Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-11-20
PREACHER CHANGES
STORY ON BURNING
Of WIFE IN FURNACE

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Nov. 19.-Rev.
c. V. Sheatsley, pastor of Christ
Lutheran church of BeXley, sub
urb, whose wife's cremated body was
taken from a heating furnace in
the family home late Monday, today
changed his testimony of yesterday
and told Prosecutor John King he
believed his wife had taken her own
life. Yesterday he had refused to
accept a suicide verdict.
The minister's statement was made
voluntarily. He called Prosecutor
King on the telephone a few hours
before the funeral was to be held
and said he desired a personal con-
ference" The prosecutor, with a
stenOgrapher, went to the minister's
study, where he declared he wished
to change testimony given yester
day.
yesterday you asked me if L had
any personal opinion as to how my
wife met her death, and / told you
[ did not" he began. Il have sent
for you to tell you that [ now have
a conviction of what happened. This
is my own deliberate conviction,
made after considering all angles in
the case.
Il believe that my wife killed her
self
Pastor Is Composed
Throughout hours of questioning
Rev. SheatSley has maintained rigid
compOsure. Reluctant to accept a
verdict of suicide, he could offer no
motive for murder.
is there anything you can tell
us of any event in Mrs. Sheatsley's
past life that would lead her to con-
template suicide or which would of
fer any motive for murder?" Prose
cutOr King asked him.
Il know of absolutely nothing"
the minister replied "She was al
ways of a quiet disposition, interest
ed in her home work and my church
and occupied with our children"
The minister has long been an en-
thusiastic huntHman. In company
with another pastor he spent a va
cation last, summer in the Michigan
woods Last Saturday he was hunt
ing with friends and ba9ged several
rabbits, which he brought home.
Because these pelts had been burned
in the furnace. the children were not
suspicious of the peculiar odor ema-
mating from the furnace on the after
noon the mothers body was found,
they said.
Fire Blazing i'm Furnace
The investigators have only par
tial facts concerning the condition
of the furnace when the body was
found. The minister testified that
before to hn
the furnace and that he left it
thoroughly hot and filled with
flame. Clarence the Younger son.
told police that shortly after p.
m., when he opened the door and
recognized his mother, the furnace
was filled with flame.
Police attach little significance to
Clarence's testimony that he dis
covered the body, yet failed to tell
his brother and sisters. His eXpiana-
ton was that he did not wish to
worry them until his father knew
the tact was accepted He said that
he was attracted TO the furnace i'm
medlatelY upon returning from
school and recognized the body. His
brother and sisters were in the
room above, but he passed them by
and went to his own room without
notifying them of the tragedy.
Coroner Murphy however, CON
tends that the fire could have been
banked with ashes by the woman be-.
fore she crdWled into the oneninc
put even he cannot account for the
door being closed.
Prosecutor King conferred last
night with chemists. but could OBJ
tam no definite information as to
the length of time necessary to Gre
mate a body in an ordinary furnace.
lie had hoped TO establish the exact
time of the tragedy with such in
formation.
The prosecutor was also told that
an insane person sometimes | ses
sense of pain and that human mus.
cles do not always contract when
in severe pan.
Back Toward Door
Mulch emphasis is being placed
on the position Of the body in the
furnace. The younger son testified
that the back was to the door. with
the feet on one side and the head
on the other, the body somewhat in
reclining position, when he first
identified it. Almost two hours later,
When he accompanied his father to
the furnace, t hebody had fallen,
but the back was still toward the
door.
Prosecutor King believes it would
have been impossible for the woman
to have entered the heated vault feet
first. Even had she been able to ac-
compHsh this, he believes, she would
have been unable to close the door
because her back was against it.
Underwood's Famous