Attacked: August 5, 1918
Location: Elmira Street, New Orleans
Status: Survived
Relation to Axeman Case: First known pregnant survivor of an Axeman-style attack; one of the only cases with no signs of forced entry

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Overview

Anna Schneider, 28 and eight months pregnant, was brutally attacked in her home just five days before the murder of Joseph Romano. Her case is one of the more enigmatic episodes of the Axeman saga not just because she survived, but because the crime scene bore marked departures from the standard Axeman signature.

There was no forced entry, no axe left behind, and the suspected weapon a table lamp, hinted at improvisation rather than premeditated murder. Still, the attack was savage, intimate, and mirrored the sudden, nocturnal violence seen in other Axeman cases. Whether her attacker was the Axeman or a copycat remains debated.

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Victim Profile

• Name: Anna Schneider
• Age at Time of Attack: 28
• Family: Married to Ed Schneider, a warehouse worker
• Pregnancy: 8 months pregnant at the time of attack
• Residence: Elmira Street, New Orleans
• Children: Gave birth to a healthy baby girl, reportedly named Clara, two days after the attack

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The Attack

• Time of Attack: Likely occurred late evening on August 5, 1918, while Anna was sleeping
• Discovery: Her husband Ed returned from work after midnight and found her unconscious, bloodied, and beaten in bed
• Weapon: Not an axe, believed to be a lamp from her bedside table
• Injuries: Severe scalp and facial wounds; skull trauma
• State upon discovery: Barely conscious; unable to recall the attack afterward

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Medical Outcome

Anna survived despite significant trauma and, two days later, delivered a healthy baby girl. Her survival and childbirth were heralded as miraculous in the press. Anna eventually recovered fully, though she retained no memory of the assault.

This recovery was key in shaping the emerging public narrative that the Axeman could be survived, and that even the most vulnerable could endure his violence.

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Crime Scene Observations

• Entry Point: No signs of forced entry; door and windows reportedly secured
• Weapon: Household lamp, not the victim’s axe or a razor (often used by the Axeman)
• Robbery Motive: Dismissed no valuables were stolen
• Scene: Intentional and focused violence on the victim’s head; crime of opportunity or symbolic targeting?

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Investigation and Suspects

Shortly after the attack, police arrested James Gleason, a local ex-convict. He reportedly ran from officers out of fear due to his prior record. After questioning, he was quickly released no evidence connected him to the scene.

Investigators did not conclusively link Anna’s case to the Axeman at the time, though parallels to the Maggio and Besumer attacks were noted:

• Nighttime entry
• Sleeping female victim
• Facial and cranial trauma
• Lack of robbery or sexual motive

Despite these links, the lack of an axe or chiseled panel and the domestic weapon used have led some historians, including Miriam C. Davis, to classify it as an outlier or possible red herring.

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Public and Media Reaction

Anna’s case was covered widely in New Orleans newspapers. Headlines emphasized her pregnancy, innocence, and miraculous survival. Sympathy ran high her image as a young mother-to-be fighting for life drew emotional responses in editorials.

However, the lack of forced entry unnerved the public. The idea that the Axeman could be let in, or walk in undetected, changed the tone of the panic. Suddenly, it wasn’t enough to lock your doors you had to question who you trusted, even in your own home.

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Legacy

• Narrative Shift: Anna’s survival and the birth of Clara gave rise to the myth that “the Axeman could not stop life.”
• Pattern Break: The attack suggested the Axeman’s victim profile might be broader than previously believed
• Lasting Debate: Whether her attacker was the Axeman, a copycat, or an unrelated assailant remains unresolved

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Timeline Placement

• May 23, 1918: Maggio murders
• June 27, 1918: Besumer and Lowe attacked
• August 5, 1918: Anna Schneider assaulted
• August 10, 1918: Joseph Romano murdered

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Not to Be Confused With

Some accounts mistakenly blend Anna Schneider with another case, a Mary Schneider, also a pregnant mother attacked with a lamp around this time. Mary’s case involved confirmed burglary and theft, and an axe was stolen, not used. According to historian Miriam Davis, Mary’s case does not fit the Axeman pattern, while Anna’s remains ambiguous but potentially authentic.