The sun., 1872-05-06

Others than hmseif3 who was the man seen
going along Flfty-seyenth street with him, and
not that man come forward II he is innocent, and
ayow s himself Or why do not the detectives
but il will he objected that Mr.. Rich disap-
peared from his home on Tuesday, the 10th ~
April. On the following Monday, and again on
Tuesday, seven and eight days ieier' he. was
not mistaken. Where had he been ia the mean
timer
A PERFECT CHAIN.
Mr.. Swicts recognition Of the body, which he
Is careful shall not he accepted az positive Il in
ameaaure confirmed 10y the incident related 10y
Mr.. Pare u Of hearing u shot fired IN the direc-
tion wherr the body was found. about midday
on the I'D Of April, or soon after Mr.. Swicl< had
That Mr. Rich came TO hls death about that
time is confirmed by the testimony Of Dr. Gricr,
who Thought on Monday. the 29th. that he had
been dead about y week. taken In connection
with the opinion Of Coroner Ford, who may also
he regarded an expert who told the SuN re-
porter that in his opinion the body had only Tain
there three or four days. The mean Of these
two expert opinions would fix the tims OF death
al about the date of Swlck's last signt of the
stranger and parcclls hearing the shot In tho
woods. Accepting this theory. 1t seems to in
diCate that the unfortunate man must have been
wandering at that time in a deranged state Of
mind. and sought the woods alone TO put an end
to his existence. In support Of this theory IL
may be stated that
THE sror WHERE the rouy WAS rorNp
was precisely the spot suicide would select.
II was out of the way not appruachthle 10y any
road ~ path was the highest ground tu lhe VI
cuity,in fact messy knoll in the midst of piece
OF low, wet scraggy bush land, and shaded by
two tall "ednrs, the only group Of evergroens or
fun grown trees uf any Kind in the vicinity. The
spot was free from undcrbrush while the rest
Of the woods are almost Inn ssable for bushes,
vines, and other growths of that nature IL Is
diHcult tO conceive how an assassin could have
lurcd his victim into such "a spot II Is more
reasonable to suppose that II the man was mur-
dered he was shot elsewhere. and then dragged
or carried to this spot and left there.
MORE CONTRADICTORY CIRCUMSTANCES.
But u the unfortunate man shot himself, It IL
clear from all the circumstances In the case that
he had previously been enticcd away from
home, secured IN some out Of the way place,
where he was drugged aud robbed, and then
after several days detention turned loose with
his mind shattered 10y the treatment he had re-
ceived, and 50 prepared to commit the dcspc-
rate deed. Aud yet To accept even this almost
impossible theory 1t Is necessary to conceive IT
q rlght-handcd man shooting himself with his
left hand, and then lying down composedly and
arranging his body in the careful and unusual
manner In which II was found. Thus We are
driven back after all 10 the finding Of the Coro-
ncr's jury and the verdict Of murder, leaving II
as one Of the darkest and most mysterious
crimes on record. IL Is case well worth the
attention Of our shrewdest detectives, whose
zeal In unrayeing it will doubtless be fully
stimulated 10y the reward offered