Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-01-14
DRUGGED YOUNG GIRLS
Officers Claim Mabel schofield's
Alleged Murderer; Thomas.
Drugeed Other Women.
Two Daughters of Prominent Des
Moines Families We're Made
Unconscious for Hours.
Restauranteur Tells Of Women
to Whom Thomas Gave
Knock Out Drops.

that they had discovered two young
girls, daughters of excellent West Des
Moines families. who had been drugged
by Charles Thomas, charged with the
murder of Mabel Schofield, by admins
tering drugs. and had been unconscious
from ten to twenty hours In this con-
nection an East Des Moines restaurant
man relates the alleged experience of a
so-called married woman in a party Of
which Thomas was a member, and who
barely escaped drugging.
A determined effort will be made by
the state to break down the character
OF Thomas to show that he was in the
habit of using and administering drugs
to women: this in order to show mo-
tive for the giving of Mabel Schofield
drugs.
The bottle OF so-called laudanum taken
off of Thomas when arrested was pro-
nounced by Chemist S. r. Macy, at
Highland Park College, the vilest poison
and not laudanum.
Charles Thomas has retained Walter
McHenry to represent him in his de-
Tense. They profess to have no infor-
nation concerning the case to give OUT,
except that they expect to show that
Thomas was not at the home of his par
ents on the day that the girl dlsap-
peared.
Mrs. Thomas, mother of the young
man, called at the Jail to see him Mon
day. and their conference was pathetic.
The young man assured her that he was
unjustly accused. The mother believes
him innocent.
1t has been decided that change of
venue will be taken from Justice iris to
Justice Duncan Friday. Young Thomas
is self-possessed in jail. but not nervous.
It is not true that he danced In the jail
when first lodged there.
]. H. Wright, at whose home Thomas
was arrested. says that he and the
young woman who was with him when
the warrant was served, arrived there
last Thursday. claimed to be a travelling
man and his wife. and secured the room
they occupied on their declaration that
they were married. Mrs. Wright says
the woman was 30 years old. Thomas is
90. If Thomas was married, 1t was not
generally known. The woman has dis
She left her clothing in the
room and her trunk partially unpaeked
She said that she had been married and
lived at Newark. She claimed to have
two children by a former husband. She
claimed to have a sister on Walnut. near
She did her own work in her
room. Thomas spent Saturday with her
A book was found in the room, on whose
fly leaf was the name of Mrs. May Van
Gorder, Boone.
Mrs. Blair. of Fifteenth and Walnut
streets, said Monday that Mrs. Van
Gorder nursed her three weeks. leaving
and that the woman had kept
with a man named Charles
Thomas, to whom she eaid she would be
o. D. Mellin, proprietor Of an East Des
Moines restaurant, says that Thomas.
Mrs. Van GOrder. a man named Shelton
and woman named Mrs. Band entered
his place a month ago. and that Mrs.
Band was given durgged liquor and was
afterward carried to hack and the
quartet disappeared. Mrs. Band after
wards said that she did not lose con-
sciousness.
Detective Ell Harden said Monday
hat he expected to tell the prosecution
If evidence he has tending to |
show who the second man in the
buggy with the dead girl was.
( Thomas was one and Mabel |
~ Mrs Robert Dean, of Ridge street |
md Mrs r. A. Canine. of Ninth and /
Charles streets the Sunday morning
MabePs body was found in the river.
Thomas will try to establish his where
,bouts Saturday afternoon and night by
,ther witnesses. He says that he did
20 home and went to bed, but that he
lid not sleep. He says that he had
headache, brought on by loss Of sleep,
md that it grew worse. He says that I
lis father. sister and a cousin and Mag
,ie Hammond took care of him, giving
Tim home-mad medicines for his head
lche and that finally at about II o'clock
lie went to sleep and slept until morn
ng. He says that Maggie Hammond
stayed with him until II o'clock. He
vent to the Press barn the next morn
ng and told Press that he had not come
o work because he was sick. This is
lis story as repeated to a reporter by
Will McHenry, his attorney
Mr.. and Mrs. Thomas called on Mr.
yesterday and they and Mag
RE Hammond will testify to Charles
Saturday afternoon and
night.
Mr.. McHenry said: mabel schoneld
suicide and there is no two
Ways about it. There was a motive and
We know what that motive was If 1t
becomes necessary we will go into 1t
md bring 1t out at the trial Mrs Thorn
IS and the members of the Thomas
amily do not want to go into 1t unless
t is necessary. and, consequently, / do
lot care to divulge 1t at this time
night say. however. that Mabel Scho-
leld did not have to work in a Dress
making shop and that that part of the
Program here was considerably in the
inc Of what might be termed bluff
"A few days before that young man
rom Macksburg was in Des Moines. He
net Mabel and told her he was going to
dissourl to look up a location. Mabel
i'd not receive this information as
'leasant news, and that ls all care to
ay about that part OF the case at this
ime. Now. Just one other thing. When
Dr. Schofield came here from Maclksburg
fter he had been advised of the death
f his daughter he went to the morgue
o look at the body. He walked up to 1T
nd opened the eyes which were closed
nd remarked. Poor thing. she has cried
erself to death Her father was a doc i
or and the question naturally arises.
What did he make that remark for, and {