Evening star., 1939-05-02
F. B. !. Tries 10 Solve
Disappearance Of
Pendergast Aide
Hoax, Suicide, or Foul Pluy
Possible; Seorchers Fail
To Recover Body
~ the,Associated Press.

~ NSSSNSs
~ the,Associated Press.
KANSAS CITY, May 2-F. B. I.
men, instructed to learn whether E.
L. Schneider's Disappearance lis a
hoax, a suicide or he met foul play"
took the lead today in a search for
the long-tim lieutenant of Demo-
cratic Boss T. j. Pendergast, or his
body.
United States District Attorney
Maurice NJ Milligan, directing an
investigation of Pendergast's income,
asked for F. B. I. aid and asserted:
1T is difficult to believe this man
committed suicide"
Mr.. Schneider's sedan, containing
notes limiting suicide, was discovered
on a Missouri River bridge near here
yesterday. His hat f1oated ashore 3
miles downstream.
Mr.. Schneider, secretary of eight
Pendergast-oWned companies, ap-
peared before a Federal grand jury
last week. Three days he was OBJ
durate, Mr.. Milligan disclosed, but
Friday he suddenly broke and made
a complete and detailed statement to
the Government regarding the af-
fairs and incomes of T. j. Pendergast
relative to these corporations"
Accused of Stock Faking.
Saturday the jury indicted Pen
dergast a second time on income tax
evasion charges. 1t accused him of
using Schneider as a dummy stock
holder, but actually taking for him
self profits listed in the secretary'S
name.
Several angles puzzled officers try
ing to solve Schneiders disappear
ance.
Wyandotte County Kansas Off
GERS, called into the search, first
were inclined to accept a suicide
theory. They said prints in dust on
the bridge railing indicated a man
had placed both his hands and
heel there, then jumped.
A three-hour search failed to re-
cover a body.
Rivermen wondered how a hat,
dropped into the swift current Of
midstream. could have floated
ashore against strong wind.
An acquaintance whose name was
not divulged reported he saw
Schneider driving in the south resi-
dental district-miles from the
bridge-at II am. Schneiders car
was parked on the bridge at early as
8 am. witnesses said. His floating
has was discovered at 10 am. OFF,
GERS were called at 113O am.
Man BY Car Was Short.
Robert Duncan. president of
Kansas City. Kans., lumber COM
pany, reported he saw man about
S feet 6 inches tall standing beside
the car parked on the span about
1910 am. Schneider is feet II.
Mrs Schneider, dry-eyed, declined
to tell Wyandotte County Sheriff
Frank thinner whether her hus-
band spent Sunday night at home.
She refused to answer other ques-
tions.
When she appeared at Mr.. Zim-
mers Office her first question was
What happened?"
Told I'VE presumed he jumped
off the bridge" she asked.
Then you don't know where he
is?"
Schneiders notes, addressed to his
wife and to a friend, were dated
April 81, his 46th birthday. To
Dearest Ann" his wife, he wrote,
This ordeal is just too much
and it is getting worse all the time.
Please feel that I am resting"
Also in the sedan were two pack
ages Of financial records and can
celed checks.
Friends and business associates
said that through Thursday-date
OF the notes-Schneider appeared
glum and respondent; that Friday
the day he talked to the jury
he became buoyant and joking
MIR. Mllllgan said Schneider would
have been an important witness at
the Pendergast trial June IL. His
grand jury testimony cannot be
used in court, Milligan said, unless
he is discovered alive, since Pen
derbast counsel could not challenge
him on any statements.
However, Milligan added, the
Governments case would not be
greatly damaged as he would rely
upon 'ecords of the Pendergast
comp ) to show 1.-The boss al
legged Ints.
Mrs Schneider and friends said
the notes found were in Schneider's
writing
Mr.. Pendergast had no theories
concerning Schneider's disappear
ance. He commented, "Of it I know
only what I have seen in the news
papers"
F. B. I. agents are attempting to
identify two men who visited the
Wyandotte County sheriff'S Office
yesterday afternoon and asked what
was found in Schneider's sedan.
When told of two packages of rec
ords found on the rear seat, one
man commented. MY God, we're
too late The two left the Office
without identifying themselves.