Evening Star Newspaper, March 17, 1893, Page 1

PUBLISHED DAILY, EXCEPT SUNDAY, AT THE STAR BUILDINGS, 2101 Penasylvania Avenue, corzer 11th 8t., by The Evening Star Newspaper Company, S. HD KAUPFMANN, Pres’t, coaster, > in the United States! ents per month. DoT AE #1. 00per rear; enna F#~ All maid subscriptions must be paid in advance. Ratesof advertising made known on ap EXTRA! HANGE D! | Vor. 82. Che Evening Star. No 20,522. WASHINGTO to see into the ceil from the corridor, and within | exborted him in stirring words, but to the end | sat the unknown man who, at the given signal, | their advances were met in only a half-hearted pulled the ropeand released the 4 by 5-foot manner. Schneider went to his doom as be had Grop, upon which stood the condemned man. | lived for the past year, apparently oblivious ‘The whole act was startling in its simplicity. | and carcless. With the mere pulling of cord the soul of a | TuE FIxat Act. young man was sent back to its Maker to! ‘There was but the briefest of delays when the | answer for the good end iil done upon this scaffold was reached. ‘This was a wise provision | earth. | of Warden Burke's, for he knew that the last REFCSED WIS BREARTAST. | few moments before the drop fell would be al- During the early hours of the morning | Schneider sat upon the edge of his cot and at | intervals conversed with the guard who was sit- | ting outside the door of the cell. It was the final death watch, that had been maintained for nearly @ week without intermission. A light LAST NIGHT ON Apparently Some Restfal Sleep—Efforts of | but he declined, saying that he did not care | Schneider's Spiritual Advisers. The story of Howard J, Schneider's last night onearth was an uneventful one in most re- | spects, for it was passed as are the last nights on earth of. most condemned criminals—in sleep and in conversation with relatives, clergy- men and the dreaded death watch. As the light of day gave way to that of night Schneider threw himself down upon his narrow cot and at 7:15 dropped asleep, sleeping for forty minutes. After this short rest Schneider awoke to remain awake until chortly after mid- night, when he again threw himself, without removing his clothing, upon his cot, soon fall- D. C, FRIDAY, M ARCH 17, 1893, TWO CENTS. for Schneider and carried it in to him. Mr. | Parson asked him if he would notlike to take it, | for it. 4 TALK WITH DE. P2RSON. Upon leaving Schneider's cell door this morn- ing Tm Stan reporter inquired of Mr. Parson if the man had evidenced during his Inst ex- fi |in his chair, he looked more like a rough, un- kempt tramp of forty than like the spruce young man he was a year ago. The bailiff in | the court room, however, and others who had | been familiar with the cate throughout were of the opinion that if he had been given a hair cut and shave and was dressed _as he used to be he would look very much ashe bad done be- fore. ‘They believed that the change was an artificial one and was brought about solely through the volition of the man himself. RIS OUTBREAKS OF VIOLENCE. On ore or two occasions Schneider gave vent to his wrath in a most sensational manner. His attack upon Judge Coie when he was asked hat he had to say why sentence of death should not be pronoanced was one of the most sensational events that ever transpired ina quested Frank Hamlink to accompany him to hi ider) b house. Frank Ham- Schneider, after call- nk Hamlink a damned liar, threatened ‘No more was seen of Schneider by the Hamlink family until the following Sun- day, the Bist of January, the night of the tragedy. THE FATAL store, A few minutes before 8 o'clock on thst even- ing Mrs. Howard Schneid companied by her brother Frank and sister Jenzie, started out for church near by. Finding that there were to be uo services that night they stopped at a drug store, got some cigars for their father and then started home down the north sido of Q street. When within a short distance of their home Schneider was seen approaching Teertainly expected Chicago. Bat I certainly will hear from bim to find that letter from tomorrow without doubt I told bim partice- larly to answer it immediately. However, we will have to wait until I hear from bim Iwas talking to my mother this morning, and she mentioned Mr. Campbell Carringt law rer throagis in Wash- ington, and be is one of thone lawyers who don't care what he does to ta case through he gets ready, While am waiting to hear from my Chicago man I will go tomorrow morning the first thing to sce Mr. Carrington immediately. And my mother said «be had not the «lightest doubt but 4 do it on the grounds that I have, and @ ele» said the same thing. So, my I will get away from this living dewit oon as it as possible to do so, You {am the most miserable wretch on this earth until I do My litte darling, I miss you so much today, And ob, I would love to be with you this beautifal day. Itis so pretty here this afternoon, Lam now in my room, writing thix to my dear darling. who I know loves me asdeariy as I do ber dear he e know self. 1 will lie down soo lam throngh th 4 1 and dar- ling. Dow 1 bear om anybody in the mornin I will write to tell you all I bear. My darling sweetheart, answer this b. +o 1 will know to vour mother darling Gerald, Howann. You receive at ive my rega' “ Phe Miss 1 whom this letter was addressed dy residing near Scbveid ity. itwas shown that Schneider od ber a fow weeks y evions at the home of this lady, until