The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-08-10
PRICE TWO CENTS
A MYSTERIOUS MURDER.
fHE YICTIM'S SKULL CRUSHED BY
An ASSASSIN,S CLUB.
The Corpse OF NeatIy-Dressed Woman,
Bearing Traces Of Foul Play, Found Float
Ing on staten Island, Near stn pIeton.

Bearing Traces Of Foul Play, Found Float
ing on staten Island. Near stnpiston.
At about half past 7 o'clock, yesterday
morning, the body OF woman OF refined and
aristocratio appearance, and about IS years OF
age. was found floating in the water opposite
the American dock, at Tompkinsville, 3. /. It
had been In the water but very few hours. was
not at all dlscolored and there are serious rea-
sons for the belief that the lady was tho victim
Of an atroclously brutal murder. Tho body lies
packed in Ice, is thoroughly frozen and pre-
sents q perfectly lfe-like appearance; the face
Is calm, almost smiling, there is no trace of SUI.
ferlng, and It looks as n she were asleep. but
across the back Of the head there 10 q
deep cash, extending from ear to ear, pen.
etrating to and crushing the skull. when
iounu, her arms were extended and
curved as II for an embrace. She had dark
brown hair, with a slight scar Immediately in
front Of the parting full features, and double
chin. She bad also a small mole on the right
side OF the face another on tho nose, and an-
other on the chin. She was dressed 10 stripsd
calico sack, a new black alpaca dress, bsimSrsi
petticoat, black and brown striped stockings,
si ana new praneiia % CATERS, Ieather.tipped and
BIRTH and nu nbcr OF persons who have Viewed
the body think they remember having seen tho
TO staten Island. She wore also a gold chain
about her neck; and hsd two gold rings on her
ntt DOTo Idlnt hiCe3
OF the perfume OF musk. In her
dress pocket was found q pocketbook
containing two hfty-cent currency notes, two
cents, and a brass key. Commissioner Demp-
sew OF New Brighton held an inquest, and tha
verdict rendered was "Came to her death by
drowning, or scme other cause unknown TO the
jury" Deputy Coroner Mich iel D ties, who hls
had much experience in cIses Of death by vio-
lence, Is emphatic In his opinion that this poor
woman was the victim OF foul play. He
thinks she was struck head with a
club. but no tknocked quite inscnsible, that hei
nlurderers then threw her from boat, and that
she made heroic efforts to cling to them and
save her life, this he thinks accounts fot
the position her arms were In when she was
found. Ex-Assem olyman N. ]. Wystn, expresses
himself as OF their same opinion 1t l. affirmed
BY the watermen Of Staten Island that
drowned women always float on
their backs, aud men on their faces.
That fact they cay, completely oontrsdicts the
theory advanced by a few, that the crushing In
Of the woman's skull might have
been effected bv passing staam-
initiate against that supposition. When taken
out OF the water, part of her underclothing was
found 70 be unfas'ened and disarranged, and
this easily AFFORDS theory for the possible
reasons for the CRIME. stapleton is in a
state Of gre It excitement, and no effort will be
spared to attain the identinc ,tion OF the muir
dered woman and the discovery of her assas-
sins. The body will be kept for ten days at the
establishment Of the undertaken and Deputy
Coroner Oates, at Stapleton, for identihcatiop.