New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-07-14
LOCAL MISCELLANY.
AN RIcury. sEyENTH-sT. MYgNERY.

AN EIGHTY-SENENIH-Sl. mlSiEhi'
q BAIF-EaTEN BODY POUND IN ADwGlLING-hoUSh'
A Quaint looking woman, apparently apout
% wears of age took possession about five years ago. "
,he tvostory and basement brick house. No lSo EaS.
R,ghty- seyenthst, which constitutes one OF a no" "
neat and comfortable structures between Ihnu n"u
Lexington aves. She oddly attired IN Columns "
rather antiQuated pattern but Of costly ha'erH on
Gas unknown, aud her department. was m9s'oi'Ous
onopgh IN excite tho curiosity ana Wohder VI
So,anhors She was closely followed by
-, Zen or moro large wagons filled with furnl-
,nre old in STYLE though expensive and SUBSTANTIAL
Atter the strangely modelled furniture had been Trans
ferred 10 the dwelling the drivers were palo ana us
missed and the and shutters OF the house were
,nstantly closed For a day or two sound from
within was heard except what might have been caused
by the distribution and arrangement OF the household
goods which included many queer-lookinS trunks
boxes, ana barrels.
Peculiar as was the coming of.the mysterious woman
60 those who watched her habits OF life were aerwaru
found 70 be sti singular and inoomprehensipie'
She seemed TO live entirely alone IN the formerly ehecl
fu house which was transformed into SILENT gloomy
tlaee almost from the very moment her arrival she
was seldom seen by day but two or three times "eeA'
late Ia the evening when the streets were oomp@-
atyeiy deserted, she was accustomed u 4'''o
her obscure home, in stealthy nnanHoi' DC
seemed ~ those that saw her. Win snilJ
s,ghtly covered market basket, returning siteI
not shence and entering with the same stealth ana
rvic,, desire 60 escape Frequently at midnsat
abe WAS seen 10 steal forth unattended TOT iohcy
urcmepade. Visitors during tho Gay were ulhNo""'
hut after dark there often came young man VI "pou'
20 years of age, OF whom she spoke curing Hor i0
intercourse with her neighbors, as my hephe"'
,rar ;, Her visitor was occasionally accompanied by
Older sometimes gray headed, men, aud all, as was MS
avn tnvariahle habit, accustomed to remain uhtl
late IN the night
About six weeks ago, the eccentric occupant OF the
house suddenly ceased her evening walks ana her
dwelug seemed utterly deeerted. One evening ABOUT
the tse of her dsappearauoe the yOung man Byron"
called Al bis usual hour and rang the dOor-Del Ills
suunlpons being unanswered, he repeated IT,
ANA again received no response A'eI
repeated attempts TO attract the Afternoon oi
his sOcalied aunt, and receiving no repiy'
he applied to James NJ Sbeehan, lawyer who resides
n door for permission TO pass through his house, In
order to gain an entrance from the rear. MI sheehaR
having however like residents OF the vicinity De
come suspicious OF the occupant Of the house and her
visitors denied the application. The young man valnIy
urged the probability of ms aunts sickness and finally
left Mr. sheehans oitered the house until two
hours or more past midnight, when he left and has
never been seen IN the vicinity.
About two weeks ago the family of Mr. Sheehan began
70 be annoyed by unpleasant odor OF unacc0untaoe
origin Day by day il became more perceptibe, Untll
At hast sickening aud extremely offensive II was
Enaly traced 10 the house occupied by the strange
Woman and yesterday morning the lawyer sought the
Eiehtyeixth-st StatiOn-house and made complaint TO
PoIice-Captain Cherry. Detective Hughes was
promptly detailed make an investigation. Gaining
entrance 10 the suspicious house by rear window,
he was almost stihed by deathly smell
bat passing hastily through the deserted rooms on the
lower floors which seemed have been undisturbed for
Years he was the stairs by Overpowerng odOr
which increased he walked up and his guide TO
horrible sight In the rear room Of the second floor
cramped position, upon the floor lay the decomposed
body of the recluse robed in shabby calico wrapper,
the sleeves Of which partly rolled back upon the
putrd arms of corpse the last act Of its
vas one OF manual LABOR AS the detective entered the
room a swarm OF large rats scampered away in all direc-
sOns After hssty survey Of the room the detective
returned 10 the staOnhoue aud reported the discOy
cry 10 Capt Cherry.
Coroner Herman, who at once summoned, arrived
afterward, accompanied by his medical deputy,
Dr. Joseph T. Oushman, who made superficial exam
lnation of the body. The flesh had eaten com
pIetely away neck by vermin and its face
shockngy dsfgured in the manner, while in
Vulnerable msggOts could be moving in the eyeess
sockets and crawling the putrid trunk. No cyl
body was conveyed 10 the MOrgue 10 await a more
critical examination. thorough search of
she house revealed nothing indicating Grim
curious collection OF old books, Pamphlets family Dor
traits, ornaments, and musical Instruments. From a
mass deeds, insurance policies, and other docu
ments Dr. Cushman discovered that the dead woman
probably Charlotte Wilett, spnster. age So admin
traTtx of the estate of j. Sei deceased. letter was
subsequent inquiry proved 70 be an employe or partner
in hardware store at that number, but who absent
from city, ms home in Mt. Vernon, Westchester
County. Officers remain in charge OF the house, and
Coroner Herman is diligently seeking the identity OF
The deceased
NurNICIpkT TOpICc