The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1870-07-28
MURDER.
. Man Found Dead Near Fifth Street
Bridge.
NJ, clue to His Identity or MurSlcrers.

\, Cine 10 His Identity or Murderer.
At an early hour Yesterday morning per
SONS living in the vicinity discovered the
dead body of man, lying in the weeds
ON the east side of Fifth street, near the
north end of the bridge across Three Mile
creek. A wound in the side Of the head
showed that he had come TO his death by a
blow from bIudgeon or some other blunt
Instrument, Coroner Van Duyn was at
once summoned, the body removed TO an
empty building near by and jury emlan-
nclicd for an inquest. The evidence throws
no light on the mystery, and was as follows:
James S. Jelly, being duly sworn, says:
Last night about ten O'Clock was going
over Fifth street bridge. ! heard a grOan-
ing, which arrested my attention, but thought
ii was from hogs lying in the lumber. The
noice proceeded from where the body was
found this morning.
Jacob Myers and Anna Myers testified
Live ON Choctaw street in middle Of block
81, citv proper, between Fourth and Fifth
streets. \ little after 10 clock, on Monday
night, heard dog bark and the grOaning
of man. thought it was my boys in the
basement of my house. Thought the dog
was barking where found 4 man about five
o'clock this morning. | do not know the
deceased.
LIP. Stiles, NJ. D., being duly sworn
saws: | made 4 post mOrtem examination
of deceased person this morning-name
unknown; probably been dead twelve to fiji.
teen hours. He had wound on the top Of
the head on the left side of the sOystal suturt
and behind the coronal suture, causing LAGER
alton of tho scalp and fracture of the parietal
bone. On discovering the fracture the skull
was laid open and l found extravasatiOn Of
blood in the middle lobe of the right hemis-
phere of the brain; slight extravasation o.
/ lood near the bone under the wound.
think the wound caused death. No OtheI
recent marks of violence were found ON thu
BODY There were many old scars on thu
body.
Franklin Bell being duly sworn, says HI
lives in Leavenworth. Have just'seen the
BODY of a person living i'm building neal
Fifth Street Bridge. l think his name il
David Harper I saw him about thret
weeks ago on Seneca street, near Irwin'i
stable. l stopped and talked with him. Last
summer l became acquainted with him nj
Mr.. Sowers's who is brother-in-law. think
| know him from his scars, and his being
crippled in his left ankle. He had w. II.
W. ON his left arm; saw them last fall;
cannot read but can tell that much about let.
tiers: the letters were blue. This man cooked
for G;acomini last summer; he was drink.
ing man always drunk when not at work
He cooked at the Merchants in March and
April last. Don't know where he has beer
since then. Was not quarrelsOme SO far n
| know.
Anthony Giacomini being duly swown
saws that he Just viewed the body of deceas
ed person, near Fifth street bridge, and had
never seen him before. He did not cook fol
| Giacomini last summer.
This closed the evidence, with nothing de
vcloped to show either where he came to hi,
death or any circumstances whatever con
| nec;ed with him.
The jury returned the following verdict:
STATE OF KANSAS, LEAvENwoRrH
COUNTY:
An inquisition holden in Leavenworf
| city, Leavenworth county, ON the 18th ia,
| DUN, Coroner of said county, on the bod,
of an unknown person then lying dead, b!
| the Jurors who are hcreuntO subscribed. tn,
said jurors, upon their oaths, do say that salt
unknown person came to his death on tn
evening of the 18th of July, 4. ID. 1870
| from blow inflicted upon his head witt
some bludgeon or blunt instrument in tn
hands of some person or persons unknown
| In testimony whereof, the said jurors hav'
herernto set their hands the day and yea
| aforesaid.
GEO. DICKINSON, J. l.. SNEDEkER,
| \. NJ. kINBALL, GEO. W. VETS,
| WIN. J. HARRIS, W. NJ MILLER.
The following is the description Of tn
man: fee; inches high: muscular an
well developed; weighs about 1870 pounds
| left ankle turned slightly inward; scar Of
right breast, a little below the nipple, as
from bullet hole; deep scar on forehead, ex
tending from centre to the right side into tn
hair: some scars on the left thigh, as if iron
Il knife; initials wv. ii. w" in blue lndi
ink on left arm; two shields on right arm ii
same ink; hair dark. and cut very short
sandy mcus,a,he. Dress-new white cOttOl
shirt, with linen bosom; blue-black sack coat
linen pants, new; new calf skin gaiters
short cotton socks; black felt hat.
IL was evident ut a glance that the maj
Was not killed where he lay. Not the leas
sign of a struggle was to he seen, and tn
wound on the head would not have Instant,
rendered so powerful frame incapable If
single struggle after he fell. Rumors are float
ing about of cries of murder, or for help hav
the night OF the murder. II is said that bloc,
was found on the sidewalk near the cathcdra
Yesterday morning. Among those VIII
heard cries WAS officer LAUDER, who lives Of
Usage between Third and Fourth. He go
up, pl, on his revolver, and started O,lt
short distance, all ready if anything unua,a
shuld occur He saws he believed at tin
time that all was no, right, still he heard N
further alarm, and did not investigate an,
more at the time Mr.. Helmers, the we'll
known barber, saws he shaved man at 81,
O'Clock Yesterday morning, who had blood On
his sleeve and other parts Of his clothing
This did not create any suspicion until afte
the finding Of the body.
The body was enclosed in a plain cuff
and buried Yesterday afternoon.
/ Later.
Since the above was in type VIC learn tia
a man has come in from the country am
describes person named William H. vii
liams, which description tallies exactly viii
that of the deceased. Heays Williams hza
been in this part of the country for SOM
months past, and came here from Nebraska
Michael Dempsey vas arrested last even
ing by the police, on suspicion Of havina
been implicated in the murder Of Williams