Ogden Daily Standard | 1915-01-29 | Page 10 | Son of Banker Takes Poison

SON OF BANKER TAKEHOISON Houston, Tex, Jan. 2S- Ward S Snyder, son of a wealthy bauker and oil man of Pittsburg. Pa. was not able ot a hospital here tonight to make a statement of the circumstances surrounding sur-rounding the doath of his wife in a room in a hospital today. Mrs. Snyder's body was found bv a nurse who had admitted Snyder lo the room a short time before and had left them while she breakfasted. The woman had been killed with a large pocketknife, her throat cut and her arms slashed. Snyder had swallowed poisou and lapsed Into unconsciousness Physicians Physi-cians expect him to die. Mrs. Snyder, it is said, formerly was the wife of a vocal teacher named Beresford, of Chicago, and was di vorced from him three years ago. She has throe children, a boy aged 4 years in Houston and two children In Pittsburg Chicago. Jan. 2. Before separating from Arthur Beresford, Chicago vocal teacher, her first husband, throe years ago, Mrs. Ward S. Snvder, who was killed in Houston today, was a musical composer and singer As Ixirena Wheeler, an orphan from Ixckport, N. V . she was a member of Befesford 8 vocal class In n Boston school of music. mu-sic. The intimacy of the class room resulted in their marriage. That was twelve vears ago. "Mrs ' Beresford and I separate some three rears ago," said Beresford tonight "I heard afterward that she went to Oklahoma and divorced me on a charge of nonsupport 1 did not have notice of the proceedings. I have kept our three children, but have allowed al-lowed them to visit their mother at intervals Our little girl was with her when this thing happened I had heard from friends that she had gono to Houston to undergo an operation. This telegram is all I know of the killing " He showed a telegram which read: 'Mrs Snyder murdered here in Baptist Bap-tist sanitarium. Uttle girl here in hotel In care of friends." Beresford conducts a school of music mu-sic and is the basso in a leading church choir. oo