H court room. Only a few days ago he made an- them, being first seen when in the middle of rata ae . repast of tea and toast was taken to ing into apparently restful sleep, which lasted other and equally vieions attach upon one of tho street. “He was in front of then, walking Mon" mother informed the lady oth on sas ae the cell, but Schneider refased to touch until jusf as the clock struck 3. the under wardens of the jail. Another atiaex in the same direction, and when within afew © mArTind & The girl _wee then sont heme, it The sentence of the court named 2S FE ie was made by him upon Deputy Waraen Spring- | steps of the Hamlink residence he eame up to 4 > pare . ee wn Al j y he ti ff execution as betweea 8 a = | man, who throughout the different trials was them, caught his wife by the right wrist ana vom Appleby. baad vias Wal ne} OFS Deat tl json preity haa ia His slumbers were apparently peaceful. If | his constant attendant, goine with him to and ‘Amy, I want to to you.” Migs | On two eecasions. The address, No o'clock and socn, bat it was known that tho | he dreamed it must have been pleasant dreams, | | from the Mr. Springmsan had all along Jennie Hanilink 2 Dusak pamnad | Met es Ge hae at tee are _pulvpmpusedors Leste ere Gow ee for his chest moved regularly and easily and | | treated Scuncider with unvarsing courtesy and ona few steps, Tr ng nearest se contended t ter. whi at | two hours at apy rate. Warden Burke was he gave no sign of the thoughts of his last to- | | bad sympathized with him as well, so that the | the couple. | Sine Jen ik heart her Ay | determined there should be no undue haste. morrow and its horrible ending by the fatal | attack upon him would seem to have been with- brother Frank advise his sisier to come al Li | He would wait until it was certain that there | rope. Perhaps he was again a Jover at the side | out cause and as the result of unreasoning rage. and have nothing to a LAUNCHEDINTO ETERNITY | He Pays the Penalty of His Crime. —— THE LAW VINDICATED. All Efforts to Secure Clemency Unavailing, SCENES AT THE JAIL. -—-+——-- How the Conienzed Man Met His Fate. —_+_——_. HIS LAST MOMENTS ON EART + Eforls to iminister the Consolaiim of STORY OF HIS CRIME. ‘The Incidents of the Double Tragedy Ke- called—The Lowg Triat—Fruitless Attempts of His Counsel to Save Him From the Death Penalty. eee ieee Soward J. Schneider, the convicted mur- derer, paid the penalty of his crime upon the scaffold this morning. “Between the hours of $ and 12 o'clock.” said the sentence of it was about 11 | i MOWARD J. SCHNE:DER. @'cLuck this morning that the man whose cr Basattracted more imterest in th: ‘other since the murder of a Pres thescsffold. A few moments iater the drop fell and a young man whomight bare been en honor to the community and a credit to his fai eoffered an ignominiods death. ‘The man who was convicted in open court after along ard impartial trial of the charge of killing bis young wife ias passed toa higher court, with the crime of killing his brother-in-law still pending. On the 21st of January,1892,young | Schneider stopped bis wife and her brother, ' Frank Hamlink, as they were passing along Q | street. After a few words of conversation with them be drew a revolver and shot his wife and young Hamlink. The latter died within a few | minute, Amie Schneider lived until the fol-| lowing Saturday, when she too passed away. | BEGINNING OF THE END. } Aroznd the jail this morning there was but | little going on to show @hat there wae anything | unusual on for the day. As the sun rose over the river and broke through the haze of early | dawn it fell through the high windows of the | corridors ard brought intostrong relief the oat- | The scaffold was s ghastly but businesslike arrangement of wood, iron and rope. It was| painted brown, and but for the unpleasant uses | to which it is pat would look very mach Iike an | | contrast to the glaring whitewashed walls. | was eleven. feet high. The | loosed the drop ran over! platform into an! the the window of which directly upon the scaffold, only a foot | to the scaffold and was no chance of a respite being granted from the White House. ‘This was not looked for, however, and it was thought that the execution would take place about 10:30 o'clock. The decision of the l’res dent last night not to interfere was looked unon as final and beyond all reeali. REV. MR. PARSON KETURNS. A little after 8 o'clock Rev. Mr. Parson ar- rived at the jail and was at once taken to Schneider's cell. The reception he met with was practically the same as he has had on the occasion of his other visit. By this time the sun was obscured by the ize once more and the jail corridors looked gloomy in their bare- ness, Everything was neat and clean in the | extreme. All through the morning the telephone bell in the warden’s office kept up ® constant ring- ing and the officials at the jail were kept busy answering questions of every description fro:a people who wanted to know just what hour the exeeution would occur. The carriages and cabs began to arrive up to the west door of the jail to deposit their loads of those who bad re- ceived invitations to attend the execution. They stood about the rotunda in the office waiting for the word to be given that Warden Burke had gone to the condemned man’ to read the death warrant. PREVIOUS SERVICES OF THE SCAFFOLD. The scaffold is that erected shortly after the present structure was opened and the first vic- tim was James Madison Wyatt Stone for the murder of his wife. It was then erected ont- side of the jail and Stone's bead was cut off by it the rope. Since then it has been used in the execution of the foliowing: Edward Queenan and Babe Bedford, Novem- ber 19, 1890; Charles Guiteau, for the assassina- tion of President Garfield. July 90; Charles Shaw, June 19, 1883; John Seangster, alias Hud- son, May 15, 1885; Lonis Sommerdeld, April 30, 1886; Richard Dee, April 30, 1886; Antonio Mardelio, alias Frank Roses. May 28, 1836; son Colbert, May 1, 1889; Benj. Hawkins, May 29, 1890. CERTIFICATE OF THE 3UROR! The following certificate was signed by the jurors after the body was lowered in the coftin: Wanpes’s Orrice, Usrrep States Jat, Cry of Wasmixoros. March 17, 1893.