The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-05-06
HOPE To SOLVE
BATH TUB MYSTERY
Authorities Ready To Go on With
Trial of Three Women Charged
With 0cey Snead's Murder.

nlieu Ddtn tuD III nOuSt III bdSs
Orange. Nov 20 OF last year, has been
spun around the case, making II the
strangest crime in the criminal annals
OF this state, is soon 10 be cleared up
I This is the hop OF the authorities, VINO
are ready TO go on with the trial 81
the three women. one OF them the
mother-in-aw and the others the aunts
by marriage OF the young woman. The
trio have been held in the Jail here
since shortly after the finding OF the
! girls body.
These three old women in black,
as they are known TO the other in
mates OF Newark's big prison, are Mrs
Mary Snoad, mother-in-law OF Ocey
Snead: Mrs. Virginia Wardiaw and
Mrs. Caroline Wardaw Martin, aunts
! of Ocey Snead by marriage.
] The evidence on which these three
representatives OF one of the first
( families Of The old south. are held
charged with the crime of murder, is
woven of the strangest texture by
which a state prosecutor has ever
sought to forge chain for conviction,
Have Refused to Talk
/ During thel rstay in jail the women
| have masked their emotions behind
stolidity They have refused to talk,
refused to write-and handwriting
plays prominent part in this mystery
and have steadfastly refused, since
their Incarceration in the jail, even
10 see anyone
A life insurance policy for $4,000,
carried by the three women on the
I life OF Ocey Snead, drawn in favor
Of Virginia Wardlaw and the grand
mother. house OF mystery ON r.
FOrty-eighth New York and Mill
ave. Flatlands. numerous wills pur'
porting 10 have been written by Ocey
Snead, hypnotism and notes threaten
ing suicide, purporting TO have been
signed by Ocey Snead, found in the
possession OF Mrs. Mary Snead when
she was arrested at the Hotel Martin
in New York city all figure IN teh
circumstantial chain the state mas
woven about the women.
They are held on two indictments.
The first charges all three with
numbering Ocey Snead by drowning
her in a bathtub
The secondhand this is the one the
state bases its main case on
Z HdfEtE the lllltt WOAiltil NlONt Nf'tN
Snead to commit suicide.
SO far as is known here this is the
first indictment OF this kind ever re
turned by a grand jury in this couu
try.
Sisters Are Co-Defendants.
The way the three sisters happen
10 be co-defendants is this. Miss
Wardlaw was the only person in the
house when Ocey Snead died She
said Ocey was i'll on Sunday night ana
that she, Miss Wardlaw, prepared he
bath for her. Ocey was SO weak that
day when she was brought TO the
deserted house that she had to be
supported into the house from a cab,
and vet. according To her own state
ment. Miss Wardlaw stayed down
stairs in an unfinished house. while
her niece took her bath, and did not
so to inquire or look for her for q
hours
Mrs Martin is held because the
state has Witnesses who will swear
she, too. was at the house in East
Orange the day Ocey Snead died
/ Mrs Mary Snead is held because
( she rented the vacant house. and wit
nCSses will swear she made special
Inquiries about the bath tub
She disappeared after Ocey Snead $
body was found and a search which
covered the entire country was in
aueurated by the police. When
found aud the suicide notes uncover
( ed in her trunk, she explained them
by saying that Ocey had frequently
written notes threatening suicide, and
she had saved them
Fletcher Snead. husband of Ocey
Snead was later found at St Cath.
crime. Ont. where he had been work
/ Ing as cook for some time before his
wife's tragic death He revealed that
they had been married three times
the first wedding being secret the
second was performed when they be
gan 90 live together and the third
was performed when they moved into
/ New Jersey as they were first cousins
and wanted TO be certain their mar.
ridge was legal
Writing Is Big Factor
The state will make a strong point
on the writing of the note which was
found on Ocey Snead's body I'm the
bath tub The writing was strong and
firm. while Ocey Snoad was so enact
lated and weak she could hardly stand
alone Witnesses are promised by the
state who will swear OCcy Snead said
Miss Wardlaw hVpnOtized her. and
physicians viii testify as 10 the en-.
aciated and starved condition of the