The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1923-03-07
SCHNEIDER ON
STAND DENIES
KILLING WIFE
Claims That He Did Not Poi
son Wife, and That He
Loved Her Till Death
STATE ENDS CASE
Pathologist Testifies for State
Death Caused by Arsenic
Poisoning
STATE ENDS CASE

kaSimlf Schnelder, local .iapoIef'
charged with having caused the
death of his wife last June by ad-
ministering poison to her, took the
witness stand in his own defense
today. Under guidance Of his attor-
neys Schneider flatly denied that ne
poisoned his wife and answered
scores of questions involving the
circumstances of her illness and
death with calm voice.
A heavy scarf was still wrapped
around Schneider's neck to protect
him from cold and he was dressed
in an ordinary black suit A small
man, both in height and weight,
wearing thick glasses and speaking
in good English though of Russian
German extraction, the defendant
betrayed no nervousness under the
kindly questioning of his attorneys.
His thick glasses proclaimed his
ar-sightedness.
He had not been on the stand long
before Attorney Norton led him d.
rcctly to the testimony offered for
the state by Clara Fisher, who said
that Schneider had asked her to be
his housekeeper and that he wanted
to get rid of his wife. He denied
any such direct statements as at
tributed to him by Clara Fisher and
scornfully denied that he wanted to
marry her.
Loved Wife. Claim
"Dd you love you wife up to the
time she died?" he was asked.
"Yes"
"Did YOU tell Clara Fisher that
you were looking for her to- get her
to marry you before your married
your second wife,
"No, sir
Were you sorry at any time You
didn't marry Clara
mo, sir
Did you want to marry Clara!'
IL never did"
"Were you ever fond of herr"
mo, don't care for girls like
her"
Answering question put direct
lv: Did you poison your wife =
Schneider answered mo"
He told of the time of his wife's
death, on the morning of June ID
in their home on the south side
here. He claimed he had not slept
much all night because of their ba-
by's illness, his wifes illness and
storm. He said it was raining, light,
ming was flashing and thunder roar
ing. He said he got up about 10 min
hoy
he heard the baby crying, looked
into the room where his wife was
and he said he heard her taking hel
last gasp, just before life became
extinct.
He said he started yelling, but OBJ
lection stopped further declaration:
of this sort He called the neighbors
he said, suggested a doctor be call
ed and talked with the neighbors
Later. he said, he saw the body al
the undertaker's place and agair
later in the house. He said he called
his mother-in-law from Sweet Briar
Morton county, after his wife died
Pathologist Called
Among the witnesses called b!
the state before it rested yesterda!
afternoon was Dr.. A. Massaglia
pathologist of the University o.
North Dakota, who testified that n
believed from his examination o.
the walls of the stomach of tn;
dead woman, that her death wa
caused by arsenic poisoning.
The defense's first witness wa
William Ode and others included
John L. Schneider, brother of Kasi
mir; Matt Senger and Joseph Fet
tig. DR.. Erwin of Mandan, called A
an expert witness by the defense
said that the symptoms of Mrs
Schneider's illness as described %.
tDr. Lipp appeared to indicate diseas'
such as might cause natural death
During the testimony of the defens'
the $4,000 life insurance policy car
ried on Mrs. Schneider with Kasimi
as beneficiary was detailed to tn
jury.
Former Coroner Stroke, calle
this morning by the defense, wa
asked regarding a conversation 10
seph Schwan had testified to for tn
SJutc. Ill answering W u 4uCStIOH -
to whether Joseph Schwan told hir
that Kasimir Schneider was no
good to his wife, he said Schwa
did not answer exactly that way
and after objection halted furthe
questioning of this kind, he sal
that he remembered Schwan sayin
that "he didn't see what was wron
with Schneider-he never turned o
the lights at night"
The theory of the defense wa
outlined by P. D. Norton in hi
statement to the jury before presen
,tation of the defense's case begar
Details History
He detailed Schheider's life hist
ory. Schneider, he said, was born 1
Russia about 40 years ago; marie
in Russia to Magdalena Jazel, VIII
died in this country; came to tn
United States in 1907; first settle
at Strasburg in Emmons count,
where he was engaged in farming
and lived there until he came t
bismarck to be employed by tn
Wachter Transfer Company and tn
Northern Pacific railroad. Schneid
Continued on page 81