—We, the undersigned citizens of the District of Commbia, bereby certafy that we were present as jurors at the said jail on the 17th day of March. 1893. to witness the execution 0: How- ard J. Schneider, and we do further certify that the said Howard J. Schneider was hanged by the neck until he was dead, in our presence, within the walls of the raid jail; between the E of So'clock post meridian and 12 o'clock meridian of the said 17th day of March, A. D. 1803. As witness our hands and seals the dav and year above a DEATH WARRANT. While all this was transpiring in the more public part of the jail Rev. Mr. Parson was sit- ting with Schneider in his cell. Notwithstand- ing the fact that Schneider showed less feeling than one would have expected under the cir- THE cumstances the meeting was still a pathetic one. Mr. Parson is the pastor of the Church of the Reformation which the Schneider family uttended when they ured tol live on Capitol Hill and it was from that Howard as a boy received his religious training. Mr. Parson’ bas taken @eeply to heart the blow that has falien upon the family and he was with the condemned man until the end came today. He walked with him poke a prayer for the soul of the man who was about to come to an un- timely en For sev ‘al hours this morning Mr. Parson sat with Schneider upon the cot in the narrow cell. SCHNEIDER WEPT BITTERLY. nd showed signs of collapse. From a Bible that he had gut to the jail with him the minister read mber of selected chapters that were ap- iate to the occasion add that held out @ hope of salvation in return for repentance com- ing even at the eleventh hour. M Parson also brought with bim a lett of the distressed family. 1t was not a long r, but it was infinitely ead and had a marked effect upon the young man. It wasa last word of good-bye from mother and brothers youngest of the family, whom they were never to see in Life agaiz. There was a word of solation, a word of hope, and yet the ones who wrote that last knew when they were Writing it that the next time they saw Howard Schneider it would be as a cold corpse. In response to requect from the femily Warden Burke ordered that no autopsy should be held over the dead body, and that 68 soon as the doctors were sure that death had come it should be turned over to the undertaker who was to prepare it for burial. THE PROCESSION To THE SCAFFOLD. The procession to the scaffold was a small oue. Mr. Burke went to Schneider's cell and standing by the door read the death warrant. ‘Then be turned and Schneider was led out from his room. They started on their short and distressing walk. First came the warden of the jail. Beside him walked Mr. Strong, the guard who adjusted the rope about Schneider's neck. Then came Schneider him- staggering slong and supported on either by one of the guards of the jail. Then came the minister. followed by two guards in ease their services might be needed. This was all. ‘The line of mgrcs was from the southeast corridor through the big rotunda and into the northwest corridor, in which the execution of twenty-six policemen, Sergt. Acton of the fifth precinct, maintained order and cleared s pas- sageway through the crowd for the little group of meu to pass along. the day and he swal! relish. Daring Schneider's last hour upon earth Rev. Mr. Parson and the colored cvangelist, MF. Robgts, were with him. Mr. Roberts sang & | bymn, “Jeazs Save Me.” and endeavored to have Schneider rewell to Schneider that eame from the mem- | ! C. Coll where trap is} sprung. | | most unendarable. | The warden had arranged with tho clergy that There was a brief prayer. | | no more than afew minutes should be con- sumed, The signal was given. The rope in the cell was pulled. ‘The trigger snapped. The drop fell and Howard J, Schneifier with a rope about his neck: fell half a dozen fect and all wa: over. | | DRAMATIC SCENES IN THE PRISON. The scenes in the prison this morning were! | Grematic in tho extreme. Up to the last| minute it was believed that the President would grant at least a brief respite to the con- demned imav. This he refused to do, Yester- dey every effort to saye the man had been ex- bausted and the President came to the conelu- sion that the sentence was a just one, and that if capital punishment be right Schneider justly deserved to suffer the extreme penalty of the | law. j There was nothing left but to carry the sen-! ence of the court into effect. Schneider was anged in the northeast corridor of the jail, in | | the corner where so many other criminals hay ity for their misdoings. The scaffold wax erected in the northeast corner of the building and was the same sirzcture that was used