The Pacific commercial advertiser., 1900-12-21
PO|SONER
UNKNOWN
CIaraSchneider's Death
Still Dark.
VERDICT OF THE JURY
No Further Light on the Mysterious
End Of the Scouts
Sweetheart.

Clara Schneider did not kill herself.
This was the belief of the coroner's
Jury which Investigated her death.
The jury composed of William M.
Muller, w. B. Allen, w. B. Mott, Har-
ry Juen, E. E. Mossmann and Dick
Daily, rendered the following verdict
yesterday afternoon:
THAT the said Miss Clara Schneider
came to her death at Waikiki, in the
District of Honolulu, Island of Oahu,
on the 18th day of December, A. d.
1900, from morphine poisoning, said
morphine having been administered by
some person to this jury unknown"
The jury would have brought in its
verdict on Wednesday, but Deputy
Sheriff Chillingworth, who has, as act
ing coroner, conducted the inquests,
received hint that there was a medi-
cine chest in the house in which Miss
Schneider died which possibly was the
source of her obtaining the morphine
found in her stomach after death.
Chillingworth went to the house.
now occupied by the Neumann family,
and soon discovered that while Miss
Finkler, former occupant, had had
a homeopathic medicine chest, it had
been removed long ago.
Chemist Shorey searched Miss
Schneider's room for morphine, but in
vain. How the dead woman met her
end is as much of mystery as ever.
Ottmann, who figured as witness In
the case. has addressed the following
communication to the Advertiser:
Honolulu. Dec. 20, 1900.
Editor Advertiser-Some days ago
| the city OF Honolulu was shocked by
the information that a certain young
| woman named Miss Clara Schneider
employed by the Hon. Paul Neumann,
had taken her own life. No reason
could be shown, and the matter seem
ed to be wrapped in a mystery never
to be fathomed, when some four days
after the city was again startled by
the news that Frank p. Bennett, wag-
on master of the United States army
camp, stationed at Camp Mckinley
had been found with bullet hole in
his head, self-inficted. Upon an In
vestigation being made certain facts
were developed showing that there ex-
listed between the lady, Miss Schnei-
der, and Mr.. Bennett, certain relations
that in charity to the woman will moi
be mentioned, yet no question can
exist that Bennett was in the woman's
debt for some $500; that she had de-
manded the money from him, and nc
payment had been made. From all the
circumstances as they now appear a
reasoning man will say a murder was
committed. Far be it from me to judge
the dead-they have gone to meet a
mighty judge, who judges all things
right-yet, in defense of a noble wife
and good woman / feel that these few
lines must be written. At the inquest
certain men claiming the honor of de-
Tending the flag of our country, so for
got their honor as soldiers and men
as to take the witness stand and in
the garb of honor they wear, with an
oath to God, sought to protect the hon
or (so-called) of Frank Bennett at the
expense of a good woman's honor.
Who was this Frank P. Bennett they
sought to paint in color of virgin
white? A brave man of honor they
say; no word can be said against him
he was all man should be.
Not so; from all we know Of him
Frank F. Bennett was all that a man
shoud not be. His whole life was q
lie; he was a drunkard, liar. gambler;
a man who stole from innocent girls
and finding that at last his sins were
to find him out, he finishes this boast
full brave life he has led by taking q
towards remedy-suicide.
is that the man Major Ennis would
defend against such a lady as m.
wife? Is that the man soldiers wear.
ing the uniform of the grandest LAND
under the sun take the stand and per
jure themselves TO protect his mem
ory? Will Major Ennis, who says the
man was paragon of goodness, ex
plain how 1t Is that the very mex
breath he says the man told me ht
had won pile at the races; that Ben
nett had borrowed money from a won
and and could not pay it, SO took hi
life? Is that Major Ennis idea D
honor for soldier? What does Majo
Ennis mean by saying my place has
bad reputation? No man. even al
honorable major in the United State
army, can say that. Surely, he coult
never have heard it from the gentle
men under him, as l would not eve
permit them to buy a cigar in m
Mr.. Hartman, another gentleman O
honor, defending Bennett's honor. say
he passed at o'clock In the mornin
and found Mrs. Ottman and Bennett
drinking Shasta. Though this woul
hardly be crime, yet l now say tha
Mr.. Hartman is speaking deliberat
lie when he SO states, for no sue
drink was ever kept on my place. Mr..
Ottman is now an inmate of tn
Queens Hospital, unable to come fort
and answer the honorable gentleme
that represent the United States arm
I In this city, but acting in her behal
feeling righteous anger against sue
honorable gentlemen, ask that the
come forward. cease protecting tn
memory Of one who, from all evidenc,
led life more criminal than a Jeky
and Hyde; stop perjuring themselve
TO protect the honor Of such mar
and tell what they know to be tn