The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-09-23
RICHMOND coUyrY's MYSTERY.
The Corpse that was Found In Barrel In the
Staten Island Kavlne.


From its barrel coffin, buried in the wooded
hollow near Silver Lake the body Of the young
woman that was found by the lettering COW
boys a week ago had been transferred yester-
day to a neat pine box and lay in the wild wood
lot called a cemetery back OF the Richmond
County poor farm. four miles distant. This ap-
peared to be all that had been accomplished
after week OF hard work by police and Coro-
ner. Who the woman was. and where and how
she met her death remain unexplained mys-
terles.
OF the four attempts to identify the body
made respectively by friends Of Miss Katy Car
roll OF 106 Charles street. by those of Miss Mary
O'Niel Of Greenpoint. by the father Of annie
Hommel Of Saugertes and the lover oi Ellen
Murphy. the Irish servant girl. the first Two
have been entirely abandoned. Louis ltiege al
first identified Ellen Murphy. and then re-
tracted his Identification. Mr.. Hommel saw
the dead girls hair and thought it was his
daughter. but WAS not entirely, without doubt
Mr. and Mrs. SchOenfeld. with whom Annie
HOmmel lived for seven years. saw the hair
and were ready to swear that i was not hers.
As between the partial Identification by Riege
and Mr.. Homme the police officials on tho
island loan rather to the belief that the dcad
girl is Ellen Murphy ,Nota few others incline
TO the same opinion. They call attention in the
first place to the unqualified and emphatic tes-
timony OF an old physician like DR.. W9lser that
ance is absolutely impossible. Not even tho
girls own parents. the Doctor says. could know
her. Dismisslng thenotion 2l positive rccog-
milton OF the body. II is urged that the other cir
cumstanccs in the case point more clearly to
the dead womans being Ellen Murphy. The
fats are grouped as follows: Ellen Murphy
had admitted that she had been betrayed; (;
Rege had promised TO marry her and ne
Wedding had been postponed; she had told
Rege that she had talked with doctors about
her condition. and had found one willing to
perform an operation; Rlege dissuaded her
from tho rash step AT the time. an | another
wedding day was sst ior June last and the mar
rage was again postponed: Riefy went away
from her whittier she did not kIIow; she was
within month OF becommlng mother, and
WAS almost rrazed over her condition; she de-
ternned TO lnd ReRe at any cost, ami, getting
his address she went 10 Somerville with all ex-
pcdition; Riege had quit the town; Ellen knew
whore his parents lived in New York yet ac-
coriing 70 tho parents story. she did not 20 to
them. From the time. three weeks ago, when
Siie was llsronsolalely wandering INC streets OF
s9mnrvlle she has not been seen.
pIherr are other persons who believe that
TThen Ten muIpny is alive and in some asylum.
lury attempt 10 diaprOve tho assertions Of tho
0uhrr theorists by showing that the dead
woman halr was longer. darker. and finer in
texture than Ellen's and that the woman whose
1puy was found, according to the opinion Of the
Germany one, when ut the time thd barrel was
| iound Ellen had been away only two weeks
dnN i'm o MtS ~ 'n0 dhE ana GOSSIP heard yester
| stanletor t9 Clifton, the neighhorhood in which
shr IiVed. lhe dlsnppearanren Ellen Murphy
Wdn tlo oHN lHfHlo. ammo hpHiuelS sad fate
had less Interest for the Islanders for she was
unknown 10 them. Whether tho body proved
sence must be explained ia some way
Coroner Dempsey mas luln to say regarding
his Investigations. He will giVr the UOmmcls
another opportunity to identity the body bv mn
examination Of the arm, 10 see whether thcre Is
fractured bone 10 correspond with their
daughters broken arm; Should the fracture
undisturhed.
Capt Blake OF the island police is reticent rs
10 the result OF his Investigations near Totem
willie. Iio has made discoveries that enable him
10 tell pretty accurately the place whore the
crime was committed. Coroner Dempsey IL
gerties before reopening the inquest, Tho Jury
Will probably not be called together before
Tuesday or Wednesday.
MauEer's " Pointer" PIayins Cards.
Ildsxsd. rounded eornera Eieest cards made. e.-Ads.