Evening star., 1947-04-15
Dancer Says She Shot
Chicago Lawyer After
He Beat Her on Yacht
BY The Assoeistsd Press

iScnmldt, g 2I-year-old Toledo dancer
who is billed as "Satira" in Carib-
bean capitals, says she shot and
killed John Lester Nee, Chicago
lawyer, aboard his yacht in Havana
Harbor week ago after he beat her
when she discovered he was married.
I'VE were terribly in love-" she de-
clared last night in the presence of
her attorney, Rene S. Castellanos.
"He had promised to marry me-"
Miss Schmidt faces Indictment for
homicide and under Cuban law the
investigating judge, Santiago Men,
cla, must place some charge by noon
today. Judge Mencia also must
charge Charles Jackson, n, of River
Forest, ILL.,, by that hour or free
him. jackson was bar buddy and
co-owner with Nee of the 72-foot
yacht, also named Satira.
The Judge already has stated that
he would file q homicide charge
against the dancer and would charge
Jackson with concealment of facts.
Gin Chicago, Charles Fl. Jack
son, head of the Chicago Office Of :.
an Encyclopedia Publishing Firm,
said he believed his son innocent
Of any connection with the fatal
shooting, adding: II am sure
Charles Is not involved. He is a
fine boy, with a fine war record"
He said he had sent two repre-
sentatives to Havana to aid his
son. jackson said his son never
had mentioned Mhs Schmidt and
that he had never heard of her
until he read the stories about
the shooting incidens.)
Numerous Bruises Found.
At last nights interview Castel-
lanos displayed a medical certifi-
cate signed by DR.. Marina Fer
nandez Valenzuela ut the GUIANA
hacoa women's prison which said
numerous bruises apparently
caused by . body-to-body struggle
with another person"-were found
on Miss Schmidts body.
The certificate said the injuries
apparently were about four to six
days old. Mr.. Nee was shot, a
single bullet nearly severing his
spinal cord, on April 8. He died
sunday. The 33-year- lawyer
had commanded a PIT boat during
the war.
Miss Schmidt said she had lived
aboard the Satira since January
and did not learn until a month
ago, when she happened to Dick
up some correspondence, that Mr..
Nee was married. Then, describing
the events Of April 8, she said:
he became very angry and hit me
on the face and body and ordered me
on the boat. Then he ran out of the
cabin. In moment he came back
and I thought he would kill me. I
wanted to run from the cabin but
ne stood In the only entrance. I
ran to the drawer and got the
pistol and fired it blindly. He was
coming towards me, and I saw
him fall. I ran to the door and
called for help"
She said she tried to staunch the
now of blood, while jackson. who
had been in forward cabin. ran
for a doctor.
No Death Penalty in Cuba. !.
Cuban law Is similar to that in
the United States, in that a person
charged with q crime is presumed
innocent until proved guilty. Penal
ties for homicide range from 8 to 20
years imprisonment. There is no
death penalty.
The judge said Miss Schmidt
would be held without bail, but that
jackson probably would be admitted
to bail He quoted MIR. Nee as say
Ing before he died: "It was Pa
tricia" who fired the shot, and that
1T was deliberate"
Qn Toledo the dancers STEP
mother, Mrs. John F. Schmidt,
said the United States consul in
Havana had been asked to help.
Her father said Patricia had
written recently of her plans to
marry Mee)
Mr.. Mee's body is to be sent back
to the United States tomorrow for
burial at Wilmette, ILL.,, Chicago
suburb. Mr.. Mee's father, Lester
Nee, a Wilmette physician, will ac-
company the body.
(Ioin ! r,u,ua, W.. D>>x