The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1911-01-10
TRIAL
OF Mrs. SChenCk Scheduled
To Come Up On Monday
Alleged Woman Attempted
To Poison Husband
Case Attracting More Than
Ordinary Interest

| pleted and unless some unforeseen
contingency should arise, the trial of
Mrs. Laura Farnsworth Schenck, who
Is charged with the attempt to poison
her husband, John o. Schenck, a null
ti-millionaire and president of the f.
Schenck Packing company, founded
by his father, Fred Schenck, will be-
gin in the Criminal court Of this city
on Monday next. The trial had orig
inally been set for December 10, of
last year, but at the request of coun.
sci for the defense Judge Jordan
granted q postponement to January
9th.
| Owing to the wealth and social
prominence of the Schenck family the
case has attracted more than ordinary
interest, not alone in this city, the
home of the Schencks, but through.
out the state and in much wider cir.
cles. The case presents many inter
esting features and 1t Is expected
the defense will make bitter fight,
relying upon plea of insanity to save
the defendant 1t is believed that
facts of the most sensational nature
will be brought out in the course of
the trial and there Is no doubt that
large crowds will fill the court room
at every session of the court.
The case will be heard before Judge
Lewis H. Jordan and jury In the
Criminal Court. Prosecuting Attor.
ney ]. Bernie Handlan will conduct
the case for the state, and will have
the support of his assistants. The
defense will be represented by j. ]
P. O'Br!en as leading counsel and sew.
eral other prominent lawyers as ad-
visors. k ssnnt
The Schenck family Is we'll known
in this part Of the country and its his
tory as a prominent social factor be-
gan with Fred Schenck. who started
in business nearly fifty years ago and
accumulated fortune estimated at
IL to Is millions in pork pack
ing industry. He founded the f
Schenck Packing Company and re-
mained at It's head until his son, John
o. Schenck, who had been active In
the business for a number of years
became president OF the concern and
It's leading spirit. John was success
full and his individual wealth Is esti-
mated at more than $4,000,000.
Mrs. Schenck, the daughter of Il. G.
Farnsworth, plain carpenter, was O
cook in the home of ]. G. Tomlison, a
retired official of the Pennsylvania
Railroad, when she first met Schenck
The latter was personal friend of
Tomlison and at that time, about fif-
teen years ago, was frequent visitor
: at the Tomlison home. Schenck, then
young man of thirty, was attracted
: by Laura Farnsworth, then a pretty
girl Of twenty-five. 1t was easy for
them to meet frequently and 1t caus
ed little surprise, at least In the Tom
lison family, when Schenck proposed
to the attractive cook and was accept
ed
They were married and to all out
ward appearances, seemed to live hap
PLY together. Two children were born
to them, Virginia, now twelve, and
Robert, now seven years of age. HeI
husbands great wealth and his high
social standing gave Mrs. Schemes
considerable prestige and she found
no difficulty in maintaing a leading
position in sociey. She and her hus
band were members of the Wheeling
Country Club and entertained a grea,
deal in manner befltting their
wealth and social standing.
In the fall of last year Mr.. Schemes
became i'll and. In spite Of the most
careful treatment by his physician
DR.. Frank l., Hupp. the condition o.
the patient did not improve. The
symptoms were such that DR.. Hupp
began to suspect that his patient was
suffering from the effects Of poison
ing. Without betraying his suspicion
he sent some Lithia water, which Mr.
Schenck was in the habit OF drinking
to the chemists of John Hopkins Uni
versity for analysis. Another sample
he sent to chemist in New York.
When the chemists of John Hop
kins University reported that the sam
Pile of Lithia water sent to them b,
DR.. Hupp, had been found to contain
arsenic, DR.. H,pp ordered the remova
of his patient to the North Wheeling
Hospital and communicated the result
of his investigation to the authorities
On ,govember 8, Mrs. Schenck. VIII,
had vainly protested against the re
moval of her husband TO the hospital
-