Evening star., 1924-11-22
SUICIDE IN FURNACE
IDEA HELD REFUTED
Examination Proves Pastors
Wife Died Previously,
Prosecutor Says.
BY the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
COLUMBUS. Ohio, November ga
preliminary report of an analytical
chemiSt, setting forth that Mrs. Ad-
die Sheatsley. so, whose virtually Gre
mated body was found in the furnace
of the Christ Lutheran Church par
sonage. in Bexley, Monday. by her
husband, Rev. c. V. Sheatsley, was
dead when the body reached the fire
chamber, today caused County Prose-
cutor John r. King to push forward
his investigation with renewed vigor.
King was in a closed conference to-
day with experts, who examined the
vital organs Of Mrs. Sheatsley, and
city detectives, who have been aiding
In the investigation.
King hoped, he said, to be able to
Iannounce a definite line of procedure,
after the conference, to follow up his
efforts to prove that the woman did
not commit suicide by crawling into
the furnace.
Some significance was attached to
the fact that DIR. r. c. Tarbell. an
alienist, was called into the conference.
1t was the first time an alienist had
been consulted by the investigating
officials, so far as known. Mr.. King
would not intimate what led him to call
DR.. Tarbell.
Chemist Makes Report.
Absence of any trace of carbon
monoxide poisoning in blood taken
from the lungs of the victim, Chemist
c. F. Long said in his findings to
Prosecutor King, resulted in his con-
clusion that she had ceased to breathe
before her body entered the chamber.
He explained that had she breath
ed, her lungs would have become fill
ed with the carbon -monoxide which
would have been absorbed by the
blood. Mr.. Long said both lungs re-
vealed intense congestion, indicating
either straneulation or suffocation.
No trace of SCOT or ash dust was
found in the lungs, he said.
Examination of a section of the
stomach wall and a bit of the aesoph-
agus for poison resulted in mega
tive findings, he asserted. A bottle
of poison, authorities say, is missing
from the Sheatsley home.
King, with Detective Harry Carson,
returned late last night from Canton,
where they questioned relatives of
Mrs. Sheatsley, who, he said. do not
believe she committed suicide.
Rev. Mr.. Sheatsley, informed at
Paris, Ohio. in a telephone conversa-
tion this morning of the chemists
tor King to act. 1 am glad of any in
formation that may be found. l can
not say anything for it and I cam
not say anything against it. Further
than this I regard what has been said
to me as information and 1 accept 1t
as such"
During his examination Tuesday,
Mr.. King said the minister expressed
the conviction that his wife had been
murdered.
Rev. Mr.. Sheatsley and his four
children expect to- spend the week
end with his mother at Paris, the
girlhood home of Mrs. Sheatsley,
where funeral services were held
Thursday afternoon. They are to re-
turn to Columbus the first of the
week.
Starts New Examination.
DIR. H. NJ. Brundage of. Columbus
today will begin a pathological ex-
animation of the vital organs. turned
over to him yesterday by Mr.. Long,
which it was intimated may be pro-
ductive of additional information
having a direct bearing on the case.
A hasty examination by DR.. Brund-
age has so far borne out his findings,
Mr.. Long said.
IT am absolutely positive that there
was no trace of carbon monoxide in
| the blood" Mr.. Long stated. Il OBJ
| tanned three ounces Of 1T and submit
ted it to five different tests. In all of
| them 1t was shown to be positively
normal.
II have preserved these samples. /
! have the results of these tests, and
1 am willing to submit them to any
chemist or to the world. 1 know they
are accurate"
Specimens in the hands of DR..
| Brundage include the lobes of the
lungs, a section of the thorax and
liquid taken from the thorax.