Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-04-01
VAST MRS. WALKER?
PART OF A HUMAN BODY FOUND IN
JAMES RIVER.
Mrs. white Fails to Recognize the Shoes
a. Those Of Her Missing
Mother

After the lapse oil moro than thirteen
months il seems probable, or at least
possible, that the mystery surrounding
the disappearance OF Mrs. Sarah A.
Walker is about to be solved.
Mrs. Walker lived with her daughter,
Mrs. George W. White, at No. Oh Tulip
street. Union Hill. On the night OF
February II, 1887, about IL or o'clock,
she got mp end told her daughter that
she was going down into the yard or
down stairs She went out of the house,
and OF her fate since nothing has ever
been known.
Mrs. Walker lived happily with her
daughter and with her sonin-law, both
of whom we're ever kind to her, and
there existed no reason that has ever
come to light why any one should desire
to take Der life, or why she should desire
TO destroy herself
Many theories we're advanced, the
most popular one OF which was that she
met her death by drowning. Although
there were never any indications to lead
to this belief, many there we're who ad-
hered to it, and from the latest develop
ments it seems that they are right.
WHOSE BODY?
On Friday morning q son Of Squire
Pearman (colored), of Henrico, while out
on the river in boat just below Dutch
Gap, discovered pair of shoes sticking
out of the water. He rowed the
boat to where the shoes were,
and was about to pull them into
the boat when, greatly to his horror
and establishment, he found that they
were on human feet. He reported the
fact to Mr.. John Mosely, who went out
and brought to the shore the lower por
ton of the body OF white female. On
the feet were pair OF fox-gaiter shoes
and small portions OF machine knit
white stockings. A small piece of dress
or skirt of gray material was also found,
and in one Of the shoes there was a
thickly-folded paper which appeared to
be an advertising pamphlet of an i'm
proved mower.
Squire Pearman, when informed OF
the facts, held an inquest over the re-
mains, but the jury was unable to find
any clue to whose they were.
Mr.. Mosely came to the city yesterday
morning and mentioned the circumstance
TO Nh Barney Frischkorn, who, suspect
ing that the remains were those OF Mrs.
Walker. telephoned to Police-Justice
Richardson.
Mr. G.. w. White, son-in-law OF Mrs.
Walker, was then sent for, and met JUS
tice Richardson at the County court
house, where Squire Pearman soon ar
rived with the shoes.
Mr.. White WAS unable to identify the
shoes as those worn by Mrs. Walker.
He thought his mother-in-law wore shoes
of different style. He took them home,
however, for his wife to examine.
NOT HER MOTHERS SHOES.
A Dispatch reporter saw Mrs. White
last night at her residence, on Tulip
street. When asked if the shoes were
those worn by her mother Mrs. White
said:
"No, sir. 1 am certain they are not,
unless she made change after she left
my house, for she never wore shoes with
cloth uppers like those found. She was
a sufferer from rheumatism, often had
her ankles swollen, and always wore
leather shoes that would support her
ankles"
"What sized shoes did your mother
wear ?"
"That cannot say. She was about
medium height, very thin, and had small
feet. / think No. 3 shoes fitted her,
but she always wore hers half or full
size too large on account OF her feet
swelling"
"Don't you think the shoes found are
about the size OF those worn by your
mother ?"
eyes they are, except that they are
rather broad. But am positively GER
tain that mother never wore any cloth-top
shoes"
THE DRESS CORRESPONDS.
"What kind of a dress did your
mother wear? ?"
"I really do not know whether she
wore any dress at all when she left her
room. She had been fast asleep and
snoring Just few minutes before, and /
think it doubtful whether she had time
to dress. The only one of her dresses
missed after her disappearance was one
OF gray material. This was an old one
which she was fixing up the day before
she left, and which she had not com
pleted."
Mrs. White was not aware of the fact !
that the piece of goods found correspond
ed with the dress which her mother took |
away with her. She expressed a desire
to see piece of the goods, as she would |
be able to identify it.
Mrs. White has been in a state OF
almost unbearable suspense for long
time, and saws it would be great relief |
to know positively what became OF her
beloved mother.
A PLAUSIBLE THEORY.
Justice Richardson was seen at his !
corner of Twenty-seventh and |
NJ streets, but said he knew very little
more than has been told above. He has
always held to the theory OF suicide by |
drowning, and is firmly convinced |
that the remains found are those |
Of Mrs. Walker. He thinks she,
like so many aged ladies, became de-
spondent and melancholy and walked |
down to the river and jumped in. He |
regards it probable that the body was
held in the sand until recently, and then
by degrees this portion of it was washed |
down the stream.
The portion of the body found was in
A comparatively good state of preserva-
ton, but much of the flesh pulled off OF |
The feet and remained in the shoes.
PERSONAL.
Mrs. Walker was born in October, 1910,
Ind if living would now be seventy-seven
years old.
MIR. Mosely made careful examina-
ion of the portion of the body found,
md is satisfied that it was that of an
lged lady.
The question now arises, eff this is
,ot Mrs Walker's hOdy whose is IL 2h