The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-09-17
POISON Pen Case
ON TRIAL MONDAY
sensations Expected in Hear
ing Of Charges Against
Miss De Witt.

PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 16.-when
Miss Harriet De Witt. the spinster
daughter of retired truck farmer OF
Easton. Pa. is placed on trial in the
Federal Court here tomorrow on the
rather indefinite charge Of misusing
the mails. the postal authorities ex-
pect to clear up the mystery surround
ing system of anonymous letter
writing that has terrorized the church
going folk of Easton. for the past six
years. In that period homes have
been wrecked, friends have become
enemies, and lovers have been sepa-
arated--all as a result of a series of
slanderous epistles written in the
same treacherous hand and couched
In the same venomous language.
Whether the examination of Miss
De Witt reveals her as the writer of
the pen printed. venom barbed letters
that have disturbed the peace and
quiet of Easton for the past six years;
and her friends that she Is innocent,
they will unfold to her eager towns
folk the history of her life-a history
that. by some trick of fate. seems to
30 curiously in harmony with the rise
and elimination Of the letter writing
10 q Single Woman.
Miss De Witt Is a single woman,
living with her parents. Her father is
Q retired truck farmer Of Easton. Her
movements ever since the series of
letters began to make their appear
ance In Easton society, have been
yelled in mystery, even her intimate
neighbors being unaware of her exis-
tence. ~
Before the letter writing began she
II said to have been member of the
Christ Evangelical Lutheran church,
Of which the Rev. Elmer r. Snyder,
then q young bachelor divine, is pas
tor. ... .
Il was while the Rev. Snyder was at
tending the social pleasures of his
church that the first letters made their
appearance. They were addressed to
members of the young divine's flock
and contained charges SO unspeakable
that the resulting Juror almost result
Cd in his expulsion. Later when he
was engaged to marry young lady
from the west another batch of let
ters disturbed the peace of the church
over which he had held sway. From
this time on, It IL said, little was seen
Of Miss De Witt.
From time to time, other letters have
made their appearance, gradually wild.
ening their scope till their circulation
included the members of families in
every part of town. In fact so profuse
did the letter writing become that II
ID thought that at least four or more
authors have fallen victims to the dis
ease. t& rs
The postal inspectors have been at
work on this strange epidemic for
several years, their only clues being
letters placed in their hands by the
Rev. Snyder. Time and again they
haev set out upon . promising trail
only to be confronted with failure.
They have, at different, times, had un-
der suspicion several members of the
Rev. Snyder's flock. but in each case
the suspected persons were able to
prove beyond doubt their innocence
in one case acknowledging an inability
to read or write; in another proving
an alibi and In still another respond
al from town. but still the letters
found their way into Easton homes
sometimes after lapse of months and
sometimes appearing score at
time.
Suspicion Aroused.
Gradually suspicion, through fire.
Quent references to intimate portions
Of Pastor Snyder's house and back
yard. became restricted to the region
Immediately surrounding his vicar
age. The tenants Of the surrounding
houses were put under secret surveil-
lance. marked stamps were kept for
distribution among them and samples
Of hand writing obtained. BY these
means the postal inspectors built up
their evidence bit by bit, till at last
they felt that their case was strong
enough to warrant an arrest. The
next morning all Easton rung with the
news that the mysterious recluse,
harriet De Witt. was under arrest, &C.
States mails.
At the hearing on September /, the
evidence was found sufficiently
strong to warrant her detention for
trial in the Federal Court on Septem-
Der 18th. though she herself added her
denunciation Of the arrest to that of
many friends OF the family. and though
Il was generally conceded that the
governments case, as far as it was
divulged at the preliminary hearing
showed few signs of strength. 1t is
rumored. however, that the postal in
spectors have many surprises in store
for the defense when Miss Dewitt
steps before the bar.
ATLANTA MERCHANT
KTTIEn nv RTYI Er1a