The Republican journal., 1871-09-07
A Dead Woman Packed in a Trunk
From the New York Tribune August ISL

FROM inc New Ork lflDuhe August IS
A plain cab, dawn by one horse. stop
ped before the principal door of the Thir
tecnth street Hudson River Railroad de
pot last Saturday, about $50 7. NJ. 1t,
occupant, Young woman of small stat
ure, plainly dressed, alighted upon tn {
sidewalk and neryously handed some
money to the driver, who thereupOI
drove away rs if in great hurry. Hun
dreds of carriages had thus come anc
gone during the day, and this inciden
was naturally unnoticed by the by-stand
ers. The woman paused Il moment OF
the sidewalk, as if thinking intently. A
number of boys were standing near, wait
ing for opportunities to carry baggage
Tor passengers, and one of them attract
ed her attention. She called him and
said that 4 wagon would soon come with
Il trunk, which she wanted him to help
carry into the baggage room. The boy
who was known to his companions as
''Paddy," readily assented to the engage
ment, and told the woman that it would
before she could get a check tor the trunk
from the baggage-master. He then lead
his employer to the ticket-oiiicc, where
She purchased 4 ticket for Chicago The
boy, who was very observant saw that
She gave the ticket agent : 40 and receiv-
ed SlS change, the price OF the ticket be-
ing So.
TIE MYSTERIOUS TRUNK.
Returning to the sidew ok, th4 woman
led the boy to 4 truck which had been
driven up before the window Of the bag
gage office during their absence This
truck was u very small one. with three
bars painted red on each side, and also
with the name "Tripp,' painted upon
one of its panels. The truckman was
old, of slight stature, and Wore the blue
overalls of q common cartman. He was
greeted by the woman rs an old acquant-
ancc. A cheap packing-trun Of small
size was on the truck The woman re-
marked to the boy, that this trunk CON
tanned a good deal of glassware and
would better be carefully lifted. On at
tempting to raise it, the lid nearly came
of, and the woman anNiously asked the
boy if he could not purchase 4 rope.
'Paddy' bought Il strap of the baggage
master for 81, and brought it To her.
The trunk was then securely fastened.
carried into the baggage room and plac-
cd upon the counter. The baggage mas
ter was hurried, and. upon being shown
the ticket, quickly handed the woman a
cheek, and attaching another to the trunk
flung it upon u pile of others. The boy
received his compensation and walked
carelcSsly with the woman toward Ninth
avenue, meanwhile thinking it very curl
Gus that Il passenger should come to the
Il Ia,
Chicago train started at $ o'clock in the
evening. The woman left the boy upon
reaching Ninth avenue, after engaging
him to meet hcr on the corner Of Thil'-
teenth street at 72O and show her what
ear to take. She went down Ninth ave
nue., and was last seen by ''Paddv, y walk
ing with great haste.
THE DISCOVERY.
Meanwhile the trunk was moved about
here and there in the reckless manner OF
|.aggagc-men, until finally, it was thrown
out of the baggage room upon the plat
form, from which the trunks are placed
in the luggage car. Doubtless from this
rough handling the lid was in some man
ner lo0sened, for Il porter leaning ovti
to lift the trunk noticed Il nauseouS stencil
proceeding trom 1t. robert andeWard
Tho baggage-master, was told Of this by
the porter, and resolved to open it, The
lock was very fragile, and upon the first
pressure gave way. The lid WAS lifted
and upon the top an ordinary quilt WA,
seen, under which thick blanket Wa,
found. Upon removing these h horrible
Sight met the eyes ot the bagga gc-mas
ter. In the bottom of the trunk, with
the head resting upon the knees, was the
body st a young woman. The trunk
was only two feet six inches long anC
eighteen inches deep. and yet Il body
over five feet in length, had been forced
into it. 10 do this the liends had PLACED
the corpse upon It's right side, doubled
up the legs and bent the head forward
The Girl could not have been over i
years OF age, and was an unusually beau
tlIul ''blonde.' with fine features and ;
complexion OF extraordinary rlcameSS
Her long auburn hair OF a shining color
hung IN heavy tresses over her shoulder
and hld her breast. Her hands, though
smali and slender, showed that she hat
labored. NO cuts or marks ot assault
were found upon the body although
there We're slight signs OF decomposition
| about the pelvic region.
o< THE rr,c,1 o,, THE ,r1-rnrrrps
Capt. Callrey, OF the Twentieth Pre-
cinct Police, was informed of the discoy
cry, and Immediately began hunting 10
4 coroner. He succeeded, about 9 o'clocl
in the evening, in finding Coroner Youns
by whom an order was signed for the re
moval OF the body 70 the Morguc. Dur
ing this time hundreds OF persons, moved
by curiosity, We're permitted to gaze up
on the body. At Ponce Headquarters, II
Mulberry street. Inspector Wallmg exam
med all the records OF the raSt three
months, but found no account Of mis-
sing girl corresponding to the victim
On the information furnished by the boy
known as paddy" but whose true num'
was found to be Alexander Parks, In
spector Walling examined the list o
truckmen but found that there was onl,
one cartman in the city by the name o
Tripp, and he easily cleared himself from
all suspicion. Orders were then sent on
- arrest 4 cartman named Trapp, an'
the order was obeyed, but, after deten
ton of several hours, he was released
Parks positively asserting that he wa!
not the man. Ballled in this direction
Inspector Walling issued, about ; A. NJ.
Il