. A black jersey coat
covered the upper portion of the body. The
feet were encased in black slippers, with
heavy rubber bands encircling them to
keep them from slipping of.
Mr.. Schrepler. when seen at his home,
No. 3iS Fourteenth Street southwest. last
night stated that he was of the opinion
that his wife had jumped in the river with
the child in her arms. He thought his
wife was mentally unbalanced at the time
he thought was the result OF the absence
from home of their fourteen ear-old
daughter, Mamie, whom he had taken to
school at 81. Marys Academy, in AleXan-
dria. on Friday evening. The child was
great company for the mother and had at
tended her devotedly during 4 recent at
tack OF the grip. Mrs. Schrepler had not
been in very good spirits since her recov-
cry from the malady.
lit became necessary said Mr.. Schrep-
Ter. Ito send the girl TO school, and, al
though the mother had been opposed TO
letting her leave when the suggestion had
been first made. she had afterward appar-
emily seen the wisdom OF il and become
reconciled. / took Mamie 10 Alexandria
on Friday evening We left the house
about O'Clock. The mother expressed
much grief al the parting and cried for
quite awhile. but that was only natural.
and ] did not pay a great amount of atten-
tion to it.
When returned home il was nearly
o'clock and my wife was not in the house.
This was not unusual though as she oc-
cssionally went next door and spent the
night with neighbor. l supposed that
she had felt unusually blue over the alb
sence OF Mamie, and had gone next door
for consolation. | am a fish merchant.
and have stands in three markets. Ny
early hour in the morning. / generally
get my breakfast after / appear at my
place of business. Saturday arose as
usual at an early hour and felt no concern
at my wifes absence, thinking that she
would return with the child later in the
day.
AS Saturday is my busiest day l do
not have an opportunity TO get home for
the noon-day meal. II was nearly . o'c Ock
in the evening when ! finally got to the
house after the days business. | discov-
cred my wife was still absent, and was be-
ginning TO feel alarmed, when a ighbo-
called to me and showed me the story in
The Evening Times of the finding Of the
body in the river. The description tailed
with that of my wife, and / Immediately
proceeded 10 the morgue. where ! found
my worst fears were TO be realized. The
only cause TO which | can attribute the
affair is, as ] have said, a mental derange-
ment superinduced by extreme grief
1t was learned from persons in the neigh
borhood that Mrs. Schrepler had on two
previous occasions made attempts to drown
herself The first attempt was made a
number of years ago and the second was
more recent occurring about three years
ago. AT the time of the second attempt
IL was said Mrs. Schrepler took her daugh-
ter Mamie with her, and, going TO a wharf
IN the vicinity OF Eleventh street, tled
the child to herself with rope and jumped
into the river. Both were rescued after
some difficulty by persons who happened
along Just in time.
II is more than likely that Mrs. Schrep-
Ter left her home a short while after her
husband and daughter and proceeded with
the infant in her arms TO the flood gates
at the foot of Fourteenth Street about a
block below the home and there jumped
into the river. When the body came to
the surface the child had been dislodged
from the mothers embrace and did not
rise. An effort will be made to find 1t.