National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-05-26
SUICIDE OR MURDER? ,
Finding Of Mary Neibols Body Aaoat With a
Cash in the Head.
She Was Not Drowned, But How She
Died is u Mystory.

The dead body of white woman floating
in the canal, near the Aqueduct bridge
attracted the attention of tho men on two
passing canal boats shortly after 10 o'clock
Saturday morning. The men notified Mr..
William II. Tenney, who keeps q mill near
by, and that gentleman had the remains
brought ashore. A deep cash on tho woman's
forehead, from which blood was oozing, led
the idle throng that had assembled about the
CHASTITY object to believe that the
waters had givon up tho victim of
some mysterious tragedy. The remains
wero identified at night as those of Mrs.
Mary Neibel, a German woman, who had
disappeared from her homo, No. 707 Four
and-a-half street southwest, last Thursday
morning. The inquest of the coroners jury
yesterday forenoon does not clear up the
mystery. Their verdict was that "she came
to her death from blow on tho head from
some cause unknown to the jury" Many
people believe that she was attacked on the
Aqueduct bridge while crossing toward
the city late Thursday night, aud was
knocked down and afterward thrown
over into the river. Others think that
she wandered away while in de-
mented condition and sprang over the wound
being caused by striking her head on one of
the bridge abutments At any rate, the police
suspect foul play and will make full investi.
cation.
The Neibel family, consisting of father,
mother, and two children, reside AZ 707 Four
and-a-half street. whore they keep small
variety store. The place was shrouded in
gloom when y REPUBLICAN reporter entered
yesterday afternoon, and q long piece of
black Grape hung from the knob of the front
door. The father aud mother of
the dead woman were both in the
house. Thoy told the reporter
that the deceased was 30 years of age, and
was born at Greiiswald, Prussia. She had
acted in q very strange manner for tho past
few months on account Of the deformed con-
dtion of her infant. Before the child was
born deformod colored man came into her
store and stood up before her for some time.
When the child was born IL was doformed in
similar manner. She grieved very much
about tho unfortunate circumstance, and
would never take the child out ON tho street
on account OF its condition. When she
loft home Thursday morning she
said to hor husband: 81 am going to the
meat store to got some meat" She did not
return in reasonable time, and the husband
went out and searched for her. He found
that she had bought some morphine ut the
drugstore, and had then gone to tho Long
bridge and crossed over. Ho was unable to
trace her, and notified the police of her dis
appearance. He did not SEQ her again unit
Lees undertaking establishment.
Mrs. Neibel was a rather prepossessing
looking woman, with light complexion, red
dish blonde hair, and of middle height.
When found she had on drab dress. trimmed
with black silk. In the pockets of the dress
were found small looking-g glass, n razor, and
handkerchief with u scent piece tied up
in one corner.
The inquest was held at IL o'clock yester-
day morning ut the Georgetown police
station. The jury consisted of Messrs. Henry
w. Brewer, John A. Darne, j. Thomas Pro-
hey, j. 5. Bosworth. Randolph UImer. and
Thomas Knowles.
August Neibel, husband of the dead woman.
was the first witness sworn. He had identified
the remains as his wife, Mary Neibe. She
left home between and 10 o'clock Thursday
morning. The witness then told of the
deformed child and of tho mothers worry
about it. When she left homo Thursday she
said she was going to the store to get some
meat. Witness asked her to dress the baby
and take it out with her She refused because
the infant was deiormed, and went
away without saying anything to
witness, except that she was going
to the meat store. A while later
DIR. Hazen came to tho house and said
that Mrs Neibel had got some morphine from
the drug store without an order from him.
Witness went out to look for her. and was
informed by the man who keeps u soda foun-
tain at the Long bridge that he had seen her
go over the bridge. Witness tried to trace
her. but to no purpose.
Tho soda water man was shown photo.
graph of Mrs Neibel and recognized it as the
picture Of the woman he had seen 20 on the
bridge.
DIR. Hartigan testified that he examined
the body and found lacorated wound of the
forehead, and under ii u fracture of the skull
The cut of the scalp was irregular Longitude.
nal, and about an inch and half long There
were also blood clots on tho brain. Ho did
not find other marks of violence. There
were no evidences of drowning and the
woman was either unconscious from blow
or she was dead before she got in the water
The wound might have been produced by
striking against some projecting point while
the body was falling.
Robert b. Tenny testified that no was in
formed by one of his men that there was q
man in the water. i went out and saw the
body and pulled it out. When first got the
woman out of the water, bright crimson
blood was oozing from the wound Her face
was under the water"
After a few moments elaboration the
jury rendered verdict that MARY Neibel
died from blow on the head from some
cause unknown TO the jury"
The police think that Mrs. Neibel wandered
across the Long bridge and went up on the
other side of the river to the Aqueduct bridge
and that the affair took place while she was
crossing back to the city. An old colored
man named Harrison Jones found white
straw hat floating in tho canal on Thursday
night. The hat was trimmed with black
velvet and had u large black feather on It.
This fixes the time of tho occurrence as
Thursday night The funeral will take place
from the late residence OF deceased this
afternoon.