The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-01-04
HUSBAND IS HELD.
Suspected Of Connection With Pond
Murder In New Jersey.
SATURDAY.

Newark, N. J., Jan. 4.-Fol1owing
searching examination during which
many incidents of his life were laid
bare. Theodore S. Whitemore. hus-
band, has been held by the New Jer-
sey police as suspect in the death of
Lena" Whitemore. who was beaten
insensible. stripped Of her clothing
and drowned In a pond on the Hacken-
sack meadows in Harrison on the
morning Of December rs. whitemore.
who had been detained in New York,
was taken to Harrison and having
definitely Unidentified his wife's body,
was vigorously questioned by the au-
thorities. The nature of his testimony
determined the police to keep him
within the jurisdiction Of the local
courts.
The murdered woman was Helen
Salter Whitemore. who with her hus-
band. Theodore S. whitemore, con-
Quoted a furnished rooming house at
235 Adams street, Brooklyn. The
Identification was made by the wo-
mans sister, Mrs. Susan Schmitter of
the Bronx. Mrs. Schmitter furnished
to the police what is believed to be the
most important information.
She told Of series of letters and
kilograms received by herself and her
sister in Schenectady, purporting to
Of which must have been written
after her death. A trunk belonging to
Mrs. Whitemore had also been sent
mysteriously to her home, Mrs.
Schmitter said.
IS Mrs. Whitemore left her home on
Christmas with the intention. accord
ing to her husband, Of making a visit
to her sister. Mrs. Bessie Hughes,
whose home Is in Schenectady. At 2
o'clock the next morning she was seen
n a
her nude body was found partly sub
merged IN pool OF water=near where
she had been seen. the day Mrs.
Whitemore's trunk was delivered at
her sisters home in the Bronx. White
more is a Brooklyn electric motorman
who ordinarily works at night. He
did not work Christmas night. He
explained that he was taken with the
grip after his wife left and that he
had not been able to be out since. He
had frequently quarreled with his
wife, he said. and was not surprised
when she failed to return home. They
had quarreled, he said, because she
had accepted attentions from two 9TH
err men Today Whitemore placed an
advertisement in the Brooklyn papers
offering his furnished room business
for sale.
Whitemore visited the morgue at
Harrison and, though he admitted a
familiar appearance, he would not say
that the body was that of his wife.
Wh1temOro was examined at police
headquarters in Brooklyn and finally
expressed the opinion that the Har-
rison identification was correct. He
was certain, however, that he had re-
ceived two messages from his wife
after she left him. He was detained
on suspicion, and was again taken to
Harrison, where he made his identi-
f1cation positive.
Mrs. O'Neill. a neighbor Of the
whitemores. went to Harrison and
he
that the Whitemores were at her
home Christmas day and left together
at 4:30, after having had quarrel in
her presence.
Mrs. Sehmitter tainted after recos-
nizing her sisters body today. When
she had regained her senses she said:
Ever since poor Lena married her
life has been miserable. On Monday
Of last week Lena left her home in
Brooklyn and came to my house. Her
face was bruised and cut. That night
her husband appeared and begged her
to return with him. She finally con-
sented. but first she left with me her
watch, her ring and $12 in money"
Whitemore told the police of his
struggle to live down an unpleasant
past, and how a fafthless wife had
held over his head a threat Of expo
sure-to make known to new ac-
quaintances here what he now admits
that he was serving a sentends I'm
Dannamora prison when pardoned by
as many reconciliations marked their
married life of fifteen years. His wife,
he said. had become infatuated with a
sailor, known to him only as Harry"
But when she returned home at
Christmas, following a Ave days alb
sence, he greeted her with Merry
Christmas" She failed to respond,
and they quarreled on the street. He
thought she had a bottle of acid. and
he attempted to take it from her. In
the struggle they both fell. Later they
effected a truce and had dinner to-
gather. Then he went out on an err
rand, and when he returned to the
whitemore said that on the day his
wife disappeared he had given her SIS.
He knew absolutely nothing, he said,
or of the manner of her death.