The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-11-26
John Schneider Dies I'm
der Circumstances That
Lead to Wife's Arrest.
MURDER CHARGE;
SHE SAYS SUICIDE
Shooting Occurs at Humble
Home Near South Hill When
Only the Couple Were Pres
cnt-Wonan a Widow
for the Third
Time.
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(special to The Times -Dispatch.)

Especial to The Times-pispatch.)
SOUTH HILL, VA, November 25.-
News reached here Sunday morning
telling of either the suicide or murder
of John Schneider, a German. living
about three miles north of this place.
In what Is known as Germantown. Tho
tragedy occurred on Saturday night be.
tween and s o'clock. according to
Mrs. Schneider's testimony. There were
no persons in the house at the time
but Mrs. Schneider and her husband,
John Schneider.
The following facts were told before
the coroner's jury by Mrs Schneider:
She said she went to her neigh
bor's about 3 O'Clock and told that her
husband had shot himself, and asked
that doctor be sent for. DR.. Mont
gomery, of South Hill. was summoned
Immediately. but Schneider was dead
when he reached the house. An au-
topsy was held by W. E. Andrews. Of
South Hill, and suspicion pointed
strongly from the first, to Othelia,
Schneider's wife.
The Wife Suspected.
A strong chain of circumstantial evi-
dence points to the guilt of the woman.
who has had three husbands, one other
having died under very suspicious cir
cumstanccs. She has been heard to
say that she and her husband did not
get along very we'll, and that they did
not live very happily together Her
Testimony was very conflicting. In
four statements at different times on
the stand she told how the affair oc-
the other In some important particular
The gun found in the house. with which
the deadly work was done, was a cfear
single-barrel shotgun, and was found
by those who visited the home Sunday
morning standing BY. the bureau in the
corner. Schneider was killed In most
horrible manner, tho load entering TIL
head Just above the right eye. and go
ing In an upward direction. tearinf
away the top of the head and sprink-
ling the wall behind him with blood
and particles Of flesh. His face
was also scorched from the load which
had caused his death.
One rather peculiar feature of the
empty when found, the shell havins
been taken out and left on the bureau
by which the gun was found.
Hard to Understand.
The Times-Dispatch correspondent
made an attempt to Interview Mrs
Schneider at the station. but found
l,her English so broken that little couls
be made out from her replies 10 ques,
tions asked She is woman OF abou
!. fifty years. though not appearing t,
lsbe this old. Her husband for who's,
murder she is arrested, was only TWEEN
| tty-eight, and was considered sober an,
industrious. 1t is said that Mrs. Schnei-
der a few days ago was trying TO bu,
strychnlne. but one OF the druggists
who was asked as to the correctness o
! this, said she had tried to buy strych
nine some time ago, but not recentl.
from him. Mrs. Schneider was arrested
and sent to Boydton to-day to awai
trial
Says He Shot Himself.
| LACROSSE. VA. November a5-Mrs
John schneider. who Is being held upor
| sus pIcion of having murdered her husband
| declares that Schneider took his own l!fc
| Soon after the shooting she went to tht
lhcmc OF Mr.. weyman. living nearby, ant
ltold him that her husband had shot hlm-
| self. She says that after they had retired
! ter husband got mp and moved about tho
Irocm, and that when he came back to bee
Ehe counted one. two. three and then shs
Iheard the report of the gun; that sh.
i slipped on her shoes and in her nigh
lclorhes hastened to the home OF Mr.. Wey-
4 | NJ oAyicoJ him NJ tha trap pe1y