The Washington times., 1920-08-15
t00PHQESN N
F.. SUICIDE PACT
Snseringsr Girls Friends Quss-
ton Possibility Of Self
Inflicted Wound.
CORONER DlsMSses CASE
No Powder Marks on Right
Temple and Pistol Near
Left Hand.

Did pretty Mary Hsnnsh Sheer
niger lose her nerve when the critical
moment arrived for her to, keep a
suicide pact with j. Ford Thompson,
wealthy Washington clubman, with
whom she was infatuated?
q Angered at the girls hesitation
To- fire bullet into her brain, did
Thompson seize her pistol, kill her
and then end his own life?
ABsKNCH OF POwDKR MARKS.
The authorities and residents of
questions. They do not believe Mary
Sneeringer, sixteen years old. who
had everything to live for, crashed a
bullet into her own brain. They know
that Thompson had great influences
over the. child lover. and they admit
that IL was possible that she did
agree to enter suicide pact with
Thompson when the wealthy ciubman
found he had not been divorced from
his wife and because of the girls
Youth he could not marry her.
I That the girl contemplated COM
shown by the fact that she left a
farewell note for her mother. But
DR.. w. C. Hun and NJ F.. Shuff cor
oner. who found the bodies of Thomp-
son and girl, are convinced that the
girl did not dre' the bullet into her
brain which caused her death.
They base this theory on the fact
that no powder marks or burns were
found on the face of the girl, and
that the revolver used in her death
was lying a few inches from her left
hand. The girl. they say, is right
handed, and could not have fired the
fatal shot into her right temple with
her left hand.
It is recalled that on the day OF the
couples death that Mary Sneeringer
hesitated accompanying Thompson on
the walk to, the creek, on the banks
of which their bodies were found. 1t
is also said that Thompson had been
drinking heavily.
GIRL LOATHE TO GO.
when Thompson sought the girl
to accompany him to their trysting
place." said DR.. Hun, Mary ran back
into the kitchen Of the hotel. Later
he persuaded her to go with him.
Several persons say they noticed as
the couple were walking across a corn
heid that the girl hesitated several
times, apparently pleading to be per-
mitted to return home.
after they had arrived at the bank
of the creek, 1t is shown that the
shots which killed them were not
fred simultaneously. Thomas Baum
gartner. employed on the farm of
Henry Miller, declares he heard two
shots fired. the second few minutes
after the flrvt report
DID THOMPSON FIRE sHOTsf
This fact indicates that Thompson
may have shot the girl, placed the
pistol. in his hurry. near the left hand
in mistake for her right, and then
killed himself with his own revolver"
As both Thompson and the girl are
dead. States Attorney Aaron Anders,
Of Frederick county. today declared
the case "is a closed incident with
me-" He does not intend to take any
further action, as the coroner after
his Investigation issued the following
certificate as to the deaths Of the cou-
Pile! ~. Ford Thompson came to his
death by a bullet fired by himself,
and the cause of the death of Mary
Sneeringer Is doubtful" No inquest
was held, the coroner rendering this
verdict without empaneling . jury.
Letters fouH0 IN the girls room in
dicate that he hsd promised to wed
the country girl whose beauty had
attracted comment from numerous
tourists. 1t is said he was intensely |
jealous of her, and that, among other |
things, he insisted that she not do |
up" her hair. It also was pointed out |
that Thompson came to Washington |
two weeks ago, leased q furnished !
apartment at the Meriden Mansions, |
en- Sixteenth street, apparently for
the purpose Of bringing the girl there |
II he found q way to marry her. But
discovering the youth Of the girl was
a bar to their marriage, the authori-
ties believe Thompson returned to
Emmitsburg and urged the girl to
enter into the suicide pact with him.
While speculation As to the circum-
stances surrounding the death of
Thompson and the girl Is rife in Fred |
erick county, the authorities have
ended their investigation with the
verdict of the coroner.
Thompson's body was brought to
Washington yesterday. He will be
buried tomorrow morning from the
undertaking establishment of Joseph
Gawler's Sons, on Pennsylvania ave-
nue. Burial will be in Oak Hin Gene