The Litchfield County post. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1826-1829, 1827-11-01

men. about the person of Capt. Morgan
were stated before the body was disntered.
The pecuIiarities recOIlected by these gentle
men related TO the teeth and hair OF Morgan.
Mr. Fitch's recollection about his hair was
full and distinct. Mr.. Dyer repeated his
statement about the absent and broken teeth
in the upper jaw. The body was then taken
from the grave for examination. 1t was much
bloated and dscoloured, but the flesh was
unhroken. The head, except the face, APP
peared natural. The hair, of which there
was propor*ioy on the back OF the head mi
the necla and on the chest, dropped out upon
touching it, The nails of The fingers & feet were
loose The hair compared minutel y with the
description of Mr.. Fitch, aud the absent and
broken teeth were found precisely as stated ny
Mr.. Dyer Long white hairs described in
Morgan's ears by Mr.. Fitch, were not found
so thick as he had represented, but upon ex
animation, mass of matted hairs of that de-
scription was found deposited in the bottom
Of the ear. After careful examination,
Messrs. Dyer, Fitch, and Gibbs gave an une-
Guivecal opinion that it was the dead body OF
William Morgan. Mr.. Holden's recollectOns
of Morgan were not so distinct as the other
gentlemen: but he was confident that the re-
y semblance of the head and hair was very stri-
king.
Under these circumstances ii became prop
er to institute further investigation, and to
identify the remains legally. Mr.. Brown and
ESQ Byington procured three trusty men TO
protect the remains until Mrs. Morgan and
other persons could get there. The gentle
men from Rochester and Batavia returned
home, and notice, was given to gentlemen at
Lewiston, LockpOrt. and other places, that az
examination would be had on Monday the 18th
inst.
The inhabitants who reside on that shore
state, that within the last fifteen years, Sc
ven bodies drowned in the Niagara river have
washed ashore within three or four miles of
Oak Orchard Creek. Col. Howell states,
that while he was one of the Coroners Of the
County, he held four inquests upon bodies
identified to have been lost in the Niagara
river. This shows the tendency of the cur
rent to deposit what comes out "f the rlver,ln
that vicinity. The distance is between 80 and
40 miles.
On Monday morning the undersigned, with
Doctors John ID. Henry and Ezra Strong.whO
attended Morgan through several fits of sick
ness, and Mr.. Lester Beardslee and Russell
Dyer. who were intimately acquainted with
him, arrived at the mouth of the Creek
Mrs. Morgan and several witnesses from Ba-
tavia came soon afterwards. The Coroner
issued his warrant for new inquest Before
noon, from 40 to 900 citizens, from, the dis
tances off to 90 miles, arrived Before Mrs.
Morgan crossed the Greek land before the body
was taken from the grave, Doctor Henry
took from the lips Of Mrs. Morgan, and
wrote down a minute description of the
, person of her husband, and of the marks by
which she expected to identify him. She
had preserved and gave to Doctor Henry
the two teeth extracted by Doct. Strong, and
told him from what part of the upper jaw they
were taken, and described the situation and
appearance of the broken tooth. She stated
also that there We're a, scar and calOus on the
great toe of the left foot, occasioned by being
frozen in such a way as to render ipcislon
necessary, and the bone affected, to be scra-
ped.
After the jurors had personally examined
the body, the Coroner commenced the exa-
minatien of witnesses. The testimony was
carefully put down, read over and subscribed
by each witness. Every spectator had time
and opportunity to examine the body with as
!: much minuteness as could he desired
I AN persons whom it was supposed knew "a
ny thing connected with the Inquiry, were
sworn. r
ny, copied from notes taken at the examina-
ton -
Stillman Horsie, being sworn-testi6ed that
he found the body on the shore of the Lake,
where it now lies-that the body was lying
on the face, head towards the shore, and one
hand and one foot just in the edge of the wa
ter; he found it IA week ago yesterday, be-
tween II and IL o'clock, and gave Informal
ton to the coroner before moving the body.
The body was dressed in a dandy coat, black
black vest and pantaoons, woollen socks,
homespun woolen shirt, cowhide shoes, and
cotton or silk flag handkerchief about his neck
witness did not know how long the body
had been there. The body is now more swol-
len and blacker than it was then, particularly
about the face and head.
Lester BedrdSlee-testifed, that he had ex-
amined the head of the body, that he knew
William Morgan and saw him in August be-
fore he was missing, that the shape ofMorgan's
head, his hair, and his ears, were similar to
those features onthe body-Morgan showed
witness his teeth about four years ago, which
were what is commonly called double teeth all
arOund-there were no teeth gone at that time.
The teeth in this body are double teeth similar
to ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ears were filed with
hairmore than people'sin general, which was
long and white-his head was grey--he wore
no whiskers that Iremember-he was bald on
the top of his head, and the hair behind aud
at the sides of his head was long and usually
cOmbed I'D to cover his badness. he had q