Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1925-08-14
A COUNTY BOY
MURDER VICTIM
CalifOrnia's Latest Murder Sensation
Claims Local Boy-Father
Preacher

Trapped in an apartment, Charles
Henry Schwartz, of Oakland, Calf.
object of nationwide search in con
nection with the mysterious murder
in the Pacific Cellulose Co., at Wal
nut Creek, committed suicide early
Sunday
Schwartz, believed to have killed
a laborer and attempted to inciner-
ate the body in plot to collect more
than 100000 insurance, shot him
self through the head when police
men surrounded the apartment. He
had been hiding since the explosion
July 80, when the body was found.
Admits Murder
In note to his wife. the princi-
pal beneficiary in the insurance and
who steadfastly maintained the body
found in the plant was that of her
husband, Schwartz admitted the MUIR
der.
Partial Identification of the body
OF the laborer, in a San Francisco
morgue, has been made as that of
Gilbert Warren Barb, self-styled itin-
Grant evangelist, and war veteran.
Cecil Barker. Placerville, Calf,
undertaken, was one of three who
said the body was Barb's. Informa-
ton from Jersey Shore, Pa, indi-
Gated the Rev. John Barb there is
the father of Gilbert Warren Barb
who became estranged from the fam
lily Is years ago. Army records show
Gilbert Barb enlisted and spent some
time at Fort Mcdowell shortly after
the United States entered the world
war.
Widow Insistent
Until the last, Mrs. Schwartz, wife
of the chemist who specialized in am
ateur criminology, said Eat the pro-
per time" she would produce "indis-
putable evidence in the form of phys
ical peculiarities" which would def
nitely establish the identity of the
charred body" as that of her hus-
band.
Search for Schwartz began when
authorities were not satisfied with his
wife's identification of the body found
in the partly burned chemical plant.
He was hunted on ocean steamers.
when it was found he had left a note
to his wife advising her to go to
England in the event of his death.
Stowaways and passengers were ex-
amined on several steamers which left
about the time of the explosion.
Schwartz's old country name was
said to be Leon Henry Schwartz
hon.
In Self-Defense
In his note, Schwartz said he had
killed in self-defense a man who
came to his laboratory and demanded
money This assertion was upset,
when the police learned that he had
rented the Oakland apartment and
arranged to go into hiding several
hours before the explosion.
Regarding his deed, Schwartz
wrote to his wife:
Now, / wish to tell you, my dear
little girl. l do not know the man;
never looked how he was dressed,
never touched him after that. The
only thing l did was, tried to burn
him, to wipe out and go-go l do
not know where"
The end of Schwartz's flight came
in a casual way. C. w. Hayward.
proprietor of the apartment house,
where the chemist took refuge, at
a dinner party mentioned that one
Of his tenants had got into scrap
and was hiding. This tenant had
rented an apartment on July 80, say
ing his car had been wrecked and
whisky found in it.
Somebody produced a newspaper
photograph of Schwartz. The man
was smooth-shaven; Hayward's ten,
ant wore a moustaehe. Hayward
the picture and studied the counter
ance Then he rushed for a tele
phone.
Shot Is Reply
Before daybreak, Berkeley an(
Oakland police surrounded Hayward
apartment house. They demande,
admittance to Schwartz's apartment
There was no response, but as the.
were battering at the door they heart
shot Breaking down the door
they found Schwartz lying on
lounge, pistol wound in his fore
head. He was still breathing. blu
died on the way to hospital
He had in his pocket a ticket t
Barstown, in southeastern California
Folded around the ticket was a ma
of Mexico. He had S572 in cur
rency
The chemist had not once emerge
from the apartment after he entere
it the night of July 20. Haywar
said.
Mrs. Schwartz collapsed when ne
tilted of her husbands suicide. Sh
is under medical attention
Schwartz, native of Germany, wa
general manager of the chemical con
pany at Walnut Creek. near MARITIME
north of Oakland. His home VIZ
near the laboratory.
On the night of July 80 he ha