Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-01-14
dying SERvANTHELD
Coachman, With Throat Cut,
Accused of Nurses Murder.
WOUND Is SELF-lNFLICTED
Leaves Note for Bride, Declaring His
Innocence.
HE IS FOUND UNDER BED
Tragedy at Compton Home Has
Strange Development-Prisoner
Carried to Poughkeepsie.
HE IS FOUND UNDER BED

FISHkILL LANDING. n. Y. January
14.-Frank Schermerhorn, coachman, with
throat cut and dying of self-infictedi
wounds. is charged with strangling to
death Sarah o. Breymen. a governess.
The death of the nurse had been as
cribed by the authorities to burglars.
The tragedy occurred in the country
home Of the Compton's, in North Shore
road three miles from Millbrook, where
Schermerhorn and the dead girl were
both employed. For ten hours after the
crime not a trace Of the murderers and
burglars was found.
Late yesterday afternoon, however. de-
tectves In searching for the coachman
employed on the estate found him dying
from self-inflicted cuts in his throat. He
was placed under arrest on a charge of
murder, although he denied any knowl-
edge of the manner in which the gov
erness met her terrible death.
Found Dying in His Home.
Schermerhorn has been employed by
Mr.. Compton as a coachman for. more
than a year. He lived In a small cottage
with his wife about three hundred feet
from the mansion, and 1t was In his
home that the detectives found him dy-
ing.
So high was the feeling against the
coachman after he had been found that
Chief of Police McCabe had him taken
to Vassar Brothers Hospital, in Pough-
keepsfe, under guard.
1t was 3 o'clock in the morning when
the gOverness was murdered. Alice
butcher, a maid. who occupied an ad-
joining room to that in which Miss
Breymer slept. was awakened by the
sounds of a scuff1e. She called to the
governess, and receiving no reply,
started to pass into the adjoining room
when she was felled by blow from a
man.
On regaining her senses the maid
rushed into the room. occupied by the
governess and Pauline Compton. three
years old and there she found the body
of the governess on the floor. Scream
ing, she gave an alarm to the village
by telephone. and soon the authorities
arrived at the house in automobiles.
Making the Search.
1t was at first believed that several
burglars had entered the house. Sleigh
several windows at the rear of the
house led to this theory.
Among the first men to assist the po-
coachman. Frank Schermerhorn. and
the Japanese butler, Sotaro Chashi.
Both were closely questioned and each
said he had been asleep at the time the
crime was committed. They said they
had seen no one enter or leave the
house.
Considerable property was found to be
missing from the house. A drawer con-
tanning many of Mrs. ComptOn's jewels
was forced open and the contents taken,
and the family silverware, said to be very
valuable, was gone.
Immediately a wide search was insti-
tuted by the police. Wealthy persons Of
fered the use Of their automobiles and
horses, and for miles the roads were
overrun with angry men. When noon
came and their search had proved to be
in vain. the searching parties returned
to the Compton house to await further
instructions.
1t was a wild scene of disorder which
greeted Mr.. and Mrs. Compton on their
return in the afternoon from New York.
Awaiting the coroner, the body of the
governess had not been removed from
where it lay on the floor. and only the
maid seemed to have presence Of mind
to care for the three-year-old daughter,
Pauline