, 1872-11-02
A CASE FOR. THE DETECTIVES.
Blood Spots and a Mysterious Hat
Found on the Lake Shore.
Evidence of Murder, Suicide,
OF Railroad Accident.
a First-Class. Mystery for the De-
tectives to Unravel.

A mysterious case, whether murder, a sui
eide, or railroad accident, it is now difficult to
conjecture, was reported to the police authori-
ties yesterday morning. All that is known is
that hat WAS found On the lake shore, and that
there was large quantity Of blood On railroad
track and the ground near by. It could not
have been an accident, as perusal Of the mea-
gre details given below will prove. The circum-
stances. IS learned by TRIBUNE reporter, are
as follows: Shortly before o'clock yesterday
morning, Angus Mcqueen, foreman Of the debris
bumpers at the Lake Park, while going
to his work, SAW o large pool Of un-
CONCEALED blood on the Illinois Central
railroad track, about one hundred yards south
Of Peck court. He WAS accompanied by Henry
Green, one Of his TorImen, and called his at
tention to it. The blood was on one of the
cross-beams in the trestlework on which the
rails rest, the beam being directly over the
deepest part Of a aluice, through which water
runs from the lake proper into small pond in
side Of the track, and between it and Michigan
avenue. The sluice is about six feet wide, and
two or three feet deep, the current being very
strong. The two men we're somewhat
startled at the sight Of the blood, and
Immediately thought that some one of the
drunken men or vagrants who aleep along the
lake shore had been run over by passing train
and killed. Their curiosity WAS excited, and
they cautiously examined the other beams Of the
trestlework for further evidences Of an acci-
dent or crime. On two of the beams north OF
the one mentioned, half dozen large drops OF
OF these further traces Of blood were discerned.
The attention of Mcqueen and his companions
WAS next attracted by footprints in the sand
leading from an excavation in the bank facing
tho lake. There we're four footprints, made BY
boots or shoes Of an ordinary size-nine inches.
At the north edge Of the excavation, which
was rectangular in form, the imprint of the seat
OF q mans pantaloons was plainly visible, and at
tho bottom Of the cavity lit was only about
eighteen inches deep we're the marks Of two
side Of the hole was clot of blood about an
inch in diameter and several indentationB in the
earth, as If the hand had been drawn rapidly
towards the body, the burrows being made BY
edge Of the water, about fifteen feet from, and
little to the left Of, the excavation, WAS felt
hat. It WAS covered with frost, but when
picked up and brushed by Mr. Mcqueen, WAS
found to be almost new. The owner
on the tab, being 796S. This was all that was OBJ
served sufficient, however, to base any num-
ber Of theories upon,-b Mr. Mcqueen, not
having speculative mind, concluded that there
was mystery, and that it was the duty Of the
hat to where his men were at work, intending to
inform the first policeman who made his ap-
pearance Of what he had seen. About 10 o'clock |
Officer Leidenswartz, OF the First Precinct,
whose beat is on Michigan avenue, came along to |
where Mr. Mcqueen was, and to him was
impaired the major part of the circumstances |
detailed aboTe. he went to the sluice, and was
as much confounded by the appearance Of the |
had been. Thinking if man had fallen or been
thrown into the water, he could bring his body
to the surface, Leidenswartz procured q large /
pole, and commenced stirring up the water, and
feeling for the corpse. His search was unsuc-
cessful and unsatisfactory owing to the absence
Of drag. The current, through the sluico is
strong enough to carry the body OF a man out I
near the hreakwater, and search there or in
the pond inside OF the track, where the water is
sir or eight feet deep, might reveal the corpse
4 theory which is plausible, and may be veri-
tied III as follows: All summer long, men who
have no homes, and others who have become
intoxicated and do net wish to exhibit them
selves to their families in that condition, have
been in the habit Of sleeping along the lake
shore. Ono Of them, probably Of the latter
class, WAS Eeated in the rectangular square,
A vagrant observed him, and, desirous Of ap-
him On the head with something hard, knocking
of his hat, which rolled down the embankment
While being searched, blood issued from the
wound, the greater portion percolating
through the sand. leaving only the clot mem
TONED. Selling the victim by the back, his as
Gallant raised him to his feet and pushed him
toward the railroad track, the blood still issuing
from the wound and falling where it would re-
main visible. When the sluice was reached the
victim VAS dropped into the water, and his body
washed out or in BY the current.
II the nan committed suicide, he left no
Weapon behind, if he was run over, which would
seem to have been an imposaibility some tangi-
Die evidence of the accident would have been dis
covered in the vicinity if murdered, his death
3 shrouded in as much mystery as at
frst eveloped that Of Mr. Gumbleton, whose
body WAS found near the same sluice. Astute
detectives may be able to establish whether it
Tas homicide, suicide or accident; but, as go