The New York herald., 1878-01-15
SKELETON IN A SWAMP.

A ConoNER's INVESTIGATION OF THE HORRIBLE
DISCOVERY OF LONG ISLAND HUNTER
curious crowd was assembled at the hotel OF John
Lux, at Babylon, yesterday forenoon, when Coroner
Preston aud u jury began the inquest tho body
rather the skeleton, Tor 1t little olss-iouna In
o swamp about ono mile and halt northward from
that place. In the large hall Darroom where
the inquest was held, extended the floor were the
ghastIy remains Of what had been q man, aud
near by the dry goods box in which they had been
conveyed from their resting place the thickot with
the remnants Of garments found while grouped around
the jury and further back OF them
Tho discovery made by Mr. William Seaman
OF West Islip whilo hunting Friday afternoon but
he failed to give Information Of the fact to Judge
Cooper OF Babylon. until on Saturday, when he
accompanied tho Judge to tho spot. Thor tcsti-
mony the position OF the skeleton was that 1t was
in the thIckest part Of Southards swamp, near tho
Liichled. place. 1t lay about eight feet north of
what Is known as blind path, hardly distinguishes
bic, and used only by hunters In the winter
season. the swamp in the summer beng regarded us
practically impossible. The head cast the
legs extended, with tnc feet Close together tho
by the side and left 1exed win tho ha nd
the head. All the clothing II was an nJer-
shirt OF dark merinU and u woollcn overshIrt with
porcelain buttons In brass. There trace OF
other garments, boots or shoes, aud tho strictcst
search ailed to discover any pistol, kuie, or
suicide or murder. There was no evidence that any
further attempt had beon made To conceal body ny
covering with leaves or brush Judge Cooper
the decided opinion that the had been murdc
and his body conveyed TO tho spot
THK MYSTERY.
BY actual measurement skeleton was found to be
five icet seven and hall inches length, aud IL s
supposed that IN life the man was NJ least an incn
taller. Ut. W. J. Provost, who made examinatio
OF the bones they lay, found evidence violence
There was no doubt that the bones those OF a
male OF iuil middle and that they had lain where
found at least eight aopths The vegetation OF
the swamp had grown nto tho texture oil the garments,
proving tLat the body been deposited where
IL lay me DO ore the close of the summer. The
shirts were very rotten and fell to pieces when hau-
died There was some hair on the ground under the
occiput the color ol which a ghtish brown, but
the Atmospheric influence might have made II lighter
than during lie and traces Of SIDE wniskcrs which
still Tighter than the hair, which ho
person. The cartlagn noas formation the end OF the
ribs was still pable, showing that death havo
occurred moro recently than at first supposed. The
Interesting evidence, likely 10 lead 20
tion that In relation TO the teeth Tho right
and right lateral iucsors OF the upper jaw false,
set Oh vuicanized rubber Plate. OF good workmanship
Only about onohrd OF the later Incisor ist and
& W. d. mooaDufy' surgeon aon'ist uecaou 'hAt tho
again, the ias break occurring only short pre-
vious to death. With thesc false til
ia both jaws were ali IN place. Al time during
Inquest ~ Was thought there lght DC Glow lden-
tity In the reported disappearance OF Ger rmnn farm
Iaborer named John Prnkwi,ze, but 1t was found that
hc mad been seen In tho neigbborhood as late as
last November, ard he was man Of greater
had iaso tcoth, and improbable
tnat IN his station OF hIc would
have any. There was also some talk OF a having
left East Now York last August Tor Patchoguc, aud
last seen in the vicinity OF Babylon loot, aud
of ms ireDds having advertised him as missing. The
jury, after remaining out considerable timc came
To tho conclusion that they could decide neither the
identity OF tho nan nor the manner OF his dcatn, and
rendered a verdict to that effect.
The people Of Babylon, however, generally hold
the opinion win Judge Cooper that the man, who
he was, was murdered and his body conveyed 10
the spos in Southard swamp where his bones wcro
iound. There was a story Ia circulation yesterday
that about one year ago lunatiG escaped from the
Suffolk County Asylum, and that all efforts 10 nnd
HIM nave since proved iutc. Ho lett the asylum In
almost nude state.