Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 10, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 March 1892 — DR. SCUDDER’S CASE. [ARTICLE]

DR. SCUDDER’S CASE.

■ “ " - Vl< A Chicago Crime Rivaling In Intoroit tbe ’ Cronin My»tory. Chicago special: Every day brings to light some new and startling fact in connection witli t>ho Scudder-Dunton tragedy. What appeared at first to bo a very ordinary murder, growing dut of a oommonpluoe family quarrel, Is fast developing into a sensational crime, beside widen oven tho bjoody Cronin conspiracy is dwarfed. If one-half the statements whloh are now alleged <Jan bo sustained In court, Dr. Scudder Is either a crafty, scheming maniac 6r the most brutal unil bloodthirsty villain that ever walked the streets of Chicago. Hla friends aro trying hard to prove that ho I is crazy—the proof of murder being so strong that they do not hope for aoquittal on any other ground.' Dr. Boqdder is tho, sou of the ox-pastor of the Plymouth Congregational Church, And is a skilled and successful practitioner; Last Septemborho married Dora Durtton, the adopted daughter of Mr. and Mrs. F. H. Dunton, owners of the Spirit of tho Turf, In this city. Mrs. Dunton, although an invalid, and near to death with a bad case of tumor, was the active manager of the paper and all the property, valued at f 125,000, stood in her name. The securing of this property is tho alleged motive for Dr. Scuddsr’s crime. Mr. and Mrs. Dunton had no direct heirs, and Mrs. Dunton, who had been told by her physicians that she could not livo six months more, made a will, leaving tho estate to her husband und at his death to Dr. ficu’ddor’s wife. Knowing that his mother-in-law coujd llvn but a little while, Dr. Scudder tried about February 18 last to poison Mr. Dunton, so as to bring the property directly into his control at Mrs. Dunton’s death. By come providential Interference the dose, while it made Mr. Dunton deathly sick, did not have a fatal effect. Finding that his plan In this direction had failed, Dr. Spudder, on tho pretext of having some small' bbquests made to other members of the family, got Mrs. Dunton to consent to mako a new will in which her husband was again the principal beneficiary. Ho had the will carefully drawn and Mw. Duton was so well pleased with the changes that she signed It at onoe, the witnesses being Dr. Scudder,, himself, his 14-year-old daughter and - a youthful nelce of Mrs. Dunton’s. Going clown stairs soon after Dr. Scudder called the two girls and told them they had signed the will in the wrong place and must write their names again. Child-like, they thought nothing of this, and thus Dr. Scudder scoured their signatures as witnesses to a forged will which he “rung in” on them, and by which his wife was made the cole legatee of the Dunton. fortune. This was on Saturday, Feb. 20. It was now to the Doctor’s interest to get Mrs. Dunton dut of the way as soon as possible lest the children should chance to mention the “mistake" in signing the will and thus arouse suspicion. The next day, Sunday, Feb. 21, fie went to tho Dunton home, onJAldlne Square, and beat Mrs. Dupton's brains out. Mr. Dunton saw him do it and attempted to interfere, but Scudder pushed him out of the room, leaving as he did so the bloody mark of his hand on Mr. Dunton’s nightrobe. Hannah Johnson, a domestic, also saw the murder committed. Dr. Scudder has .been indicted by the Grand Jury for murder. • All true Flemings are called to the rescue of their native tongue, which Is evidently In great danger. The Ghent Federation of Liberal Flemish Societies has published a pamphlet report of the speeches made 4t A recent meeting to protest against the pressure toward extinguishing the Flemish tongue. The Brussels Court of Appeal has refused to permit counsel to address the court in Flemish. An advocate who persisted in asserting his right to speak in Flemish was brought before the council of discipline, and it was ordered that his name should he erased from the list of lawyers