The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-08-22
found DROWNED"
Horrible Revelations from the
Philadelphia Morgue.
ihe Corpse Of a Wealthy Pittsburger
Fished from the Schuylkill.
kOBBING THE DEAD
His Watch, Chain, Pocket
book and Papers Gone.
$1,000 Reward Offered by Afflicted
Friends.
The Ti1nepiece Found at a
Pawnbroker's.
GBOULS IN OFFICE.
A Morgue Keeper and Deputy
Coroner Involved.
1uncc's Body Taken from the Spirit Vats Of
Pennsylvania Hospital.
Alleged Burial Of the Deceased
by the Coroner.
The Ti1nepiece Found at a
PawnbrOker's.
GHOULS IN OFFICE.
A Morgue Keeper and Deputy
Coroner Involved.
1unee's Body Taken from the Spirit Vats Of
Pennsylvania Hospital.
Alleged Burial Of the Deceased
by the Coroner.
PHILADELPHIA, August 20, 1873.

by the Coroner.
PHILADELPHIA. August 20, 1873.
The unknown man found drowned at SAMSON
}treet wharf, Schuylkill yesterday morning, age
}eventy years, has dark HAIR and wore dark gray
jest and pants, white shirt and laced shoes; about
ak feet Philadelphia Public Ledger, July 4,
Thus the throbbings of human heart were
Btilled, and thus closed the last volume of human
history. After all, what was 1t? Only childish
Old man washed ashore; only furrowed face and
Afalterng frame cast up by the tide. There are so
many persons drowned nowadays that the emo
dOnal sympathies which such deaths would arouse
we're they less frequent, in this particular instance
were all unmoved. There is scarcely an hour of the
day in which some poor unfortunate is not fshed
up from the waves OF some OF principal rivers.
Brought into such frequent contact with
death in all its phases, the human heart becomes
Bhrived and the circumstances the pathos the
tragedy involved in it all too apt to be ignored
It seems to be necessary product of modern
civilization that heartstrings should be suddenly
severed, the human soul probed to It's deepest
depths by cruel and unnatural occurrences, and
that our gray haired and our loved should, in the
passing OF an hour, become lost 1t seems wholly
consistent with the progressveness OF our age
tnat man should leave his home at midday and
look upon his kinsfOlks nevermore. Would to
Heaven that all things else were cheap as human
hfe-the poor might live in castles with battle
ments made OF gold.
IAN OLD MAN-THAT's ALL.o
The man was very old, his face wrinkled, his
body crooked, his limbs stir andmaimed. No one
asked how long he had slept in the water, no one
knew or seemed to care Tor his history. To every
human soul who gazed upon him at the Morgue he
was neither friend nor foe, and as the visitors
he Ia IN fha dad ND hPi1 anf
sunshine they lett his body to be carried--they
cared not where. savant exploring the dngy
eaverns OF the earth suddenly falls across a mass
Df human bones; an adventurer penetrating within
our solemn forest shades Unexpectedly strikes his
loot against skull. and civilian wandering upon
the banks OF the Schuylki spies floating human
and drags him to the shore. From whence the
bones, the skull or the body? All. who can venture
to assert9 There he was, and that was the
most Of 1t. He lived; he suffered; he was drowned.
How, when or where, under what conditions, at
what moment, amid what scenes, were deep and
inexplicable mysteries to which circumstance fur
nished no key. His departure Was another 'emys-
FERROUS disappearancer-hs death, to those who
found him, secret whose solution an all-wise
Providence cared to withhold until the day OF judg
ment.
All at once this old mans body was carried off,
tust as his life-the public knew not how. The
world asked nothing more, and the peculiar Sig
nifcance Of the above item, at each moment OF the
Investigation but very iHperfectly comprehended,
amid the whirl and hustle of great city's uproar,
was very soon entirely lost
INQUIRIES OF THE POLICE.
By peculiar train OF circumstances, however,
great mysteries have Unexpectedly unwound them
selves, and to-day little light seems dawning
npon this The first ray penetrating the clouds
mouds itself in the form OF a telegram from the
chief OF the Pittsburg police reading as fonows:-
PITTsBuRG, July s. 1873.
Thomas Munce; insane man, six feet high sixty
ave years old, scar above right eye left here on
Wednesday for Philadelphia Detain him and tee-
graph me. All expenses Will be paid.
JOHN IRWIN, Chief OF Police.
To this despatch the following immediate answer
was returned
PHILADELPHIA, July s, 1878.
Kendall. SIX feet high, forty years old, black WINS
kers, above left eye, some what stopped Shout
W. r. Helms, Captain of Police.
Strange to say, no reply whatever was semitic
sAis telegram, and the circumstance was In a day
or two forgotten; but upon the morning Of July 81
she subject was again revived by this unusual
postal card
ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS REWARDS
The above reward will be paid ior the apprehen-
sion Of or Information leading 10 the recovery,
dead or alive, Of Thomas Munce. He Is seventy
years Old, large, spare frame, stopped shoulders,
unsteady ms, walk hair slightly gray scar on the in
ranged one OF his hands crooked. He had hunt
ang case watch ana chain number OF watch, 3,4l5,
with Thomas Muncen engraved on cap. Address
r. j. or w. J. MUNCE, Washington Washington
county, Pa.
Any one could walk upon the streets OF any city
and lay hands upon an individual answering to the
above description. Ola men are numerous and
ehey are almost always deaf There was absolutely
no clew in what at first seems to be very care
fully drawn picture. Had the postal card contained
simply this 1t would have been almost impossible
10 TAKE even the first step in the direction OF any
satisfactory conclusion. And yet there was upon
tne little piece OF paper o single sentence relating
10 watcn, which, really believe, will finally bring
oil things TO light. The placed at once into
the efficient hands Of Detectives Mears and Gallo
way, who Immediately circulated in proper places
she following printed circular. Desiring to conceal
~ far as possible all circumstances which the
recovery Of the watch would be likely to divulge,
they dated the circular upon a day long gone by:--
THE WATCH OPENS THE WAY.
Stolen, July l, 1873, one gold hunting case watch
brokers and others will please consider this notice
and send word Immediately to W. p. Mears and
william Galloway, detectives, Mayors ONCE All
advances paid II recovered.
This circular was generously distributed, but OF
itself brought back no return. The two detectives
next searched all the pawnbrokers' shops in person.
and after many dssppointments and delays, found
watch In the possession Of certain isaac COwen
who advanced money upon diamonds, &C., at the
corner Of Tenth and Parish streets. which answered
10 the description.
FIVE DOLLARS LOANED ON 1T.
Mr.. Governs story was about as f0Iows:-"0n