Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1924-11-20
MURDER PROBE
IS CONTINUED
Mystery of Mrs. Sheatsley's
Death Carries Prosecutor
Into Circle of Relatives

COLUMBUS. O., Nov. 20:-In a
determined effort TO piece together
all the loose threads in the domestic
life of Mrs. Addie Sheatsley, wife of
Rev. c. v. Sheatsley. pastor of a
church In the fashionable Bexley
suburb, whose cremated body was
found in the furnace of the Sheats-
ley home Monday evening. SO that 1t
might be ascertained whether the
mystery of her death Is finally to be
esta blished as suicide or murder.
Prosecutor King carried his investi-
CATION today into the circle of the
dead woman's blood relatives.
Accompanied by City Detective
Harry Carson Mr.. King left for
Paris home of Mrs. Sheatseys
mother. near Canton. early today 10
go over with the aged mother the
life history of the daughter from
infancy down through the interven-
ing years to her marriage with Rev.
Sheatsley and the domestic rela-
tions in the Sheatsley home UP to
the time of the DAUGHTERS tragic
death. The aged mother made her
home with her daughter for several
years up until about year ago.
BY gettirp the life history of Mrs
Sheatsley. Prosecutor King hopes to
be able TO strengthen or completely
disprove the theory advanced by
many and clung to by County Cor
oner Murphy. that Mrs. Sheatsley
climbed into the furnace and delio-
erately destroyed herself.
Mr.. King, Notwithstanding the
coroner's theory of suicide. main
tains that Mrs. Sheatsley was a VIC
tim of tou' play. that 1t would have
been impossible for her TO enter the
furnace with a bed of live Goals N
It. and close the door behind her.
While at Paris. Mr.. King also ex-
poets to question brothers of the
dead woman to ascertain what light
they can throw on her life.
The mystery Is the most banling IN
local history. Rev. Sheatsley Is pas
tor of the leading church in the
exclusive suburb. His wife was of
gentle nature and loved by all his
congregation, neighbors testified. On
the afternoon of the tragedy the
minister left home for the city at
1880 o'clock. He returned at 4:45 to
find his wife's body a mass of ashes
In the heating furnace. Coroner
Murphy, after viewing the body. rem
dered a verdict of suicide. Prosecu-
tor King was unwilling to accept the
verdict and began an investigation.
The theory that the woman might
have been murdered and her body
been thrown into the flaming vault
was being further investigated to-
day. Unwilling to believe 1t possible
for any person to climb through the
small door into the flames and sur
vive long enough to close the door
behind, the prosecutor was emphatic
in his declaration that the woman
was murdered. II not murdered, he
clings to the theory that her body
was cast into the furnace by another
after her suicide.
The funeral was held from the
minister's own church at Bexley yes
terday. The family accompanied
the body to Paris, Ohio, for burial
today.
Following the services the remains
were taken to Paris for burial this
afternoon.
Mr.. Sheatsley and the two daugh-
ters, accompanied by a few close
friends, made the trip by train. The
two sons, Milton and Clarence, went
by automobile with their two uncles,
Charles and Harry Sponseller.
City Detective C. Cox, stated to-
day he is firmly convinced that Mrs.
Sheatsley committed suicide. He
said 1t was possible for her to have
climbed into the furnace by putting
the "clean-out" door.