Omaha daily bee., 1911-08-14
uMAEs BODY WAS ExHUMED
No Traces Of Typhoid, Declared
Cause, TO Be Found.
ABSENCE OF POISON ALSO NOTED
Peculiar Actions Of Man Lead to the
Accusation.
SAID WOULD WED MISS voGELER
Dead Woman of Artstocratic German
Descent, Her Father Having
Had Charge of Navy Yard
at Kiel.

SHERIDAN. wyo., Aug. 13-(special Tel
egram. )-Charged with the murder of his
wife, who died July under mysterious cir
cumstances, Herman Claussen, a prominent
and wealthy Siberian county rancher, was
placed under arrest late this afternoon upon
n warrant sworn out by the county and
prosecuting attorney. D. L. Gogerty.
His slster-in-law. Miss Augusta vogelar.
who has been visiting at the ranch, was
also arrested as an accessory.
international complications may ensue as
result of the arrests, as the vogeler
family. of which Mrs Claussen was a mem
Der. is believed to be closely connected
with official circles in Germany.
At the time OF Mrs. Claussen's death,
typhoid fever was given as the cause. No
physician was called during her supposed
Illness. Claussen and Miss Vogelar being the
only attendants. but as nothing unusual de-
veloped from an interrogation by the health
officer and coroner. and as there appeared
to be no reason for doubling the veracity
/ Of their statements, no inquest was held
and only a cursory examination of the body
''Igas made.
Interment was made on the ranch.
Husbands Actions Arouse Suspicion.
Claussen's peculiar actions when he called
at local undertaking establishment for a
casket his known eccentricities. the fact
that none of his nelghbors had been aware
Of his wife's illness and rumors picked up
In the vicinity of the ranch later combined
70 arouse the suspicious Of the authorities.
on July Q the body was exhumed and a
post-mortem and inquest held. Drs. w. A.
Steffen and Il. e. Levers OF Sheridan made
the examination and found no evidence
A - >,
was returned by the coroners jury
Portions OF the anatomy were sent by
Coroner HALEY to Prof. Knight of the
state university at Laramie for chemical
examination for poisons. but nothing de-
veloped and negative report was re-
turned. The supposition now Is that Mrs.
Claussen was strangled or smothered to
death. rhe police are said TO have one
witness who will swear ne saw Mrs Claus
at work in the garden four days be-
fore her death and three who saw her sit
ting at the table with her sister and hus-
banc the evening of the same day. Others
are reported to have overheard Claussen
make the statement that Miss Vogeler was
his intended second wife. 1t is hoped to
obtain a confession from Miss Vogeler
Caussen came 20 the United States from
Germany twenty years ago and has been
/ a resident OF Sheridan county for the last
seventeen years, at the present time own
ing a ranch OF 1000 acres on Wolf creek
eighteen miles northwest of Sheridan, in
the foothills OF the Big Horn. During his
residence In Wyoming he has become
widely known as breeder OF fine horses
He Is a man of exceptional education, has
travelled extensively and is said to be well
connected in the fatherland.
The ranchman was married April Il. 1910
to Miss Elsie vogeler Of Kiel, Germany, Q
young woman OF aristocratic descent, said
to number among her connections a brother
who ranks as captain in the German army
an uncle who Is admiral in the navy
and another brother connected with the
official family in a secretarial capacity
Her father is reported to have had charge
for number OF years prior to his deatt
OF the great navy yards at Kiel
On November 20. less than eight months
after marriage. twins were born TO Mr.
and Mrs. CIaussen. They lived but a few
days and were buried on the ranch neal
the spot selected for his wife, Grace
Claussen and Miss Vogeler win be con
fined in the county jail pending a pre-
liminary hearing, when further develop
ments OF q sensational nature are expected