New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-12-01
HELD FOR MURDER
MRS. SNE4D'S DEATH.
AUNT" accused after Au-
tOpsy Shoes DrOz0ning.

EAST orange. N. j.. NOV. 80 tSpecisiD.-<>ii
autopsy held this afternoon on the body Of
Mrs. Acey w. NJ. Snead. who was found
dead yesterday In the bathtub OF her home,
No. SO North 18th street this city. showed
that the woman had been drowned Late
tonight Miss Virginia Wardlaw. who said
she was her aunt. was held on charge
Of murder. Previously the police had put
her through the third degree. but failed in
their efforts TO get something from her re-
farding the dead woman. II was learned
that Mrs. Snead carried life insurance
policy Of 81, 200
James Bell. chief of police; Detective
Walter Godfrey of the prosecutors staff
and other citv officials tried TO persuade the
prisoner to tell to wsom the young woman
belonged. Miss Wardlaw refused to answer
all questions All she would say was that
she had been attending Mrs. Snead since the
latter gave birth TO child several months
ago. when the dead woman's husband died.
The baby is in ST. Christopher's Hospital.
Brooklyn.
The police discovered that the two wom-
en- up 10 about six or eight weeks ago had
been living at No. 1893 18Th street, Flatbush
1t was while there that Mrs. Snead became
a mother. Dr. William II. Petit. OF NO
1925 East S7th street. Flatbush. attended
her
The mystery in which the life of Mrs
Snead IS wrapped deepens as the threads
are followed in the Flatbush section of
Brooklyn From the indications. the
woman was held prisoner by three SLOW
emily creatures Of middle age. and there
was an unknown man who was won't 10
skulk into the building at the dead of
night. But neither the neighbors nor the
trained nurse who watched over her until
sent away at midnight after one days
work. could throw much light upon her or
her surroundings. What they say is
little more than this-she was alone
among keepers and she was constantly
afraid.
WOULDN'T TALK TO DOCTOR.
DR. Petit attended the woman on sew
eral occasions. About the middle of last
August he had his first opportunity TO be
I'm room with her alone. He thought
that she might speak. but her lips seemed
sealed. lie had operated on her and a
trained nurse was required. Miss Eliza
beth Megg. of Flatbush, was sent for
After serving through the day she was
informed by one of the guards that her
services were no longer required. Before
she was informed she heard one of the
women talking softly to some one below.
who responded in a mans voice. The
woman said:
Come later: some one here"
Dr. Petit tells the following story of
his relations with the House of Mystery"
as the neighbors called IT:
II was called in to attend Mrs. Snead by
one of the three elderly women whom
met at the house IN East 4Sth street about
August l. / was directed TO the sickroOm
on the second floor. The patient a
young woman. about twenty-five years old.
She appeared to me to be refined. One Of
the older women told me that she was the
young woman's aunt. l made Other visits
after that, bat at no time was | able to find
out from Mrs. Snead anything about her
self. Every time asked question one OF
the three old women was always ready TO
give an answer. Mrs. Snead seemed afraid
TO talk. She appeared to be under the in
fuence of the persons around her. This
at the time of the birth OF her little
boy
What could never understand was why
such woman would voluntarily live with
three such persons as her attendants. They
looked disreputable TO me. They were care
less about their appearance and untitled
for association with refined people. But
they never left her alone They occupied
part OF a two-family house. which was only
partly furnished The presence of the
young woman in such place with such
companions certainly looked mysterious.
SAW NO MEN ABOUT.
'T never saw any men about the place
! only heard from one Of the old women
there that Mrs. Snead had a husband who
died seven months ago
Another time l called at the house on
one of my visits no one answered the bell
! had to get in through a front window
TO see my patient This time only one
of the trio OF women was in the house
She followed me to the room where Mrs
Snead lay III. The young woman wanted
TO talk, bat she seemed scared TO death
| did not go there after that. | gave up
the case because the elderly women did
not take care of Mrs. Snead the way
wished. They refused TO let me take the
/ stitches out of wound made in the opera
tion upon her. The stitchss may be there
now"
Miss Mogg. the trained nurse. when seen
at her home, No. 273 East S9th street. Flat
BUSH last night. told this of her expe-
riences:
Il was called in 10 attend Mrs Snead nv
DR.. Petit on the morning of August 1s
The operation was performed shortly he
fore noon. | stayed with Mrs. Snead all
that afternoon and evening. leaving there
between midnight ana l o'clock the follow
ing morning.
Mrs. Snead did not want me to 60 She
wanted me to stay all night but the other
women. who never left us alone. insisted
upon my leaving. saying they could take
care or Mrs. Snead. | did not have any
conversation with Mrs. Snead whatever.
could not. because the other women did NOT
give me a chance. Wherever I went nna
of them kept tagging after me- I was not
left alone with Mrs. Snead for a single
moment.
Mrs. Snead seemed afraid Of some one
or something. While | was near she cIun,
tn my hand and squeezed il. She seemed
10 want to tell me something but she did
not dare to. as one OF the other women
was present in the room all the time.
About half an hour before midnight the
front door bell rang and one of the women
went TO the kitchen and yelled down the
speaking tube She told the caller IN ,y,i,
OIL the stoop minute and went to a front
room' taking care To close the hall door
after her. / heard her raise the vtp1o,,,
and talk TO some one. A mans voice an
swered. i am positive of that. The yyornap
spoke in slow, deliberate voice. and an
she said was:
Come later; some one here"
Mrs SnRad's bahv u,aS talxo. -,