Transcribed without making changes to spelling and grammar. Transcribed by Joyce Robinson The Portsmouth Times Dated: March 13, 1880 "FIDO" The Old Rag-Picker. --- Her Body Found in the Woods in Madison Township --- Death From Cold and Hunger --- Few persons there are in this city who are not familiar with the quaint form and dress of the old rag-picker, THERESA SNIDER, who, for twenty-four years, has followed her occupation of gathering rags in the streets and alleys of Portsmouth. Year after year she traversed our streets, simple in mind, and odd in dress, gathering up rags, coal, and such rubbish as she might deem of value. She came to Portsmouth with her sister in 1854, and lived with her until the death of the latter a few years ago. Since then she made her home with her niece, FREDERIKA SNIDER, a woman in humble circumstances who supports herself by washing. The old woman in her rounds of the city was followed for years by a faithful little dog named FIDO, and as Theresa, fearful of losing the pet, called after him almost continually in her childish way, the name finally attached to the rag-picker herself, and thus she came to be known to everybody as "Fido." Theresa was always eccentric, and her mind weak, and as she grew old and enfeebled she became still more childish and peculiar and was little able to take care of herself. On several occasions of late years she wandered away from the streets and localities with which she was familiar and lost her way, but was returned to her home be those who knew her. She continued to ply her street work of picking rags. On the 23d of December last he left the house of her niece never to return. Nothing being heard from her for several days, inquiry was made, but no tidings from the missing woman was received, save that a person answering her description had been seen near Harrisonville, fifteen miles from the city. She could be traced no farther. The following notice appeared in the TIMES the 31st day of January last: "On the twenty-third of last month Theresa Snider, better known as "Fido" a rag-picker of unsound mind, wandered away, and has not since been heard from. She is an old lady of sixty seven years, small of stature with dark brown eyes, hair tinged with gray, and 'wore a dark brown sun bonnet, and an old water proof dress. Her niece Mrs. Frederika Snider, a poor woman with whom she made her home, at the west end of Third street, in this city, is troubled over her long continued absence, and any information addressed to her will be thankfully received." Monday morning last the body of the poor woman was accidentally found in a ravine on the farm of MRS. BRAME, near the residence of ISAAC McCANN. Two girls, MALISSA BRAME and ELIZABETH MAGNET, in order to shorten their way, passed through a deep woods. In a ravine, lying near a fallen tree, they came upon the body of Theresa Snider. The alarm was given and Coroner not being within ten miles, Esquire DEWEY was notified, and not being familiar with the new law, held an inquest by a jury of six, composed of L D McKINNEY, ELIJAH WALLS, JACKSON DEVER, R McALEXANDER, JOHN COBURN and T. C. GILES. The testimony before the jury was as follows: THE EVIDENCE. Malissa Brame -- Being duly sworn, stated, that she found the person referred to on this date between 7 and 8 o'clock A. M. She was lying as she is lying now. I do not know how she came there. I do not know her name. I do not know of any strange woman being in the neighborhood. Elizabeth Magnet -- Being duly sworn, stated: I think I have seen her in Portsmouth. About October last; I only knew her by a nickname "Fido". I think she is the same person, I recognize her by her clothes; I think I have seen her bonnet and skirt. When I saw her I als saw the apron. I never saw her in the neighborhood until I saw her dead. William Minford -- duly sworn, stated: From the appearance of the corpse and the clothes I think it is the same old lady I saw in Portsmouth, the rag-picker. She passed through Harrisonville, about the last of December, 1879. I recognize the basque she has on as being the same that she had on when I saw her last while living. I have seen her several times. Henry Allison -- being sworn, said: I think it is the same woman that I saw near the Squires Bridge. I saw her about the last of December, 1879; I recognize her by her clothes -- Bonnet, shawl and basque are the same she had on when I saw her; I never saw her but once; I do not know how she came here. VERDICT OF THE JURY. "The jury empaneled to the case by I. J. Dewey, J. P., and acting Coroner, to inquire and true presentment make, in what manner and by whom a person whose body was found in Madison township, in said county, in a hollow on the farm of Mrs. Brame, and in the woods about a quarter of a mile from the public road, on the 8th day of March, 1880, came to her death, after having heard the evidence and examined the body, we do find that the deceased came to her death in a way and manner unknown to the jury, and we, the jury, do further find that the deceased has been dead for at least eight or ten weeks." The body of the old rag-picker, which was in an advanced state of de- composition, was taken in charge by the authorities and given decent burial near the spot where it was found. All the circumstances point to the fact that the old woman, half-witted and dazed, wandered from the city, became lost and confused and continued on her tramp not knowing whither she was going. The second day after her disappearance she passed through Harrisonville, speaking to no one and avoiding scrutiny. On that day (Christmas) she strayed into the woods and undoubtedly that night, which will be remembered as a bitterly cold one, imposed in her course, she fell exhausted in the ravine where found and was frozen to death. And there her body for over ten weeks has laid exposed to the storms of winter --- to its pelting rains, and its snows which served as her winding sheet.