Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1900-11-21
WIFE MURDER
Is CHARGED
Alleged Clergyman Arrest
ed Yesterday.
D. E. Stuart, Who Claimed
to Be a Baptist Minister,
Must Face a Serious Ac-
cusation.

The apparent suicide OF the young
wife of Rev. ID. E. Stuart, Baptist
minister, who died two weeks ago in the
upper end of the county, is now claimed
to be murder, and on this charge her
husband was arrested in Philadelphia
yesterday by Constable Kulp, of Wilkes
barre. The accused man was formerly
pastor of the First Baptist church at
Wyoming near the county seat Little
more than three months he was married
to Miss Mary Harris, a pretty girl of
Parsons, and they went to live at the
parsonage at Wyoming.
Ten days before her death she was
taken i'll. Stuart was her almost con-
stant attendant, nursing her day and
night Finally on Sunday, the 4th inst,
he spent the afternoon with his wife,
who seemed to be somewhat better. In
the evening while the family was at
supper Stuart left the sick room and
went downstairs.
Some time later one of the wifes
cousins, going to her room to see if Mrs.
Stuart wanted anything, found her
moaning. A bottle which had contain
ed carbolc acid was by her side. Her
mouth was terribly burned and she was
In great agony. Doctors were sum
moned and said the case was hopeless.
Mrs. Stuart died few minutes after
they arrived.
There were some suspicious circum-
stances about the case which were not
noticeable at first. The story was given
out that Mrs. Stuart had committed
suicide, but her relatives were puzzled.
Her husband said that she had been
despondent for a long time, and at
tributed her suicide to that.
Mrs Stuart's relatives did not accept
the suicide theory, as the girl was not of
despondent disposition. The coroners
jury heard the evidence in the case and
returned a verdict of death by carbolic
acid poisoning. There the case appa-
rently ended, for the funeral took place
without more inquiries being made.
But the physicians who knew of the
case were not satisfied, and they began
making inquiries, aided by Constable
Kulp. What they learned is not known,
but they say there was enough to war
rant the arrest of the minister.
On Monday DIR. Whitney, of Plymouth,
had the body exhumed by permission of
the coroner, and performed an autopsy.
What the result was he will not make
known until the trial
Rev. d. E. Stuart resigned from
the church about six weeks ago, just
about the time his wife was taken sick.
His resignation is alleged to have been
under cloud. He left for Philadelphia
short time after the funeral of his wife.
Upon the arrival of the prisoner at
Wilkesbarre yesterday he refused to say
anything about the charges preferred
against him. He asked to see LAWYER
and was taken to the office of Attorneys
McQuade & Feist, who took charge of
the case and advised him not to speak
to anyone, aud he has obeyed them.
Stuart was taken to Wyoming before
Squire Hess, where the warrant had
been sworn out. Only minor charge
was preferred at this hearing, that of
murder being reserved for a few DAYS.
Stuart pleaded not guilty and the JUS
tice admitted him to bail in the sum of
$l,500 for hearing today The bail
was furnished by John DeWolfe, with
whom Stuart formerly boarded.
Last night Stuart admitted that he is
not and never was a Baptist minister
He confessed it to Constable Kulp while
on the train from Philadelphia, and re-
peated it after his arrival to his attor-
ney, Elmer G. Feist. The trustees of
the church, who were looking for a