Douglas daily dispatch., 1927-04-30
GRAY BLAMED
BY BLOND FOR.
SNYDER DEATH.
Widow, On Stand, Repudi-
ates Confession of Kill
ing Her Husband.
TELLS OF FIGHT
Says She Struggled to Pre-
vent ParamOur From
Committing Murder.

NEW YORK, April 80 B-Hold-
ing high her blonde head, Mrs. Ruth
Grown Snyder, Queens Village house
wife, took the stand today and denied
that shes killed, or plotted to kill
her husband, Albert Snyder, maea
zine art cditor. Her denial accom-
panied by tears, was categorical. She
rcpudiated her confession as &,
statement obtained under duress and,
after denying specific points, deaiec
it in tote. Point by point she was
taken over the states case, denying
that she schemed to get ker rus-
land insured for $50,000 and than
plotted his DEATH. She fixed upon
man paramour, the responsibility for
the killing.
Not only did she deny participa-
ton in the crime, but she told of a
struggle with Gray in her husbands
bedroom, where she grapnled with
him, she said, in a last desperate
effort to save her husbands life.
Gray, she said, pushed her so hard
she fell on the floor in a faint ana,
when she revived, made her agree
to tell story of burglary by two
Italians. She complied, she said, "in
mortal fear.' - ~
She was on the stand, ready for
cross examination when court ad
scurned this afternoon until Monday
morning. Her testimony followed
upon that of several witnesses call
ed in her heha1f, including her
mother, Josephine Brown Opening
addresses Were made by counsel for
both defendants.
Counsel for Mrs. Snyder outlined
;he story she told from the stand
and counsel for Gray asserted they
would prove that Mrs. Snyder, "a
serpent woman not only plotted but
actually killed Albert Snyder, to get
his insurance, and that Gray was q
tool.
Gray's counsel also said they would
show that Gray was not rational al
the time of the murder. The di
vcrgent opening addresses revealed
the defense in two distinct ana an.
Ia gcnistic camps. Attracted by the
report tha. Mrs. Snyder would take
the stand to bare her life, people
poured into Long Island City from
Manhattan and added their numbers
to those drawn from Queens Village
and other nearby places. When
court resumed after lunch the time
Mrs. Snyder was expected to testify
TIE crowd jammed around the court
room door. Reporters fought for
half an hour IS get through the
mob, and only got through when
police elected hundreds without
passes.
The court room was packed when
Mrs Snyder was called to the stanC
shortly after O'Clock. She wore
the costume usual with her since the
trial gan-hlack kat black coat
and black dress. Henry Judd Gray
sat, chin in hand almost indifferent-
ly, as she told her story, rousng
himself once when she told of see
ing him astride her husband as he
lay in bed bludeonng him with
sash weight and at other paints
slightly shaking his head as il ir
disagreement with her story
Mrs Snyders testimony was given,
for most in unusually good English,
spoken in a modulated but, at times
metallic voice. She cried twice Her
first tears came when she spoke OF
her husband being angry because
their daughter, Lorraine. now years
cd, was not a boy. she wept
second time when she described
Cray's bludgeoning of her husband:
Mrs. Snyder's version of her mar
ried life was much different from
that outlined by the state.
She met her husband through hei
work and was married to him few
months after the first meeting. lFo1
short time they were happy but
he was still in love, she said,N with
former fiancee, Jessie Geshart, v'ko
lad died. She was unhappy, and
! there were quarrels. TO bring hap
liness to their home she desired d
child and lorraine was born Her
husband. she testified, was dis lp'
! Continued on Page Eight