Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-11-28
Members of Football
Squad Guard
Sheatsley Home

Columbus. Ohio. Nov. 27-Antici-
pating a crowd Of curious persons,
members Of the Capitol University
/ football squad today were guarding
Rev. c. V. Sheatsley and members OF
| his family in the house of mystery.
| the parsonage Of Christ Evangelical
Lutheran church, where the practi-
cally cremated body of the wife and
| mother, Addie Sheatsley, was dis
covered eleven days ago.
The athletic youths were scattered
about the rather spacious lawn of the
parsonage to which the minister and
his four children returned late yes
| terday from Paris, Ohio, where a
week ago today funeral services were
held for the victim.
| Activities of County Prosecutor
John r. King and his Investigators
! were limited today. They are wait
, Ing a complete report Of scientific ex-
| perts. who have been working on
| certain phases of the mystery. The
! report is not expected until early
next week.
Conversing with newspaper cores
| pondents shortly after his return, the
| Rev. Mr.. Sheatsiey, when asked If he
! had changed his announced convic-
| ton that his wife committed suicide
| and cast herself into the furnace OF.
! ter becoming insane, replied:
II would rather believe she was
| murdered-foul as the Iced may be
! rather than to believe she took her
! own life. but until such evidence has
| been definitely established. will
! think she took her own life"
The minister was calm as he spoke
and there was no sign of emotion.
! Little Alice. his IL year old daugh-
! ter. chung to bis coat as he stood in
| the doorway of his study. speaking
to press representatives on the front
! porch.
Il will do anything I can to help
clear up this case" the pastor de-
clarel. He said that he and his
children would appear before the
! prosecutor for additional questioning
at any time that\ official might sug-
gest.
! In reply to a question about his
| statement to Prosecutor King that he
! thought he noticed doors of a poison
Gus acid coming from the chimney
of the house shortly before he dis
covered the body. the Rev. Mr..
! Sheatslcy said: LAS l was returning
! to my home from the grocery. when
came around the corner of the
church. a gust of wind swooped down
from a chimney and I thought ] no.
ticed carbolic acid. The next odor
noticed as that of burning flesh"
! A bottle OF lie acid, which the
/ minister in a statement to the prose-
cutor. said was missing from the
cabinet after discovery of the body,
was found Monday when officials
made a search of the house. 1t was
discovered in the medicine cabinet.
! Explaining the statement of his son
! Clarence, 16, made to Prosecutor King.
| that he looked into the furnace on the
afternoon of the tragedy and said lie
| thought he saw the body of his moth
| er. but did not mention it to anyone,
the pastor said:
| The boy probably saw the form in
the furnace. but his heart said it. can't
l'c mother. There is a possibility that
he was excited when lie made the
statement. due to his age. You know
how a boy is
| Rev. Mr.. Sheatsley will not be called
upon to conduct Thanksgiving services
/ III his church today. having been given
a leave of a month, or more if he
desires. by veStrymen of the church.
Whether or not the family will re-
main at the parsonage throughout to-
| day or go to the home OF member
of the congregation, had not been de-
cided carly today.