Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1886-08-12

day yesterday groups OF men were 10 DC seen
standing on the street corners talking it over
and each one advancing theory of his own.
Yesterday morning Coroner Mix went to
Wallingford, and with Constable Rod. Aus
tin of the latter place, proceeded in a team to
Cheshire and from there to the scene of the
tragedy where some information was picked
up, bat which neither the coroner or Con-
stable Austin would reveal. The coroner
took the 4:2O train back to this city and when
seen by COURIER reporter on the depot
platform at Wallingford before the train left
he said: ''There is really nothing new in the
case that can at present tell you; but that
the body had been in that box for between
ten days and two weeks 1 am pretty sure, and
it was perhaps there for much longer
t tIme that hardy y Is cling the to bd shs
of Charles Hall, of this place, but think it
more likely to be the body of Cooley as there
would be good motive for putting him out
of the way for the money which he was
known to have had, and it is not certain that
he has been seen. 1 have discovered moth
ing about the box in the way of cloth or
gave a start and began feeling in his pockets
if he missed something, and presently he
seemed to recollect and turning to Austin,
said: "Rod, 1 forgot that package and left
it on your desk, and l wish you would bring
it down in the morning." When questioned
as to what were the contents of the bundle
the coroner refused to state, and after whls-
peaing something in the constable's ear, he
took the train for this city. The
COURIER reporter then questioned Constable
Austin as to what had been done during the
day, but ne was very silent and put the re-
porter off by saying that he had an engage
ment and would see him later, A trip to
Constable Austin's, Office, which is a one
story shanty on the main street, revealed
nothing OF particular Importance. The door
was securely locked, but the rear windows
were opened, and on table, where it could
be easily reached from the window, was the
mysterious package which Coroner Mix ap-
peared to prize SO highly. 1t was package
about five inches long and three inches wide,
the contents of which were securely done up
in piece of newspaper and tied securely
with piece of English Irvine. To the touch
which felt very much like
the coroner has discovered a clue by finding
some of the remnants of clothing near the
scene of the tragedy, although it may be
only samples of tarred paper similar to that
in which the body was packed. 1t was after
6 o'clock last evening when Constable Aus
tin reached his Office, and as he entered the
latter he quickly picked up the mysterious
package and put it in his drawer before the
half dozen newspaper men were inside the
Office. The constable admitted that they
had obtained some useful information, but
refused to state what it was or what was in
the package, although he did not deny that in
the package was sample of tarred paper and
something else In an alley next to Con-
stable Austin's Office were pieces of the
box in which the body was found, and these
covered with dried blood as they were,
which attracted the flies, were viewed by
hundreds of people during the day, who
looked but a minute and then turned away
almost sickened from the horrible stencil
which arose from them. Late yesterday af-
ternoon a story was spread to the effect that
askull with the flesh entirely decayed off
had been found in the swamp near where
the body was found, but this story when
sifted to the bottom was found to be a can
tive persons on one of the street corners.
That the body is either that of Charles
Hall or young Cooley is the theory which
seems to be held to by the Waliing-
ford people. Constable Austin laughs at
the idea that it is Hall, and states
that he is we'll out of the State and it is no
more his body than the constable's. Some
of the other people don't think thesame way,
however, and advance this theory: Charley
Hall is the worst case in Wallingford and the
officers are looking after him personally for
several crooked acts, and about two weeks
ago the authorities raided a house of ILL
repute near Meriden, having a strong suspi-
cion that Hall was there, but they did not
find him. He is wanted for having set fire
to several Wallingford buildings, and in all
probability there are several Wallingford
citizens who were also interested with him in
these fires. Now, continued the gentleman
who was talking, these men interested In
these fires would have one of the best mo.
tives in the world to get rid of
Hall. They knew that he would SOON
er or later get caught, and thinking
he then might turn States evidence to save
himself and thereby send some of them to
State prison they decided to get rid of
him, and knowing where he was they in
duced him to go to slaughter house near
Yalesville where he was murdered, and his
body after being packed in the shoe box was
placed where it was found in the woods. |
This theory, although very improbable, is
not without its weight and many people in
advanced it as good one.
On the other hand the Cody theory which
is also good one, deserves due considera-
ton. The man who says he saw Cooley
some days ago cannot be found. Neither
can Cooley. The man Cooley left his home
six weeks ago. Being man used to going |
away for a week or two he was not missed |
until about three weeks ago.
The box had been in the swamp at least ten |
days before last Sunday, for week ago last |
boy named Maschmeyer, bright |
lad living in Yalesville, saw it in the iden- |
teal spot in which Terrell found it, and as
the coroner cannot account for the box for |
the last four weeks, although he can before |
that he was huckleberrying when he came
across the box. It smelled badly and he !
irst thought it was rabbit trap in which |
rabbit had got caught. He found a lot of |
,edar boughs on the box and threw them off. |
He essayed to lift the box but could not. He |
vas anxious to ascertain the contents, and 1
IS he had no tools to open it he went home,
to come again at the first |
and investigate. When he
vent home he told several persons of his
discovery and all the circumstances con-
lected Herewith. When this story was in
it was shown that Maschmeyer
lad told at least eight persons in Yalesville
bout the box, and DR.. Russell, of the latter
lace, believes the story to be true. When
n investigating committee, consisting OF
lawyer S. D. Hall, Detective Mcnamara and
thief Ford of Meriden, visited the scene of
he tragedy on Monday they discovered three
'oung people in the bushes not far from the
Gene of the finding of the box. There was
young lady and two boys. The investi
rating party came across several cedar boughs
With the foliage intact, but when they picked
hem up the foliage dropped off with age.
)ne of the urchins near by said that
he boughs were the ones that
Aaschmeyer had taken from the box.
The cedar boughs were picked up and then
he party hunted for the limbs from which
hey had been cut. About two rods from
he spot where the box was found stands a
edar tree and about the same distance away
N the opposite side of the place where the
,ox was is another tree of the same kind. A
areful inspection of these trees showed
plainly that branches had been cut off. The |
coughs were picked up and were found to fit |
xactly with the stumps left on the trees.
he cuts in every instance had been made
y very sharp knife, and all
he cuts matched perfectly. When
rst cut the boughs with their TO
iage would be ample covering for the box.
these boughs have been carefully preserved
nd the stumps from which they were cut
lso taken. Cut made on the boughs last
londav are just as fresh this morning, ap-
'arently as cut just made would be, and
experienced woodsmen state that the boughs |
ound on the box are all of three weeks or a
Month old.
Detective McNamara, who is working up
be case, thinks the body is that of Cooley.
Ie has ascertained that Cooley drew his
1 500 pension money and was last seen on
be road leading from Cheshire to Yalesville, |
vidently going to Yalesville, this being
bout five weeks ago. The theory in this
ase also is that the man was induced to go
o the slaughter house by some man and was
here butchered, after which he was cut up |
nd packed into the box and taken to the
7oods. This mystery, however, is growing
aore and more interesting every day, and it
/ expected that some startling DEVELOPMENTS |