The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-08-27
THE SCARSDALE MYSTERY.
STRONG PnooF THAT THE UNKNOWN WAS Mu1
DERED-IMPoRTANr OMISSION AT THE IN
oYYrsr-MIssING MEN BRIN0 SOUGHT AFrrp

STRONG PRoor THAT THE UNKNOWN WAS Mun
DERED-IMPoRTANr OMISSION AT THE IN
QUEsr-MIssrNG MEN BEING SOUGHT AFrKn
Although an investigation has been set on foot b,
the Sheriff of westchester county. looking to th
Identification of the headess corpse found Scarsdat
on the 18th inst, definite cew which might lead L
that result has yet been discovered. Tho action
Coroner Purdy In not causing postmortcm examins
ton to be made OF tho remains Is being severely
commented upon throughout the county. II
argued that while tho employed u
convey the head fence and deposit
It somo yards away from tho body may
probably remain cnvelopcd in mystery there should
be no doubt to the manner in which that member
severed. This, 10 urged could have been easily
determined by almost any medical man, who would
been aDlo state TO the jury whether the head
hacked of before decomposition set in, whether
the vercbra had been simply dsjoued alter the pro-
cess of decay had denudcd It Of flesh and muscular It's
sue II tho latter hypothesis established would
tend to strengthen the theory or perhaps
suicide on tho part OF the stranger, nc
then The removal Of tho head might be reasonably
attributed animal OF tho woods, least to
other than human agency This important omission on
the part OF the Coroner will DO fully appreciated
when 1t Is stated that the writer learned yesterday
from the undertaken who buried the body thai
svc compound fracture, on the right side and
a itto back Of the ear. The undertaken benz
posiiive oil this significant circumstance, the
supposton of foul play having been the means
oil the strangers taking OF seems very lar from being
unwarranted. That the cicthing OF the deceased
not removed and kept for the purpose OF possible
Identification, instead OF being buried with the body,
also regarded in the light OF papabc oversight IL
Is truo that present the remains, which lie in tho
scarsdac burial ground, DO easily exhumcd # II
were necessary, but, In tho course OF nstura
1t cannot be great while before the pos
Ctht IAt nf iyln tha lalln
body will have passed away. That there
some men missing in the community however,
has already been demonstrated. Last Thursday two
fashionabiy dressed women called Elias Garthwait,
the Scarsdao undertaken for the purpose OF question
ing him rs TO the appearance o the unclaimed corpse.
Having stated that they were from Brooklyn, one Of
them said that her husband left home business
rand about weeks and had returned.
Tue missing she said had his person valuable
gold watch and chain, besides n not inconsderabla
sum OF money. Alter having boon shown the only
relic OF the deceased left above ground-an opcnwork
Lcshorn brown hat, with vide band OF silk ribbon 10
match-the visitors concluded that the body found at
scarsdaie was tho one which they were IN search
or Yesterday morning another well dressed woman
IRON New YORK called on the same undertaken to
quire abou the body Tnls person set forth thai
up town has been missing for the past
eight weeks. lie was sho said,
occasionally the habit OF drinking to excess, and
such times he would sccm to lose ali control over him
self not caring where he went what became Of him.
seemed unable to determine whether II belonged to
the party she was in search OF otherwise. AFTER
having the clothing found tho corpse described TO
her she stil appeared TO be in doubt remarkng that
her missing friend might have had his clothes
changed after he disappeared from her house
Ono piece OF Information worthy OF note,
however, was elected by her visit In giving de-
sription OF the friend whose identity she was anxious
to establish this person said that he had pair Of
new CATERS, Of winch had piece cut out the
SIDE owing 10 bunion on tho loot OF The wcsrer The
undertaken then told her that while tho CATERS found
the dccapitaicd corpse could not DO termed new,
one OF them had hole cut somewhat similar to that
mentioned by her She ieit SAYING mat she would
send an undertaken from New York 10 further
gaze the matter.