for the execttion of Guiteaz. Schneider was the twelfth man to die upon it. Death upon the scaffold hes ever been looked upon as shameful, but rarely, if ever. has it been surrounded with mor? of ghw«tly interest than was attracted by the death of man to- | jay. The crime wasone of the most sensa- tional in the annals of the city. The sequel to the horrible tragedy was no less remarkable. THE WITNESSES OF THE LAST ACT. Would Schneider maintain his air of stolid indifference that he has kept up so long and go to his death like an ox to the block? Would he struggie and do all in his power to avert the |awfulend or would he give out utterly and then be carried to the scaffold like a Jog? ‘These and many other such questions have been dis- cussed by every one for weeks past. There was a tremendous demand from all sides for admission to the jail to witness the closing scene in the tragedy, but Warden Burke kept the attendance down within the iimits pre- scribed by law and the number of those within the hall this morning was by no means large. It was a quiet assembiage. ‘There is some- thing awe-inspiring in death of this sort im- posed upon man by man and each one realized that he was in the presence of the grim angel coming in its most awful and solemn form. | THE FINAL PREPARATIONS. | This morning all the prisoners who were con- fined in ceils that opened upon the corridor in which the execution took piace were removed to celis in another corridor, where they could not eee the execution. The long windows in the corridor that run up almost to the roof were draped heavily in black cloth half way up, so that all view from outside was effectually | shut cf, Within the long hallway all was neat ONAL ATTITUDE. make as it were. a jail | The building in which are con- | tained ali the ceils ranged in tiers is surrounded | by an outer wall as by a shell so that the win- dows of the celis do not look out upon the outer world, but into the corridors, of which | there are four running along the east and west , sides of the building and divided in the center | by the big rotunds. It was in one of these corridors, within the walls and beneath the roof of th jail, that the execution of Howard | Schneider took place this morning. Ie was the first exect:tion that has taken place at the jail since Mr. Burke has been the warden of the insitution. It was not the first time that he has had under his charge men con- demned to suffer by the rope, but in| the other cases exeentive clemency bas been extended and the men have had| their sentences commuted to imprisonment | im the penitentiary. Everything was managed | in a seemiy and proper manner and the warden and bis men performed their bard and unwel- | come task in very creditable way. It was, simply a matter of duty with them. Another name has been added to the list of those who | Within the grim stone walls of the jail have | Proved that the way of the ‘transgressor is hard, | and that he who takes life must expect to | forfeit his own. This is one of the necessary | | aateguards of the community. ‘THE FINAL EFFORT FOR CLEMEXCY. Last night the men who have interested them- selves so deeply in their efforts to secure a reprieve for Schneider were at the White Houso | again and bad a conference with the President. | Once more he refused to interfere with the course of justice. With the announcement of this as his final decision the last thread of hope such an idea, could have been instantly fras- trated, The death watch was kept up for the last time. of that sweet, gentle girl young love and he carded, shot to death by him, had, when giving up her life, remembered him and had whis- ered to thos ther: my husband see my body, for it may be the means of reforming him.” But though his sleep was rest, though his dreams were of peace and happiness, his awak- ing was the tuking of another step toward the waiting scaffold and the plunging into eternity. Yet. horrible as was the awakening, almost total unconcern and indifference marked his conduct. But as the hours remaining to him rapidly passed away, that unconcern and indif- ference grew less marked and it was whispered: “He is breaking down at last. Soon he will throw aside the mask he has worn so long.” THE COLORED EVANGELIST. Shortly after Schneider awoke from his short uap the colored evangelist, the Rev. John Roberts, who lind been requested by Schneider to eail to sce him. arrived at the jail and spent the night there. On bis arrival he went almost immediately 10 the man’s cell, and for quite awhile wlked and prayed with him, Mr. Roberts ai ated a number of hymns and read several selectic Scripture to him. A SOMBER PICTURE. The great prison was shrouded in almost total darkness, the immense rotunda being dimly lighted by a fow flickering gas jets, All else who gave him her A PLEP AT THE CRI. war darkness, ‘kness whieh by the almost ntter si! iling. Asincle gas jet burned at the entrance to the corridor in the For in which Schne der’s ceil was situa‘e st outside his cell doora lantern was placed on the floor, but ¥o situated as not to throw its light into the cell. In @ «mail in the corridor, just opposite the tthe death wateb, placed there to preserve until the fata! honr the life sought to vindicate the jesty of the law. THE PRISONERS EROTHER WILL. The Rev. Mr. Roberts remained at the door of Schneider's cel! doing what he could to con- in to repent- - Mr. William Schneider, the p -, arrived