Morning journal and courier., 1885-07-06
PICKED uPrN THE STREET.
rhe Corpse ef Wealthy nhan Found
 With . Revolver Flying seside.

The Corpse of a Wealthy nMan Found
 With Revolver Lytng Reside.
 PITTsEmLD, Mass, July 5.--The dead body of George Dunbar, one of Pittsfelds wealth. fest and best known citizens, for many years superintendent of the Pittsfeld Gas compa- ny, was found in the street near the gas house about 10:30 last evening lying face down. The left eye was blackened and bruised and a pistol ball had penetrated the skull at the base of the brain and gone through the head, appearing in lump over the left eye. Beside the body was thirty two calibre ''Defender" revolver with five chambers. Two chambers were occupied by cartridges, of which had been exploded. To the handle of the pistol was tied piece of twine fifty feet long. This twine ran alongside the road to Q point near the gate to the gasworks where the other end was reached lying in the grass unattached. In Dunbar's pockets were his silver watch and a bunch of keys. Two pocketbooks, one the property of the gas company, the other his personal wallet, were missing. In an outer pocket were three loaded cartridges of the pattern used in the revolver. The body was quite warm and blood was oozing from the head. The medical examiner says that death oc-
  before the body was discovered. The corpse was removed to the victims 1 ouse. Mrs. Dunbar and her four children were paralyzed by the shock and sympathizing neighbors spent the night with her in mourning. This morning an autopsy was held by the medical examiner and he said that death due to murder. The bullet hole in the head could not be self inflicted unless the hair or flesh had been scorched, which was not the case. His theory is that Dunbar was knocked down as evidenced by the dis colored eye and then shot while lying face downward. The presence of the long piece of twine is a mystery to all, and no one can advance any possible explanation for it's con tinued or actual use. The evident object of the murder was robbery. It is thought that the culprit secured about $400 in cash, Dunbar having for some years collecte the quarterly rent of the company and had just begun the gathering of the dues of July 1. There is no clue to the author of the tragedy. Dunbar had no known enemies and pleasant domestic and business relations with his well invested property render the suicidal theory untenable. He often carried large sums of money, but never revolver. He had twice told the police that he had been followed by strange men recently. A neigh bor of the Dunbars states that he saw two strangers prowling about their house last night at nine o'clock The entire detective and police force of the county and many citizens are hunting for the murderers. The select men have offered $500 reward for their rest. The scene of the tragedy was visited to-day by hundreds
 Dunbar was forty-eight years old; had al ways lived in Pittsfield and had been super intendent of the gas company since 1862 He was born mechanic and had invented several useful appliances. One of the best known was device for lighting street lamps and at the same time winding clock which allowed the lamp to burn Il certain number of hours and then extinguish es 1t, patented ten years ago, and brought ifs inventor handsome income. The territorial right for New York State alone sold for $i0,- 900. His investments brought him com potency and of late years this sum has been largely increased by operations in stocks. HiH life was insured for $63, ,000, $5, 900 having been added within three months,
 A portion of Dunbaf's life insurance was placed hs follows: New York Life, $10000; Masaachusetts Benefit $10.000; Berkshire Life, $10, ,000; Pennsylvania Mutual, $10,0O0, Massachusetts Benefit $6,000. The balance is divided among the Odd Fellows, Knights of Honor and other secret societies. This af- ternoon the directors of the gas company met and offered an additional reward of $500 for the detection of the criminals.