Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-09-04
A SKELETON IN THE THICKER,
The Supposed Remains ola
THE DISCOVERY MADE BY JAMES A. DONALD
SON WHILE CUNNING YESTERDAY.

THE DISCOVERY MADE BY JAMES A. DONALD
SON WHILE CUNNING YESTERDAY.
Yesterday, Officer Richard Jones, Of the third
precinct, reported to Lieut.. Redway that MIR.
James A. Donaldson had informed him of the
hnding of some human bones while he was gun
ming in a dense grove of timber and under
growth on the old Carroll property, about III
miles northeast of Tenleytown. Lieut. Roadway
and Officer Jones went out to investigate, and
found the bones entirely denuded of flesh.
Some clothing and the skull were lying about
ten feet from the rest of the body. The hair,
which had fallen off the skull, was of dark
brown color, soft and glossy. The remains are
between twenty-five and thirty-nve years,
but there were no signs OF violence on
The pants and vests found beside the remains
were of dark. striped goods Of fine quality. The
shirt was found about thirty yards from the
ings were found. In the vest pocket was found
q letter In German, addressed, 'Mr. Franz
Poesch. care of Mr.. Ferdinand Zahn. 10 Center
Market Square. Baltimore, Md" It was post
marked Berlin. d., go, p. M" The let
ceased In relation to family matters. 1t spoke
Ofthe death of demented brother and of the
fact not being made known to the father
The letters were much torn and soiled. A
Cleveland and Hendricks medal and a small
brush for cleaning buttons were also found.
Lieut.. Redway learned of colOred woman by
the name OF Green, living on the border of the
woods, that some weeks ago man came to her
door and asked for lodgings. She could not
accommodate him. He was very persistent,
and she went and got a shotgun, when he left,
going towards the woods where the skeleton
was found. Last night the police telegraphed
to Baltimore. The Baltimore directory was
found to have the name OF Frederick Zahn, a
saloon keeper at the number written on the
envelope.
1t will be remembered that on or about July
Ioth last coat. black derby hat, shoes and
stockings, and memorandum book, with let
tiers and papers, were found by Henry Edelin,,
body was discovered, mentioned in THE
STAR at the time. These articles were turned
over to Mr. u. w. SmOOt, OF Linden, and he
with Mr.. Baxter, Mr.. Morgan and Mr.. Lowry,
articles but failed to find it. Mr. Smoot was
prompted by some of the memoranda found to
open correspondence with party in Cations
Vile, Md, and discovered that the missing man
mad been book agent,and was in Baltimore on
the 10Th OfJune. and was dealing with Stuger Il
Co., % Park Place, New York, and that he had
vile IN Berlin, Germany. The suppOsitiOn is
that he went into the culvert to wash his hands |
and feet, and falling into the water was drown |
ed, and that in the heavy freshet in July the |
SnOot, Baxter, Morgan and Lowry i'll July |
made n thorough search, when the clothing was |
then found. to find the owner, but failed as |
stated and directed their attention to discover
Mr.. Smoot this morning identified the letters |
found yesterday as in the same handwriting as |
those previously found. |
Dr. Patterson, the coroner, this morning gave
directions to have the body brought 10 the |
health office, and he will hold an inquest to- |
morrow.
The rapid decomposition of the body during
the hot season would account for the almost |
complete denuding of the bones. The head was |
probably moved outofits place by birds.