The daily gazette., 1881-08-18
rnE DELAwAHE oHrx Brown.
Il - ING.
The Relatives OF George Wall, the
Drowned Man, Suspicion Foul

The Relatives OF George Wall, the
Drowned Man, Suspicion Foul
Play.
In relation to the recent drowning
Of George Wall, of Philadelphia
which was duly reported in the GA
zETTE, the Philadelphia Epening
Telegraph says:
On Wednesday night, at the time
of the disappearance Of Wall from
the skiff IN which he and his COM
panion, VIM. Krause, sailed down
from Philadelphia, the two men were
on the Delaware, near Delaware City
and on Thursday morning the re-
mains of the missing man were found
in a small tributary to the Cheas-
peake and Delaware canal, about
two miles from the point where his
boat had been mooi ed. There were
some marks in the head but no at
tentlon was paid to them, as it was
thought they had been made by nib
bling fish. The relatives of the de-
ceased were not satisfied with the
meagre details that they were able
to obtain Of the circumstances of his
death, and on Monday two OF his
brothers started fol Delaware City.
The first singular feature of the
case that attracted their attention
was that the young man should have
been drowned in two or three feet of
water. Then a barber named Charles
Smith, who had dealt with Wallis
former, employe aroused their sus-
picion by saying, "When you look at
his body examine the back of his
head, and see If there are not some
scars there"
This was done; and in addition to
two holes, about one-eighth of an inch
In diameter In the neck, and one in the
forehead. the skull appeared to be
confused and crushed.
The authorities were asked for per-
mission to remove the remains to this
city, and after an understanding that
this would be obtained, the Mayor
of Delaware City appeared and said
that it could not be done until Novem-
ber.
Krause returned to this city, but
did not visit Wallis relatives until
Saturday when he expressed the no
tion that his former associate had wan
dered off and been locked up for in
toxication.
Mrs. Hooker, residing at No. 61O
North Front street, a sister of the de-
ceased, said this afternoon, "There
has been foul play in this matter, but
we haven't as yet been able 10 trace it.
The idea that my brother had mania
a p0tu and fell overheard is nonsense.
We are going down to Delaware City
again on Monday or Tuesday, and il
necessary have the body taken from the
Potter's field, and an examination
made by physician"
The intercession of Coroner Janney
has been asked for in the case, but as
1t would be out of his jurisdiction even
If the remains were brought here, he
could do nothing more than give ad
vice TO the dead mans relatives. Wall
was thirty years Of age, and resided at
No. 607 New Market street.
The Philadelphia Times, of this m orn-
ing. also has long article in relation
to Wallis death, from which the fol-
lowing is an extract :-"Monday
morning Edward and Harry Wall, the
brothers, and William Krause went
down to Delaware City. They found
the body already buried. They tell a
horrible story and one which reflects
no credit upon the Delaware City au.
thorities, about the place and mann ,r
in which they found the body. 1t was
buried in marsh alongside the Della
ware Canal, in rough box, full OF
holes, and when opened the body was
found floating, the box being half full
Of blood and water. The right side of
the skull was crushed In as if With a
heavy instrument. A small, round
hole, large enough to insert a lead
pencil was found directly between the
eyes at the base of the forehead. In
spite of these marks Delaw are City
jury had simply returned verdict of
found drowned and the body had
been thus hustled into the rough box
and bvried in the marsh. The broth
ers at once procured decent box
from the undertaken and had the body
transferred TO it and brought to the
wharf, with the intention OF bringing
1t up the river. Through delay in get.
ting the necessary Coroner's certificate
however, they were unable to bring it
up on the boat that evening, and by
the next day decom position had SO far
advanced that the other boats refused
to take it and the Mayor of Delaware
City informed the brothers that unless
they buried it at once he would take
the matter in hand himself.
Thus impelled the keeper of the draw
bridge gave lot for the grave, which
the brothers were obliged to dig them
selves, and the remains were reinterred
In the Delaware City graveyard. Their
theory Is that Wall applied. to some
house for food and was shot as an In
truder and his body dragged to and
thrown into the canal.
OPINION OF THE CORONER AND JURY.
When Coroner Weldin and DR.. Ogle
arrived in Delaware City last Sunday
morning, to hold an inquest, they
found the body in the locks, 1t having
been towed from the place where first
found by Frank Dunlap. People
around Delaware City, and in fact
nearly all the members of the jury
were so well satisfied from circum-
stances coming under their personal
examination that the case was one of
ordinary drowning, that DR.. Ogle was
not called upon to make an examina-
tion of the body. 1t was known to
the jury, from Occular demonstration