in company ‘with Mr, A. W. Wisuard of Indian- opolis, Ind. Boh went to Schneider's cell door and conversed with him for a little while. ‘Then left the two brothers together, the oficer ofciating as the death watch stand- ing beside them. ‘the brothers remained in conversation until 10:30, when the Rev, Mr. Parson. coming direct trom the White House, bronght the ince'ligence that the President had intensified until about a short while before again and for the last time expre ermination to interfere in no way whatey he course of the law. The pritoner’s brother was decply affected by the news, which had been reccived by ‘THe Stan's reporter some time previous to Mr. Parson‘s arrival, and it was some time before he could suiticiently compose himseif to bid his unfortu- nate brother farewell. REALIZED M18 POSITION, Schneider undoubtedly realized his position, for he not only shook bands with his brother, but also requested him to kiss him good-bye and give his love to their mother, ‘The then appar- ently hopeless man pathetically beseeched his brother to bring Lis mother down to see him in the morning, and the grief-stricken brother lett, unable to inform him that their poor mother would probably never look upon bim again in lif icaving the jail for the i ider complained bitterly saction and of the course cf the prosceution, saying that the case Lied been railroaded th-ough and that they had been er to save Noward. nquired Mr. Parson, but Mr. o reply. ME. PARSON TALKS TO SCHNEIDER. Mr. Parson then visited the condemned mar, remain conversing with him upon his spiritual welfare. The min- “No chance? Scbneider made REY | ister teft the priconer at midnight, promising Before leaving he siated to ‘Tue | to soon return Staw reporter that he had nat told Schneider of the President's final refusal to interfere. He | eaid that Schneider had listened uttentively to all be had said to him, afd that he had more | | hope than ever before of bringing the miser- able man to a proper realization of his position. Yarly in the evening Guard H. H. Smith, ig ns the death watch, read several selec: ions of the Scriptures to Schneider, one of them being the story of the prodigal son, The prisoner paid marked attention to all he heard and, at the suggestion of the officer, repeated the entreaty, ““God, have mercy on my soul,” a number of’ times, his voice being distinctly heard out in the rotunda of the prison. He appeared grateful, too, for the kindly in- terest shown in him by the officer, and no less | grateful for the efforts of the colored minister, Mr, Roberts. ‘The latter stated to the reporter of Tuy Stan that when he prayed for him Schneider removed his hat and reverent! bowed his head. 8 too, rhe the colo divine repeated the hymns “4 Ages” and “The Home of the Soul. THE DAWN OF Dar. When Schneider awoke st 8 o'clock this morning from his second nap, after resting three hours, the Rev, Mr. Parson, who had re- turned to the jail an hour before that, at onc went to the cell and drew him into conversa- tion. So en; was the faithful man of God and the trembling man beside him when the rising sun first brightened the eastern horizon and 1d the dawn of the young murdérer’s last day on earth. The first sign in the prisonof the of day was the releasing from their 2 cs and who, though dis- | “When Tam dead let | \ - AS HE WOULD SIT FOR HOUR. tended conversation with him any change what- ever. found the man,” the clergyman replied, “just about as I had heretofore.” “You mean to say,” “that he gave no re: { Vill you state whether or not Schneider | made a confession to vou respecting the crime, Mr. Parson?” inquired the reporier. “Ihave, as Ihave told yon, nothing to say. I feel that it so, even if I had anything to say,” was the non- committal reply of the clergyman. ‘Mr. Parson then left the prison for his home, saying that he would return in an hour's time. i} | after shaking hands with him, sang the hymn: Savior. more than life to me, I'm clinging, clinging, close toThee Let Tay precios blond applied Keep me ever, ever, near Thy side. As the minister sang Schneider reclined upon his cot, apparen HIS LIFE IN JAIL. Apparent Ini About Him—Alleged Hallucinations. In some respects the case of Howard J. Schneider has been one of the most remarkable, if not altogether the most remarkable, in the nals of erime in the District of Columbie. ‘hneider was cither insane, practically devoid [of all reason, or else he was one of the most | consummate shammers that have ever come | within the ken of jail oftc 8. subject of insanity had testified that Schneider | was insane and entirely irresponsible for his acts, In the hearing to decide whether or not | he was a responsible agent, held so recently as | to be fresh in the minds of every one in Wach- | ington, Dr. Godding, the supermtendent of St. se, as Well as w number of lay wit- that in their opinion Schneider | was not responsible for what he did and should not be punished with the punishment that is me‘ed to @ man in the possession of his full | and Dr. Ri experts, equaliy well known. give it as ion that Schneider was malingerinz, and that he was as sane at the time of the recent bearing as he was when he committed the two murders, or at the time when he was tried for the murder of his wife. One set of men or the other was in the wrong. LITTLE INTEREST IN HIS SURROUNDINGS. Atany rate, in his bearing and attitude throughout bis confinement in the District jail