The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1881-05-06
INQUIRIES
AS to the Death Of Miss
Jessie Shaw.
Mr.. Knox receives a number
of new letters.
The Mystery Still Unso1ved

The mystery attached to the authorship
of the letter requesting an examination OF
the remains of Miss Jessie M. Shaw, is still
as dense as ever, and although efforts have
been made to trace the letter to the author;
so far they have been in vain
| 1t will be remembered that the body of
Miss shaw was brought to this city for
interment on the 10Th day of last March.
On account of the weather the remains
were placed in vault to await the coming
of spring. On the 18th April letter was
sent from Chicago signed Garter Harri-
son." asking that the body should be
examined as it was believed that the young
| lady was in trance. The result of the
examination was that the young lady was
dead and gave no indication that she had
ever been alive after being placed in her
casket. The correspondence also incen-
depcent to the affair developed the fact
| that the signature of the letter was a
| forgery.
| DENIAL.
| a
Nierison who attended the remains from
Chicago to this city was the sender of the
epistle which created the excitement. He
was visited and stoutly denied that he
ever sent such letter or had any reason to
believe that Miss Shaw was alive after
her supposed demise. He confessed that he
was very dear friend of the deceased and
left the impression that a mutual under
standing existed between himself and the
dead girl, although they were not formally
engaged He repudiated the idea that he
would forge name to his letter when his
own signature would have accomplished
the same result.
After these enquiries had been made and
the information secured that the young
lady was actually dead it was supposed the
matter would be dropped. Such however
does not appear to be the case, as the sub
joined will prove.
MORE LETTERS.
AS might naturally be expected the diff
ferent members of the Shaw family were
deeply interested in securing the full partic
ulars of the sad affair, but the publicity
given it would give them all the informa-
ton which had been secured. The present
letters from the family and intimate friends
are not written to ascertain any news about
the author of the forged letters but are en-
ployed in seeking information as to the
actual death Of the young lady. This makes
the affair more remarkable than would
otherwise be the case, while the ignorance
displayed of the law of suspended animation
is also striking feature. If there existed
any doubts as to her death, why should
those of her friends who entertained such
feelings delay writing to this city until af-
ter a month had elapsed? is a question
which puzzles those intimate with all the
particulars.
THE REASON ASSIGNED.
Mr.. Knox, of this city, who was engaged
as the undertaken at the funeral is in re-
ceipt of four letters from different parties
in Chicago, all of which have been re-
ceived lately, making the same request as
to an examination as was contained in the
first letter received on the subject. The
latest one is signed by Mrs. J. B. Cowan.
No. 244 Wabash avenue, Chicago, and
states that the reason why the writer
thought Miss Shaw had been buried alive
was the fact that her death had been very
sudden, and her body when placed in the
casket was still warm, while the whole APP
pearance of the corpse would indicate that
life had not departed. The writer claimed
to have been well acquainted with the de-
ceased
Other letters have also been received, |
one from Mr.. Shaw, the father, |
and a sister and brother of the
dead young lady. The former ex-
pressed a decided opinion and states that
his daughter was dead without a doubt, |
while the two latter asked for information.
THEORIES.
1t is stated that the person who wrote |
the first letter may have been really i'm |
pressed with the belief that the young lady
had been buried alive He certainly had |
some interest in the dead girl, and thought |
the examination would be made with more
if some well-known name was
signed. The examination developed all
the facts stated, and now the writer is
afraid to acknowledge his connection with
the affair. That is one theory, and this is
probably the correct one, as there can be
no reason to suppose that any cause for
such belief existed, save in a disordered
brain.
The life of the young lady was not in
sured, so there is no reason to conceal any
thing in relation to her DEATH and the first
heory is the only one that can explain the
strange affair.
When the author of the letter is secured,
he mystery will be cleared up, but until
hat time there will still remain doubts as
% the motives which prompted the origi-
lal correspondence.