Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1912-05-08
SHOOTS MOTHER
AND GRANDMA
Paterson Boy Confesses He At
tempted Murder to In
herit SIS, 900.
LURE OF HAPPINESS WITH
BELOVED GIRL NERVES HIN
Saws lie Fought Temptation,
but Feel of Revolver
Banished Good Angel.

PATTERSON, May S. Lester L.
Snyder. IS, of S67 Park ave-
hue. tried to murder his widowed
mother and his grandmother yesterday
81 his home that he might fall heir to
$685. o0 which his mother inherited when
his father committed suicide on July
., 1911. The boy, who is in Passalc
county jail, held without bail, confessed
yesterday afternoon OF learning that
his grandmother, Mrs. Margaret De
Voc. was dying. and that his mothers
condition was serious.
Tor. the past month, he said, he had
lost his mental balance whenever he
thought of the pleasure and excitement
that the possession of the money would
bring him. He has not worked for two
years, his mother, widow of Thomas T..
Snyder, who was a wealthy merchant.
giving him money. which he spent in
enjoying Paterson high life. His
mother knew only that he was fond of
q girl In the neighborhood, whom he
spoke Of marrying. For a year no has
been an usher in the Wesley M. e.
Church.
Mrs. Snyder and her mother slept in
the same bedroom, Lester in a room on
the floor above. The house is in the
fashionable section known as the East
Side.
Fights with Temptation.
Lester went to bed fairly early Mon
day night, but could not sleep for
thoughts of the fascinating picture of a
life of gayoty. For two hours. he saws.
H. triad - tIfnlr ~
Finally he says mis- right hand
slipped involrntarily under the pillow
and touched a revolver he had been
keeping there since a mont. ago. Turn
Ing out the electric lights as he went.
he stepped softly down the stairs and
into the room of his mother and grand
mother.
When he got to the foot of the bed
Mrs. De Voc awoke, touched her daugh.
ter's arm and whispered.
There's a man In this roomn'
Mrs. De Voc was brave, and, though
weak with age-she is 7S-jumped from
her bed to reach a button that would
Hash the lights. As her feet touched the
hoor Lester fired. The aged woman
screamed. Mrs. Snyder sprang to be-
mothers side. and Lester fired three shots
more. Mrs. De Voc had been struck high
In the right breast, her daughters side
had been clipped by a bullet, but both
women closed upon the boy, who hal
backed to the doorway.
Mother Recognizes Him.
When the mothers hands touched him
she knew who 1t was and she called his
name. Then he struck her on the head
Hereby with his revolver. She fell out
into the hall and the youth tried to at
tack his grandmother In the same way.
The older woman lodged his blow and
closed her hands about his neck. pushing
MIN to the floor. Then she ran out into
the hnu and closed the door on the boy.
Both women fed from the house to the
house of Louis q. Shorter, two doors
away. Lester ran back to his room and
renlled his revolver. put the three empty
shells In a waste basket with four soiled
collars and threw the basket out of his
window. Still In his pajamas. and hold
ing the revolver, he then sped to the
shorter house. Mr.. Shorter stopped him
on the stoop, The boys mother stood
behind.
oh, mother, for Gods sake, | didn't
Shoot YOU" he exclaimed. II fred only
one shot. ] didn't do it, mother"
a minute or so later a policeman ar
rested the boy. The women were hur-
ried to the Paterson General Hospital.
Mrs. De Voc unconscious. Mrs. Snyder
said that her son shot them.