Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1864-06-06
HIURDER AT CIR
CLEvALLE.
A Woman Found in the Woods MUIR
dered--shocking Death of u COurtes
san Supposed to be from Columbus.


lFrom the Crcleyille Democrat. June 81
On Saturday afternoon last two ladies
who were gathering flowers In Greggs
woods, adjoining this city on the south, dis
covered the dead body of young woman
They at once gave the alarm, ana lnlorma-
tion was conveyed to Justice Case, who sum-
moned A. M. Blake, 5. w. Courtright, A. L.
Anderson, Joseph Roberts, John Boyer and
j. II. Carper-repaired to the spot and held
an INQUEST. The body was found ten or
fifteen feet from the fence between the
woods and Edward Smiths land, and was
living on the right side, with one hand up
to the mouth. The feet were drawn up and
covered, the clothes in perfect order, smooth
ly and carefully arranged, the hat on, and
vail over the face. From the way the body
lay, it would be supposed the deceased had
lain down as If to sleep, and died without a
struggle, or that the body had been placed
there with the utmost care by some one. :
DIR. Blake made an examination and found
deep confused wound on the right side OF
the neck, below the base of the skull; and
on making postmOrten examination. he
found the neck disloeated between the first
and second cervical vertebra. The injuries
were sufficient to produce death.
The jury found 'that the deceased came
to her death by having received mortal
stroke on the right side of the neck, which
produced dislocation of the neck, inflicted
by some person or persons unknown to the
jury, and which said stroke the jury do find
caused immediate DEATH"
The deceased was a stranger here, and
none of those present at the inquest knew
her. 1t is said her name was Emma Law
son, and the wife of a soldier in the 7ad
Ohio regiment. She was apparently about
twenty years of age, of fair complexion,
round face, auburn hair, cut short; of full
habit; good size and form, and had evident
ly been good looking. The color OF her
ewes could not be ascertained. Her dress
was poor and cheap. She had on dark,
figured calico dress, green delaine under-
skirt, and balmoral morocco boots, con-
siderably worn; drab duster, quite long;
black straw fiat trimmed with red, and
green vail, partially faded. In her bosom
fifteen cents in fractional currency, and on
the first finger of the left hand was plain
silver ring, butnothing was found by which
she could be positively identified. She had
been dead probably twenty-four hours.
A black Oilcloth satchel, nearly worn ont,
belonging to the deceased, was found at
VOLTS Grocery, where she had left it on
Thursday night last. 1t contained some
soiled under-clothing, black and white
scarf, several spools of thread, needles,
pens and pencil, soap, common plain ring,
four letter stamps, and a white envelope,
with q slip of paper upon which the follow
ing words were written: Henry M. Law
son, Co. b, 73d o. V. l." This goes to con-
firm the report of her name being Lawson,
and having husband in the army.
The circumstances of the horrible death
of this unfortunate woman, are shrouded
in the deepest mystery, and no clue has
been obtained to the motive or perpetrator.
She came to this city on the coach from Co.
lumbus, on Wednesday evening of last
week, and late that night was in the COM
pany of young men on the streets. aE
On Thursday morning a woman answer
ing her description was seen crossing Ed.
Smiths broom corn field, and on Thursday
evening, between and o'clock, she was
seen at the depot. After that time all trace
of her whereabouts, until found dead, are
lost. 1t is generally believed she was a
common courtesan, travelling from place
to place plying her vocation, and it is the
common opinion that she went into the
woods with some beastly man to prostitute
herself, and that in a quarrel, or from some
other cause, she met death at his hands.