that lasted for over a year he lias shown less interest in his case and less appreciation for his condition than one would suppose to be possible under the circumstances. For months past he has been morose, gloomy and sullen. taking but littl vin his sur- roundings or in what went on about him, All ¢fiorts on the part of the jail ofticials, the mem- bers of his famiiv and the ministers’ who have interested themselves in him to bring him toa realizing sense of his position were entirely fruitless. He had shown up tothe last nos the slightest care for himself, apparently not the least feeling or interest whether he lived or died. Yesterday Dr. Parson called at the jail to wee him and endeavored to awaken him toa sense of the future. He was unable to obtain ai condemned man, who even seemed unable to tell the day of the week or to understand that so far as be knew or had any reason to believe it was his inst day on earth. Dr. Parson told him that today would be Friday, and that to- day Le would be hung by a rope until dead, and that there would be no more days for him in this life. ‘This awesome statement had not the slightest effect upon Schneider and all that he would say was something about believing | that they were going to kill him. ‘This ho said | im a much less interested than one would | have spoken of the death of a stranger. exception of one or two outbreaks of violence ‘on his part, Schneider's actions were those of a model prisoner. Hp gave but little trouble to the keepers and no annoyance. For the most part he would sit in his cell smoking and ap- parently lost ina brown study. For hours at a j time he would sit on the edge of his cot in a rocking chair, but _ rarely he without “a pipe’ or cigar in mouth, Until the ‘time of the in- hearing he was allowed practically ed supply of tobacco, and this fact was brought forward to show that it might have had some influence upon his mental condition. | After the hearing the supp; tailed, and Schneider eee: ence, was somewhat cur- to feel the differ- HIS EMOTION aT FIRST. Directly after the shooting, when Schneider | was first lodged in jail he seemed to be over- come by his feelings and wept much of the time. After the death of his wife, on the Sat- urday following the Sunday on which the shoot- | ing occurred, “the. death,” as one of the judges exp; it, “of the most important witness against him,” he seemed to lose someting of the poignancy of bis grief, and then began that long period of time in which he appeared to be utterly indifferent to everything. Later in the summer he began to have dreams or halluci- nations, protesting aguin and again that he was the inventor of a wonderful machine that could be used for separating poisons from food and that the benefits from this invention were being stolen from him. He also ex- pressed ths belief that poisons were being thrown over his hands and he objected to eating the prison food on the ground that he believed it to be poisoned. Asa rule he would eat nothing but the food that brought to him at the jail by his mother, who | was always constant in her attentions to her would not be proper for me to do , ind would be, ‘The colored minister, Mr, Roberts, went to | allotted to him on earth grew steadily less Schneider's cell when Mr. Parson left, and, iy deeply moved by the grand ference to What Transpired | A number of well-known specialists on the | Enzabeth’s Hospital for the Insane, Dr. Brush | y signs of recognition from the | Throughout his long confinement, with the | On occasion of each of his attacks Schueidcr Was prevented from doing any serious harm, | and after each ontbreak he seemed to sink back ' deener into his slot! d air of dull stu- | pidity. es: REFUSED sPtutTUar. cox: All along Schneide. had refi eceive | any sp 1 consolation from the ministers who called at the jail interested in his welfare, Every effort was made by them to bring him to reali.e what his wery case he rejected and would have wore of their ider either did not real | what death meant or else he did not care, or else he thought that by pretending not to ‘care | he could bring about the idea tha: he was of | mentaily unsound condition and hence not one to be punished for his acts, as a man of sane For hours at a time he would stand at the window of his cell looking | out past the corridor and through the window at the open world as he could see it through that narrow aperture. As the number of days pis | bearing did not change and he kept up the | same appearance of uiter obliviousness that he had maintained all along. If he was shamming it was undoubtedly a remarkably clever piece of work, and kept up almost beyond what one would expect from powers of human endar- | ance. 1 WIS QUARTERS IN THE JAIL. Up to within a few days ago Schneider occu- pied the cell which was used for the confine- ment of Guiteau. Wednesday afternoon be as removed from this cell and placed in cell | No. 8 on the opposide of the corridor. Before | he was removed be was stripped of his clothing and giver: an entirely different outfit, his bed- changed aiso, in order that there might be no chance of his having a weapon or oisons about him. His hair was also cut, but is beard was allowed to remain. ‘The death watch on Schneider begun last Tuesday evening. This watch was kept up ‘antly from then to the end. Warden Burke. after the death watch was set, permitted Schneider to be interviewed ouly in the pres- ence of un