Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1884-08-21
A mYsTERIoUs MURDER.
A Hsan's Body Found ON the Rail
road Track, with the Head

road Track, with the Head
Cleanly Severed.
special Correspondence OF Gazette and Journal
| NIDDLRTowE, Aug. IS For the past
fur weeks the JOURNALS aiddletowI
correspondent has been called OH each
| Sunday TO investigate and report aoms
murder or mysterious death. The work
OF yesterday was . sad affair and involves
more mystery than any Of the previous
cases.
Two tramps travelling southwark on
the Delaware railroad discovered the
lifeless form OF fellow tramI lying at
Willow Bridge, "a miles north Of this
town. They reported the affair to parties
living at Armstrong; Corner, about 10
O'Clock In the morning. The neighbors
went to view the body, but the trsmps
did mot larry, saying as they left that
they Just saw the dead man
lying by the roadside and knew
nothing more OF the affair These men
| (tramps) came on to this town and related
part Of the affair to some other tramps
camping near ST. Anne's. Neither did
these men stop here long, but went on
toward Clayton. Some Of the tramps
have been interviewed and all made q
different statement.
By some ones neglect the coroner was
not notified until p. m, and then by your
correspondent.
The latter cannot say that this man
found at Willow Bridge was killed by a
passing train, from the fact that the evil
denoe Ia directly to the contrary. Having
thoroughly examined the ground and
track, besides closely questioning several
parties, II is my opinion that he
was murdered. The trunk lay on
the west side Of the track,
the shoulders Of the man were close
against the west rail, whilst the head lay
In hole between the rails few feet
south. Near the head lay hat, - Derby.
The rail was examined but no trace Of
blood was found to show that car wheels
had passed over the neck the head is
clearly cut from the body and shows no
signs Of being mangled. A stream
OF blood was traced from the trunk to
ledge in the masonry Of the bridge there
forming siokening pool. The head was
closely examined. On the forehead is q
out Of three inches, while on the back
part is found an indsnture such as q
blunt instrument would inflct. The
fiEut byo bootub w hhVo bo0h uhlNou uhDh
by severe blow.
The position In which the corpse was
fourd is quite evidence enough that he
was not killed by any Of the trains going
north Saturday night, as the force Of the
engine would have thrown the head
toward the north instead Of south. Be.
sides II is next to impossible for an engi.
neer TO fail to see the form Of . man in so
clear place as this.
A man by the name Of Stanley, living
at Armstrong;, says he examined the
dead mans pockets during the morning,
hoping to find something by which to
identity him. The only thing found was
an old comb, on which the name OF W. ].
Newman was scratched with some shs p
pointed instrument like a needle or pin.
This comb WAS replaced. The pockets
look as II they had been rifed.
Tramps have been camping near this
bridge all the season, and as they all
suddenly disappeared before the dis
oovery was made 1t is believed the nan
was murdered and put there to shiald
them from suspicion. The dead mare
hands show that he had been working,
and it Is thought he had earned some
money for which he was murdered.
The man is about feet 8 inches In
hight with fair hair and sandy mustsche.
he was about 80 years old and would
weigh 1856 pounds. The beard on his
face shows tnss he was shaved about one
week ago.
The superintendent Of Sellers drying
house, this town, says the man resembles
one who applied 10 him for work on Sat.
urday morning.
The remains were put in freight car
at Armstrong; by the section hands, last
night, and will be viewed by the coroner
this morning.
The man was dressed rather better
than tramps usually are and had good
faoa