New-York tribune., 1909-12-06
VICTIM MRS. SNEAD
MINISTER CERTAIN.
Identifies Body of Woman
Found an Bafhtub.

Inc OF Nlre. tftY w. NJ ohrdtt
the woman whose body was found in
hathtub OF an East orange, \. j., cot
tage a weok ago. was positively estab-
lished yesterday when all doubt as 10 the
family relations were dispelled by several
persons who were intimately acquainted
with Mrs. Snead. her mother. Mrs. Caro-
line Is. Martin: Mrs. Mary snead and Miss
Virginia Wardlaw, the two aunts.
The Raw John Alexander McCaxue. OF
the Old First Presbyterian Church. at Fifth
avenue and llth street. remembers the dead
woman from the time that she first came
10 New York. He bsptired her first baby,
and few days later. on February Is. 1908,
ofhoiated at the funeral which was con-
Quoted in a Broadway hotel, where Fletcher
W. snesd and his young wife lived before
the family began the circuit % cheap
boarding houses.
The husband OF the dead girl who haf
been missing for several months. was well
known 10 the clergyman and members OF
the congregation. he represented himself
as being Connected with a Southern luIfa-
Der firm. while. he ras really seeking
sob with a local contracting company.
sntad has not been seen since his reported
diticuities with a humber company IN Nash
vile. Tenn. with which he was connected
the failure Of the company. snead was
asked to-sppsar in the South as witness.
but message was received By the Nash.
vile authorities saving that the Tian had
beer taken sick and ceul6 not BE removed.
While snesd was posing as lumber nier-
chant 10 the members CT the PRESBYTERIAN
Church. Mrs- Martin. nis niother.in.lsw.
was making efforts to establish q fresh air
home on her plantation in Virginia. The
Rev. Mr.. McCaGue was asked 10 sanction
the organization and allow Mrs. Martin TO
collect $1,000 from the congregation 10
finance the soheme- fis denied her re.
quest, on the grounds that IL was against
the Church rules to canvass fer funds.
POSITIVELY IDENTIFIES BODY.
Mrs. Martin guided the destiny Of the
family, according 10 the statement made
by q woman 10 a Tribune reporter last
night. This woman had the confidence OF
the family. and often attended the younger
Mrs. Snead during her illness. She was
positive in her assertion that the dead
woman in the East Orange norgus is the
former Ocey wsrdlaw Martin, and that
there is no double" as has been suggested
by the Essex County detectives and the in
sursnce company Investigators
Fletcher W. Snead. his wife, and Mrs
Nardlaw. mother Of the women who have
been named In connection with the East
Orange mystery. IN fashionable apartment
house in East 1Ith street when the woman
first met ths family. The family had four
teen trunks when they came 20 New York
from christiansburs, Va. Mrs. Martin was
veil supplied with money, and they ap-
peared 70 be OF such social standing that
they were readily received by members Of
the First Presbyterian Church Young
Mrs Snead Joined the work ot the Sunday
school. acting as a substitute in the kin
dergarten class.
In February. 1905. a few DAYS after she
death of the baby. Mrs snead and her hus-
band separated. the woman going South
With her sUnt and Snead taking place in
this city.
In the latter part OF September a year
ago tho family was reunited and left the
lodging hcuse IN East 1lth street 10 estso-
lish a home in BROOKLYN. During tho riov-
ing OF the trunks and other baggage.
Fletcher w Snead lost two trunks, which
no said contained valuable papers. They
NeFe never recovered
When the Rev. Mr.. MeCsgue asked sev-
eral women to make the Identification or
the dead woman complete. he recalled the
incident OF the first child's death. He said
that Fletcher Snead called on him At
o'clock in the morning and asked 20 be
recommended 10 an undertaken. saying that
his infant child had died. Then he made
arrangements for the funeral which was
held in hotel room, the mourners being
the aged Mrs. Wsrdlaw, Mrs. Martin, Miss
Msrdlaw AMI the parents. TIE body was
taken 10 Mount olivet Cemetery.
r-x-n.-r.--c no u.ru-r- ,5rce, .4-.nyr W.
The police OF East Orange. who have held
Miss Virginia Wardlaw on q charge OF
murder in connection with the death Of her
niece. made practically no efforts TO get
further eviderce yesterday. and Franklin
W. Fort, counsel for the woman. is now
certain that his client will be out of Jail In
a few days. In 8 statement which ne gave
out last night after an all day investigation
Of the evidence 20 far made public, Mr.
Fort said that the prosecutors officials have
little real evidence on which to hold Miss
Wardlaw, and that there Is no evidence TO
present 70 the grand jury. He expects that
tho clouded points in the case viii be
cleared mp before Saturday. when Miss
Wsrdlaw win be arrsigued before the Re
corder
Chief Bell and his men removed the few
pieces Of furniture and dresses from the
Last IdNEt AtISf- lHtN Npii OF n EAoIJ
which gained circulation that a man was
seen IN the house where Mrs. Sneed s body
was found. This man is supposed TO have
been IN conversation with a woman Hast
Sunday night. The mysterious man IS also
reported 10 have met Miss Wsrdlav. No
description was volunteered.
Two Insurance agents IN the employ of
the New York Life Insurance Company
spent most of the day locking over the
papers and documents which we're turned
over TO Chief Bell by tho Brooklyn police
some days ago. These things had been
given Go tho Brooklyn police by a Brooklyn
druggist. who said they had been left in
his place. They we're the property az
Fletcher Snesd
FLETCHER sNEADs INSURANCE
An assignment written on piece Of
brown paper and not dated was discovered
by these agents. 1t read:
In consideration Of the training and edu-
t. her and 20 me. hereby release any
claim l might have on the life insurance
o. my wife. FLETCHER sNEAD
The funeral OF the dead woman. Il has
now been decided. viii take place from
the morgue on Tuesday morning. and the
burial vii! be IN Mount Hop. Cemetery.
The funeral expenses will be borne by the
class OF ~ OF Princeton College. accord.
ing TO the latest report. This class will