Evening star., 1927-03-21
WIFE SAYSLOVER
KILLED ART EDITOR
Husband Beaten to Death as
He Slept, Mrs. Snyder
Tells Police.
By the Associated Press.


NEW YORK, March 21.-Mrs. Ruth
Snyder today asserted, in a statement
! to police, that Henry Judd Gray, now
under arrest in Syracuse. had muir
dered her husband, Albert Snyder, art
editor of a magazine, In order that
he might be free to marry her.
Press dispatches from Syracuse said
that Gray was in that city last night.
According to the alleged statement,
Mrs Snyder said that Gray was con-
cealed in their home. in Queens VII
lage, when she. her husband and
their 9-year-old daughter Lorraine
returned early Sunday morning from
card party.
Gray, according to the statement,
beat Snyder to death and then wound
| a picture wire around his throat.
| After the murder Gray bound Mrs.
Snyder in order to throw an aspect Of
| burglary over the crime.
Card Players Cleared.
/ Police said Mrs. Snyder had told
! them she had known Gray for two
and one-haf years and that she
wanted her husband out of the way in
order that she might marry him.
| District Attorney Newcombe said
/ that a charge of homicide would be
| filed against Mrs. Snyder, but declined
to say what charge would be placed
against Gray.
| The district attorney said the in
vestigation had resulted in exonera-
! ton of those who attended the bridge
whist party the night before the MUIR
der. There had been some drinking
at the party, it was said. and differ
ences arose between Snyder and
/ George Hough over a trivial matter
and friends separated them.
| Newcombe said Snyder apparently
| had been under the influence Of liquor
J and went to bed as soon as he ar.
! rived at his home.
| Physicians said that he had been
! dead at least six hours before his
body was found. His neck had been
| torn by the fingernails OF a person
of unusual muscular strength. Pic
| ture wire had been tightly wound
around his neck, napkin forced
down his throat and he had been
! struck on the head by an instrument
of undetermined character. The blows
were the primary cause OF death.
Married 12 Years.
| Mr.. Snyder was as years old. His
| wife is 80. They had been married
| II years and so far as known. their
married life was happy. Their tenn
| peraments were totally different.
| Mrs. Snyder, who has closely cropped
! blonde hair, was known for her
vivacious. jolly manner and was
/ often sought at the neighborhood
! parties. The husband was of more
! retiring disposition. although among
| his intimate friends he was popular
| for his witticisms.
According to the story Mrs.
/ Snyder told to the police. she re-
/ turned home from a rather wild
party" with her husband and their
/ daughter at 1880 am. Sunday. They
went TO bed at 2:15 o'clock. Her nus
| band went TO sleep Immediately, she
said. lying on his left side so that
his left ear was muffied by the pill
| low. He was deaf in his right ear
and so could not easily have oeen
awakened.
Somebody went down and let Gray
in" Mrs. Snyder is reported to have
said She talked for a while with
/ Gray and it was decided that the lat
ter should kill her husband, the police
reported. Snyder was struck by an
iron bar while he was asleep.
Try to Mislead Police.
Then, to stimulate robbery, all the
! furniture in the house was turned
topsy-turvy and Snyders pocketbook.
! containing $ll0, was taken. Mrs.
Snyder's pearls were hidden under the
mattress of the bed and she had Gray
( -. ~ -