The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-06-24
STRANGER THAN FICTION.
a suicide Unidentified for a Month
Proves to Be a Wealthy Man.

~ONoS 70 De q w Oalb1Y Man.
PHILADELPHIA, June 22.--In a most un-
expected manner the mystery surrounding
tne disappearance of Henry Riley, who left
MS home under circumstances indicating
Ioul play, was cleared yesterday. Riley
ilved at 7l5 Alaska street, and on May 21 he
urew SIO0 from bank and nothing further
was heard or seen of him. The matter was
reported to Chief of Detectives Wood May
10, ana since that time the police have
been trying to find the man.
On the morning of May % an unknown
man nailed number of stevedores on the
wharf at the foot of Laurel street. Della
ware river, and asked them to drink with
him. AS the stranger was partially intoxi-
GATED the laborerS refused TO have anyUhing
70 90 with him, and he walked into neigh
oorlng saloon. Sho -tly after he was seen
running down Delaware avenue with a
large knife in his hand. The fellow was
evidently maddened by drink, aud made
several vicious thrusts at persons in his
road. Naturally no one cared to stop his
mad course, and when he ran to the end of
tne pier he was allowed to divest himself of
his hat and coat and jump overheard.
As the man still held the knife in his
hand the persons who witnessed the act did
not care to Jeopardize their lives by at
tempting to rescue him, but after the sui
clue had sunk from view an effort was
made to recover the body. Five or six
hours later, when the corpse was brought
TO the surface, the clothing was searched
and considerable amount of money was
found, together with silver watch. which.
slngularly enough, was still running. On
May "A, or one day before Riley,s disap-
pearance had been reported to the authori-
ties, an inquest was held in the case Of the
unknown suicide and a verdict was rendered
according to the circumstances.
The body was buried by the coroner's
undertaken in the potter's field and nothing
further was thought about the matter until
Thursday. when Mrs. Riley called on Coro-
ner Ashbridge. She said man who lived
opposite to her had just been discharged
from the Philadelphia hospital. and while
there had heard a story from one OF the
inmates which led her to believe that the
corpse in the unmarked grave was that of
her husband. Her informant had said he
had baen talking with the hospital patient.
whom he knew as Mike, and this man had
incidentally mentioned the fact of the Iau-
rel street drowning. The neighbors knew
Riley was missing, and when he left the
institution he told the wife of the occur
renee.
The coroner supplied her with descrip-
tlon OF the self-murderer, and yesterday
the body was exhumed. Mrs. Riley recoG
nized it in a glance and gave instructions
to have the remains removed to another
burying place. In the meantime Coroner
Ashbridge had instituted inquiries, being
somewhat chary about awarding the posses
sion of the body to the woman, as Riley had
left large bank account, but when he
learned that her story was true he at once
issued an order to her. Mrs Riley subse-
quently told the coroner that she would
buy a lot in the cemetery SO that her hus-
band could be buried respectfully, and in a
day or two she will make an application for
his money. which is said to amount to about
$4,000,