The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-02-01

I could not have been selected had the officers
known that Schumacher would be killed
and that his slayers would attempt to es-
cape.
A heavy fall of snow a few days before
had covered the ground with a white blan-
ket and left a plain record of any one!
move in the wild country that is little
Travelled at this time Of year.
! SLUSH COVERED TRAIL.
Hardly had the pursuit began. however,
before the weather changed in almost an
hour. a warm wind sprang up from the
south and in an incredibly short time thu
snow had melted. completely destroying the
trail left by the fleeing robbers.
The death of Charles ]. Schumacher came
as a climax to a life of exceptional daring.
He was a man who knew no fear, and
whose sagacity was hampered only by his
wonderful courage.
He walked to his death as calmly as
though he was returning to his own house.
Although he knew that the ramshackle old
building in the heart of a desolate part of
the widest section of Franklin County shell
tered two desperate men, his bearing was
easy and assured.
After locating the men to his own salts
faction, Schumacher decided to visit the
house in person. Whey he arrived at STAN
ton he ave 1t to be understood that he was
a hunter from st. Louis, and made frequent
trips into the surrounding country in search
Of game.
Until the Thursday before he was killed.
schumacher did not make any attempt to
visit the vicinity of the Rudolph house. He
wished 1t to appear that going in that d.
rection was simply a matter Of chance.
On all of his hunting expeditions he was
accompanied by Robert Schmuche. the son
Of the tavernkeeper at Stanton. The boys
father had been taken into Schumacher's
confidence and knew the real object of his
coming to Stanton.
Thursday morning the detectives told the
elder Schmuche that he was going to visit
the Rudolph house, and asked that the boy
be. allowed to go with him as a blind.
Col - t.N 80 ~ Arot h,,f Ar1A
consented.
With the lad leading the way. Schumacher
plunged into the brush and approached the
Rudolph house from the woods. In this
manner his coming was not revealed to
the Rudolphs until he was too close to the
building to allow Bill to escape to the
While still screened from the house by
the thick trees, Schumacher wished the
boy to remain there until he had returned
from the house. but the lad insisted on shar-
ing the danger.
1t was the same way with all who knew
schumacher while he was in Stanton. The
fnstiil others with a disregard of LANCER.
chumacher and the boy walked slowly
toward the house, even stopping at the
well and drawing a drink of water. While
they were thus engaged the door opened
and Nellie Rudolph came out.
INVITED TO DINNER
She recognized young Schmuche, and, aft
er speaking to her, the youth asked If they
could get dlnner, as they nad neglected to
supply themselves with a lunch.
After a short consultation with her moth
er she invited the hunters into the house,
relieving them of their guns as they came
into the sitting-room. These were stood in
a corner. and young Rudolph. who was
the only one of the men at home. kept be-
tween the hunters and their weapons while
they remained at the house.
Saturday morning Schumacher made
preparations for arresting the robbers. He
~telephoned Sheriff Bruch at Union and
asked for assistance. Bruch did not place
any confidence in the bank-robbery theory,
but finally consented to send Chief Deputy
Vedder to Stanton.
Before Vedder arrived Schumacher in
vited William Tichenor and D. K. Cromer
to go with them to the house. vedder came
about 8 o'clock, and the posse was sworn in.
The road leading from Stanton to the Ru-
dolph house Is rarely Travelled. The country
Is broken. and as the; ground is not fitted
for farming the houses are far apart.
The house is nearly five miles by road
from Stanton. The Union road, leading from
Anaconda to Union. Is crossed about half
way, and from there on the road is little
more than a wagon trail.
From the Union road to the Rudolph
house the trail turns and bends around the
steep bills. As there Ii no habitation within