The Washington times., 1922-10-01
WOMAN FRIEND
To FIGHT FOR
H|SPROPERTY
Contends That Poisoned Meat
Dealer Owed Her $11, 1000
Advanced as Loans.
TO CLAIM INSURANCE ALSO
Investigators Now Believe
Cumberland Merchant Took
Poison Because Of Debts.

Cumberland Merchant Took
Poison Because Of Debts.
CUMBERLAND, Md, Sept. 80.
NO matter what the outcome
OF the investigation Of the mys-
terious death of Frederick H.
Blaul, wholesale meat dealer and
storage house proprietor, may be,
1t is expected the case will re-
main in the public eye for some
time, as Miss Laura Oliver, named
as a correspondent in a divorce
suit filed by Mrs. Mary Raley
Blaul, widow of Frederick H.
Blaul, and later withdrawn, in
tends to put up a legal battle If
necessary to secure certain claims
she has against the estate.
Will Reveal Letters.
A todicil is to be filed to the will
whereby Miss oliver would get the
benefit Of a $4,000 life insurance
policy taken out by Blaul several
years ago and made payable to his
estate.
Then she has notes covering $11,-
600 which she claimed she loaned
Blaul.
II her claims are resisted, a pretty
legal fight is expected, and then will
come into court certain letters al
legged to have been written by
Blaul and now in the hands OF Miss
divers attorney.
Blaul a Sportsman.
Blaul was known as a good sports
man and a plunger. 1t is said he
often played heavily in games of
chance and on one occasion dropped
O large sum. He loved the game
Of poker and he was especially fond
of boxing. He frequently made Wis
its to large cities to see prize fights.
Miss Oliver is going about in her
accustomed manner. She Is fond OF
motoring and last night she was seen
out in q car with several women
friends. She is always accompa-
MED by Billie" her white collie
dog.
Suicide Theory Grows.
The impression has grown here
that fBlaul. threatened by Klansmen,
importuned constantly by creditors,
and turned down by Miss Oliver as
far as their meeting in Cumberland
was concerned. found his way to the
unused floor of his storage plant,
where anyone seldom entered, and
took poison, but II was not in suf-
ficient proportions to have imme-
diate effect.
Instead of causing hurried
death, he was made desperately sick,
and finally he sought his home.
l. is thought he took the dose in
the belief the woman would die in
q suicide pact with him. although
she had already spurned the sugges
tion.
The Ku Klux letter was received
by Miss Oliver on Monday evening.
September IL. when she made un'
successful efforts to get in touch
with Blaul.
The next day she reached him
by phone, telling him that I'VE can.
not keep 1t up any longer-here In
Cumberland"
Blaul after that pleaded with her
many times, but she persisted that
II was all off. Then came the sug
Csstion Of the suicide pact, which
she spurned.
Further pleadings were In vain.
and Blaul suggested that they die
together by taking arsenic used in
killing rats in his meat packing
establishment.
Last Day Together.
On Sunday. September II, the pair
rode in a taxiCab to Hanover, Pa,
wnere they spent the day. 1t was
their last day together. They talk.
ed over their affairs at length.
On Tuesday, september 10, was
their final meeting, when Miss oliver
reiterated that they could no longer
meet in Cumberland, rejecting once
and for all the proposals TO elUpe to
Chicago or to enter into a suicide
pact.
The next day Blaul was taken des.
perately i'll.
While the family is adhering to the
belief that Blaul died natural
death. his only son, Frank r. BlaLl.
engaged with his father in business
and prominent as a golfer at the
Cumberland Country Club. said re
did not want any mistakes made in
the chemical analysis of the viscera,
and for that reason the family en-
gagged chemist of it's own to be
present at the examination.
Young Blaul said:
IT don't want any mistakes in
this matter. The moment poison is
found in my fathers stomach. will
begin to search for his murderer,
and there will he no let-up until the
murderer is found. | will devote my
life to the work. II is a shame that
father had to die in such a damna.
ble way"
The report of the analysis is ex.
p~cted on Monday.
BIauI Never MOrose.
Mis- oliver had made it clear that
she docs not suspect that any one
poisoned Mr. Blaul She declared
: sqt h was never morose; on the
coFrary. that he was always in a
uapp mood. She said she did not
Ses nm on the day he was taken