officer of the and the privilege of holding such interviews’ in the prison office was also refused, no exception being made even in the case of the memb: der family. a | SCHNEIDER'S CRIME. and Ffforts to Save His Life. The crime for committing which Schneider forfeited his life today on the scaffold was the murder of his wife, Amanda M. Scbneider, by shooting her. The shooting was done on Sun- day evening. the Bist of Junuors, 1892, death resulting a few minutes before 1 o'clock the following Saturday afternoon. At the same time that he shot his wife Schneider also shot her brother, Frank Hamlink, a young man of twenty-one year’s of age, killing him almost instantly. The double tragedy shocked the “commmnity as much as any crime ever com- mitted in this District, and jt and the trial, gether with all the proceedings incidental and subsequent to it, aroused the interest of the people as no other tragedy and trial have, with perhaps the excep ng of Presi- dent Garfield by Guiteaa and the assassin’s, trial and execution. The murdered wife was me, refined murderer was some five or #ix years ber senior. HIS COURTSHIP AND MARRIAGE. The Intter part of April, 1891, Howard J. Sehncider became acquainted with the gentle girl who less than two months later became bis He lived at that time with his family at Qstreet northwest and she, who was al fectionately known as “Amie” Hamlink, | Tesided with her parents at 1733 Q street. ‘The aeguaintance of the young people _ soon developed into a strong friendship and later into. more tender and stronger feeling. They visited places of amusement together and Amis accompanied her admirer’ on drives about the city and into the adjoining country. ‘On the evening of June 2, following one of these drives, Miss Hamlink was taken to Hyatts- ville, Md. ‘Schneider produced a marriage license and asked the gitl to marry him then and there, Naturally tho girl refused. Schneider implored insisted, and the startled girl «! , he pulled a revolver | from his pocket and told the girl that unless | she murried him then and there he would blow j his brains out, ‘The eifect of this threat caused j the frightened girl to reluctantly consent, and j the couie were married a Hyatiaville by a minister whose name, as given | on the witness stand by Seuneider, was Ander- | son. THE MARRIAGE MADE KNOWS. The young people kept the marriage a secret [until the $4 or 4th of the following month, j When the young wife informed ber sister, | Jennie Hamlink, of it. Among other reasons | given by Schneider for insisting on so basty a | marriage was his belief that, having shot a col- ored man afew months previously. and being under indictment for the offense, girl might | be caused to change her opinion of him after | his trial Until about the 20th of the follow- | ing October Miss Jeunie Hamlink remained the | secret marriage, her hysban hearing of it | four days later. Spe oe a A STORMY ScExz. Schneider and ‘his wife, who had not been living together ss man and wife, that evening attended the theater. On their feturn to the j cumstances of it. Quite an exciting scene curred, the elder Mr. Hlamlink. deal marriage at first and then insisting production by Schneider of the have it with bi, but hat he woald ve own home and get it ers of the Schnei- | Incidents of the Double Tragedy—His Trial | minutes later in| | only member of either family who knew of the | marriage. Then Mrs. Hamlink learned of the | Schneider said: “She i« mv wile a right to speak to her.” Almost i following Miss Hamlink heard and four more in r she saw Schneider thot was er Frank ¥ ® short middl 1 to ber ived ne Mies Hami brother's bodrand epoke tok answer. She then heard her » running back to her Mrs, “Hower cider has sho! m any bs ects were filled with church shots attracted a very lang them being the father and mot Hamlink and the brothers and nd § mother of How About twenty Schneid neider. ates after seven that even- sent tho following wife My Darling Wife—Piease let me km wil! never see you again. Good-bye. intend to go with me or not? Answer. “Your loving husband. Howanp.” Schueider's wife replied a “Dear Howard—Fathe ; Money from Do you oes not want any Of course, Howard, you not go with’ you, I wish you happiness and success in the future. rely, Aare.” swer to this Schneider wrote: Dear Amie—Don't vou intent to live with ine, or not? I would like to know whether you care anything for me or not, ‘Sincerely, Howanp. “If you do not intend to live with me, 80. This last note was received after the young people ad left the house for church and it was never read by the young girl to whom it was addressed. AFTER THE SmOOTING. After the shooting Schneider ran down Q street to 17th and was next seen at Scott's Circle, 16th and Rhode Island avenue, where he was met by two colored men. ‘To these men he stated that he had been shot at and attempted to show them holes in his clothing, made, as he said, by bullets from Frank Hamiink's pistol. ‘The colored men. however. found no heles in the clothing and so told bim. Schneider then mace his way to the K street Police station, where he gave himsclf up, stat- jing that he had shot Frank Hamunk in an at- tempt to protect his own life. A revolver was found the body of Frank Hamlink. This revolver, Schneider claimed, was used by Frank Hamlink in an attempt to ill him. And, his arrival at the police tacion, Schneidvr remarked, when bis brother | Frank ‘catied to see him