Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1886-11-17
a Rhode ISLAND Mystery.

a Rhode Island Mystery.
Detectives are trying TO unravel the mys.
terous murder Of Emma Pearson, g young
Swedish girl of twenty, who disappeared 8
week ago, and whose dead body was found
last Saturday in dense thicket near Hills
Grove, burg near The town Of Warrick.
thirteen miles from Providence, r. [. The
girl worked in the Elizabeth mills. She
left OH & Sunday. Her departure caused
30 alarm at the time, as it was customary
for heG TO so away for the entire day Sun
day, and even the TACT that che had locked
the room where she lodged with . con-
panlon and had taken the key with her WAS
no cause for apprehension. When Hiss
Pearson did not return on Sunday night,
the landlady and the locked cGt com
panion, after sitting up till Il late hour, con
cluded that the room had better be lorcibly
opened. This was done, and everything
was found iu regular order. There were no
indications that would point 10 The missing
occupant anticipating Mat her stay away
from home would be anything but tempor-
ary. Her trunk, which was unlocked, wgs
found to contain ell Of her effects. The
mystery of her disappearance deepened as
the week advanced, and on Saturday o
number of Pontaic men and Others from
Hill's Grove, VINO were friends Of her fami-
ly, decided upon making s search for tie
body of the missing girl. \ pack OF dogs
was secured, and Monday D!oruing they
statred out on their search. The party, after
careful search III thc dense thicket,
which lies to the uCltA"srC: CT the village Of
HIPS Grove, discovered the remains 0l the
missing girl. In 9 little clump Of bushes q
young SWede from The Pontiac mills STUN
b!ed over the corpse oI Emma Pearson.
The young girl had apparently been care
fully hidden there by the unknown hand
that took her life. On. the throat, finger
marks were plainly visible, and tho nail
scratches on her inc4 went 10 show that she
did not die without u struggle. Her dress
vas tom somewhat, aud On her clothing
were some blood spots which had apparent
Jy been maGei0y the wounds that her assa!l-
ant had received from he: hands The party
soon gathered together, and the remains
were placed in q team aud taken TO Appo-
naug, where the coroner made medical ex-
animation.
Miss Pearson had beer in America for
two years. and the cause other immigration
here from Sweden was :. SAD event in her
life. She had loved ana been beloved in her
native country, the termination OF which
was her betrayal. The unfortunate young
woman then decided upon leaving the
home Of her people and that Of her falss
lover, and 10 come 20 this country. For
several years her sister had resided in
Pontiac, and with her the young girl
found p home. The victim Of the
mysterious tragedy Was g model mill hand
as far as coed behavior went. She was
modest in her deTneanor, and, above all, she
hated the opposite sex. She never allowed
herself TO receive the attentions Of any Of
the men who abound in the mill villages
around the scene of the tragedy, and she
had horror Of ell men.
The coroncr's Investigation SHOW that
the girl was not murdered ,as supposed, 10 the
thicket where her body was found, but that
she met her death in some ether locality. It
is thought she was the victim Of some would
be ravisher. IN all probability she nat her
death from etrengulation, rs the doctors
fully agreed upon concluding tie medical
examination. All the muscles in her lower
limbs were drawn up and punched, aad her
legs were doubled close up under her chin.
About the spot IN The thici;et where the
body was discovered the marks of horses
hoOts and carriage wheels are easily discern
ible, and the officers were satisfied that they
were made when the body was placed there,
and that the team was used to secrete the
corpse. When found, the body was partially
covered with leaves, showing that the mur-
derer had made efforts to cover up his fear
ful crime The face of the girl was sufiused
with blood, the finger nails were partially
broken off on one hand, the teeth were finn
~ set, and the lips were drawn wide apart.