The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-07-26

One OF Wardlaw Sisters, Charged
/ With Killing Mrs. Snead,
Busy on Defense.
TRIAL COMES NEXT MONTH
Prosecution Said to Have Strong
Evidence Against Relatives
Accused of Bathtub Murder.

New York, July 25.---Miss Virgini;
wardlaw one of the aunts held fol
completely in the death OF ocey Martin
4 Snead, the girl of the East Orange
4 bathtub ira gedy, Is not likely to die
in prison before her trial on August
90, according to one of the wardcns Of
the Essex county IN. J.) jail, in New
ark, in which she and her sisters are
| confined.
This warden said last night that
| Miss Wardlaw, who, her own lawyers
/ admit. has done more thinking about
the case and less talking than either OF
| her sisters, had never for day lost
| interest in herself or the fight she is
making for vindication. While she had
| never been inclined he said, to take
! much exercise, she had never allowed
a week to pass without as many con-
situations as possible with her law
yers. Last week, while the newspa-
pers were printing a statement given
out by her friends that she was slowly
wasting away and grieving herself to
death, according to the warden she
was employing the time allotted to tho
prisoners for exercise in marshalins
all the evidence she could lay hold of
trial comes off next month. Her cell
is an outside one. the warden said,
and she had fair-sized window, six.
teen feet above ground. which, even
in the hot spells, has kept the cell at
least endurable.
The other sisters. Mrs. Caroline
Wardlaw Martin, mother OF Ocey
Snead, and Mrs. Mary Wardlaw Snead.
at once aunt OF the dead girl and the
mother of her runaway husband, Fletch-
er W. Snead, who was in Canada the
last time he was heard from. occupy
cells nearby, and the sisters are occa-
sionally permitted to see each other
All three are now held on but one in
dictment-that charging them with the
murder of Mrs. Snead. They were in
dicted also for completely in a conspir-
acy to bring about the suicide of the
girl. but at the request OF Prosecutor
Mott. Of Essex county, this indictment
was quashed.
The trial was set originally for early
in April, but was continued until June
on account of the illness OF Police Ser.
geant O'Netll of East Orange who had
conducted the investigation which led
to the arrest of the three women and
for the prosecution. When June came
the trial was again postponed, this
time at the request OF the lawyer for
the prisoners, until August 90. An
important witness for the defense,
woman relative, living near Christians
burg, in Southwest Virginia, had died
suddenly. She mad expected to testify
to the strong affection which had ex-
listed between Miss Wardlaw and Ocey
Snead and the solicitude often mani
tested for the girl by Miss Wardlaw
a ffNr~ ,srtst
tiansburg a few months before young
Mrs. Snead's death.
The trial is expected to attract much
attention, as the prosecution has never
revealed its full strength. Prosecutor
Mott by prompt action in unexpecte1
directions. came into possession of a
large number of papers belonging to
both Mrs. Martin and Mrs Snead, the
mother-in-law of the dead girl. These
are supposed to contain important evil
dence. The defense has sought repeat.
edly. but in vain, to get back these
papers, asserting that the prosecution
came by them fraudulently.
For tWenty-four hours after Ocey
Sneads body was found in a bathtub
In an East Orange house on Monday
afternoon. November 20. 1909, with
note beside her saying she had killed
herself because her sufferings were
sreater than she could bear few sup
posed that the case was destined to be
one Of the most interesting in years.
It soon developed. however. that the
girl had been insured for $4,000 and
that the circumstances OF her death
We're suspicious. In addition, 1t soon
became known that the accused wo-
men belonged to well-connecte1
southern family, and that Mrs. Martin
had LOT years been public schoo1
principal here.