The Morris County chronicle., 1903-04-17
MRS. SCHAEFER
DREW PISTOL
But Sheriff Ryerson Took II
From Her Before She
Could Use 1t.
HAD KIDNAPPED OWN CHILDREN

February When She Had Taken Them
From Nurse in Mount Morris Park.
Had Been in Town About Three
Weeks With Gorham A. Worth.
Last SATURDAY. morning, Mrs. Amelia
Schafer, the wife of Gen. Emil Sch4f-
er, a millionaire, and director of the
f. & NJ. Sch9fer Brewing Company
of New York, was arrested on South
street, in this city, in front OF the
Colonial House on a technical charge
in which one Gorham A. Worth was
also charged with misdemeanor. The
arrest was made by Sheriff Ryerson,
Chief of Police Holloway and Sergeant
Morrison of the local police upon war
rant on an affidavit made by Charles
e. Sweeney, a private detective in the
employ of Cen Schafer. Mrs. Schefer
had with her at the time, her two
children, Frieda and Eleanor, aged re-
spectively 5 and 6 years.
When Sheriff Ryerson announced to
Mrs. Schafer that she was under ar
rest, the excited woman drew from
her bosom formidable looking revol-
yer. Quickly as possible the sheriff
graSped her hand and thrust it to one
side, then gently took the weapon
from her. 1t was what is known as
the suicide revolver, a 3S calibre.
Finding she was surrounded by officers
of the law, Mrs. Schafer made no
further attempt to prevent arrest and
came with the trio to the office of
Charles Stilwell, ST., justice of the
peace, with whom the papers in the
case had been filed. For several days
the detective had been in Morristown
shadowing Mrs. Schafer.
Lawyer Russ, of the law firm of
Hephiemer & Russ, counsel for Gen.
Schafer had been notified by the
slueth, that Mrs. Schafer and chill
dren were in this city and would be
apprehended Saturday, 50 he and an
assistant counsel were on hand at the
Justices Office when the unfortunate
woman and her two children were ar
raigned. The justice read the charge.
"This is not so, said the woman,
please let me communicate with my
counsel, Mr., Henry Burnstein, of New
York. ?" Every courtesy was shown
her and Mr.. Burnstein was telephoned
for. He said he would come out in
the afternoon.
Mrs. Sch9fer has been boarding at
the Bolding House, where Gorhman
A. Worth was living also. AS war
rant had been sworn out against
Worth an effort was made to ascertain
his whereabouts. Private Detective
Sweeney said he was hiding in town,
but Sergeant Morrison S common sense
and detective scent was too keen to
believe this, and he Immediately took
steps to prevent Worth's knowledge
of the arrest of Mrs. Sch9fer from out
side sources, and laid a trap for his
capture when he came back here. 1t
worked like charm.
The cause of Mrs. Schafer's arrest
was not principally to substantiate a
criminal charge, but to get possession
of the two children which she kid
mapped from a nurse in Mount Morris
Park on February 18th, last, after
leaving her husband. To do this, it
was necessary to go into the Court of
Chancery. Former Judge Cutler was
employed and he made application be-
fore Vice Chancellor Pitney for "a writ of
habeas corpus to bring the prisoner out
of the Justice court into the chancery
court and have hearing as to the Gus
tody of the children. The writ was
issued, and the woman brought before
Vice Chancellor Pitney, in his office in
the National Iron Bank building. AS
it was noon, and her lawyer, Burn
stein would not arrive in Morristown
until past two O'Clock, the vice-chan-
cellor adjourned the hearing until
three O'Clock. In the meantime Mrs.
Schafer and her children were placed
in the custody Of Chief of Police Hol-
loway and taken to the law offices of
ex-Judge Cutler.
When Lawyer Burnstein arrived he
consulted with his client and then pro-
ceeded to the vice-chancellor' cham
ber and the case was taken up. 1t
was star chamber proceeding. Wit
nesses were produced from the Boggs'
House where Mrs Schafer and Worth
secured board under the name of Mr..
and Mrs. Converse and family. They
came here three weeks ago They
stayed for two weeks at the Boggs'
House and the last week spent at the
Bolding House. Mr. and Mrs. Bold
ing and servants were called to testify
as to their knowledge of the relations
between Worth and Mrs. Sch9fer. 1t
was practically the same story told by
Mrs Shepard, of Bolding House. They
were known there as Mr.. and Mrs.
Converse, and rented adjoining rooms.
Worth and Mrs. Schafer were never
seen to come to meals together. After
listening to the testimony Of Detec-
tive Sweeney as to his great shadowing
abilities, Mrs. Schefer was questioned.
Her story was pathetic 1t told the
tale Of happy marriage; the birth of
two beautiful children; the quarrel
over money: the husbands attempt to
kill her; her flight in the night; the
kidnapping of herchildren; the hound
ing Of slueths in her flights and her
tortuous race through the Middle
States to elude them
Mrs Schafer has a rather pleasant
face, but very little expression. She
was married when about Is years of
age, some years ago. She was richly
attired, and her clothes evidenced
travel, Her children were handsomely
dressed. They Rave handsome faces,
fcoNTTNItrp ON FotfRTu pAGE1