tha? evening, that if | THE DEATH WATCH. j they would go back to where Frank Hamlink was lying they would find a revolver there. Schneider claimed that in running from the scene of the shooting he ran down Q street un- | til about midway beiween 16th and 17th, when | he ran through an alley to the south, and at the | corner of the alley, about midway of the square, where it is intersected by another alley, he had thrown his revolver. ‘This revolver was found standing against a telegraph pole, but in such a position as to indicate that it could hardly have been thrown there. This | pistol was found by « party of police off ors, accompamed by Tf. F. Schneider, brother of Schneider. Schneider's theory of the shooting was that when he requested his wife to speak to him Frank Hamlink interfered and almost immediately opened fire on him, Schneider alleging that not until then did he draw his revolver and shoot in self-defense. | Both the revolver found near Frank Hamlink’s | body and the one which Schneider claimed he had thrown in the aliey were found to be emptied. The former one. however, was con- clusively shgwn had been recontly but an ‘ examination of the one said to have been used | by Schneider showed no evidence of recent | use. ‘THE INDICTMENTS AND TRIAL. The t moved fora trisl on the 224 of February, 1892, but at the request of the defendant's ‘counsel, Messrs. Jere M. Wilson and A. A. Hoebling, a 7 granted until the 7th of the f The imy F Tecate F i i I fe uit Hf : i sEFEE | E I i 1 Hi i i | ired a legal to be i of his wile by viol POINTS UX THE neider in testifying in his own bebalfat ial stated that he merely wished to per- » his wife to live with him when be ap- in it was s real motive, the re- noe TESTIMONT, proached her on the evening of the and that bad it not been for Frank Hamilink's intertereic attemot to ahoat him (Schneider) no ould have ec- curres ‘The clothes holes in them were explained by Schneider to have been made by butlet a Frank Hamlink’s | revolver. Buta scientific examination of the alleged holes disclosed the fact that they were not made bya bullet, but by some sharp-pointed instrument. The revoiver found near Frank Hamlnk was shown to have been thrown there by Schneider himself as be ran away from the ¢ of shooting, and the grent preponderance | of evidence justified the jury im finding that but | one revoiver wax used during the shooting and that by Schneider. the alleged throwing of his revolver in the alley being contradicted saccessfaliy by (he prosecution, The dying declarations of his wife showed that. ber brother used no pistol and tat her husband did all the shooting. bof April the jury, after being out one revurned a wer diet guilty as indi crowded aim Imost the ma- sent being women. Cutade wax congregated a throng of one or two thousand people and the jury's verdict was conveyed to them by aman who {the court room windows, A wild err of approval went up and as it reached Shnevder's ears he bowed his bead in bis ba: ie his frame trembled ywed from his ashen of a mo- h motion on the 7th iu was overrated, Selauei- der was asked if be had anvti the sen‘ence of death ho: upon him, ng to say why \d not be pronounced A STARTLING SCENE. eof the most startling scenes ever witnessed in this or any other court, The conv with an exciama- tion of rage, sprang from the chair and, raising it above his head, attempted to bram the dis- trict attorney. inan instant he was grappled ) by Bailiffs Springman and Joyce and thrown be ir. He straggled for several © he Was overcome, cursing and swearing and making every effort to free him- self. Finally, at the suggestion of Judge Brad- ley. he was handcuffed and tirmly held in his | clair. After he bad somewhat recovered bim- self the hundenf's were removed and be was | held up between the two officers while the eeu- | tence of death was pronounced against hii Schneider was then taken back to jailande long legal battie to save him was begun, EPPORTS TO SAVE SCHNEIDER. A voluminous bill of exceptions was pre- pared and an appeal to the Court in General Term taken. This appeal was set for bearing in November last, but was postponed until the |following month, when it was argued by Messrs. Jere M.'Wilson, A. A. Hochling and | William F. Mattingly on ‘behalf of Schneider, and by Judge C. C. Cole, then district attorney, | representing the government. After a week's argument the case was sub- mitted and on the 9th of last January Judge | Cox announced the decision of the court in an |elaborate opinion, affirming the judgment of the trial court. On the 17ch of that month Schneider was brought up from jail and Judge ‘MeCoxaas made an order postponing execution from the 20ti of that month until the 17th of last month. Counsel for Schneider, having al- leged that the man was insane and unconscious | of his position as a condemned man, asked the Crimiaal Court to institute an inquiry as to bis j samty. INQUIRY AS TO HIS SANITY. His bonor refused to pass upon the question, but certified it to the Court in General Term, and op the 25thof January the inquiry re- | nied in his trial the constitutional right of « hearing by fair and impartial jury. TRE SUPREME COURT AND PRESIDENT a» PEALED To. Both petitions were at once denied, and on ‘Monday Igst leave to file similar petitions alleg- ing the rame grounds was asked of the United Abercorn, the Marquis of Londonderry, the Earl of Erne, Lord Arthur Hill, Col. Saunderson, the £