Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1889-01-05

PHILADELPHIA, Dee. 2S.-A party of
boys, while playing in East Paramount
park today, in the vicinity Of the new
city reservoir, found two bundles in u
section Of the new thirty.six inch water
main stored there. For curiosity's sake,
one Of the boys cut the string Of one Of
the bundles, and was Mortified when a
human head rolled out. The police au-
thOritics were at once notified, and fur
thcr investigation developed the fact that
the bundle first open also contained the
Gismembered trunk of a human body.
The other bundle on being opened, dis
trunk found in the other package.
Evidently a most horrible murder had
been committed, and the condition Of the
remains indicated the dcedha been done
within twenty-fOur hours of the finding
OF the remains. The legs had been cut
of close TO the trunk, the left one having
been cut with a sharp knife, and the bone
sawed through. The other leg was like
WIS., tlt, anu lbt bOIlC WIS luitlO CIV vi
when it was broken of.
THEY WERE ENTIRELY NUDE.
On the trunk were three shirte, the
outer one being made OF dark flannel. A
leather strap was around the waist. The
arms were not severed from the body,
but were tied in front al the wrists witha
stout cord. The head was crushed in hOr-
ribly at the back, and there were three
terrible knife wounds on the side OF the
face. The left jaw was also broken. The
body is evidently that of "A German, about
80 years OF are. Near the place where
The bundles were placed was found a
portion of a newspaper, dated December
5, the appearance of which indicatodth hat
ii had been used Tor the purpose Of wip
inC UP blood. Onthe margin OF the paper
was written in English, the writing
being evidently that of a German, the
words; "Kohler Uclab, Dooken hotel,
and right under this, Mrs. repeated
several times. A portion Of another
newspaper stained with blood was also
found. There are wagon tracks all
around the spot, but the police are Of
the opinion that they were made by
wagons hauling material used on the
reservoir. The tracks. however, appear
TO have been made by a wheelbarrow,
and those investigating the case are hope
ful that this may furnish IA clue 10 aid
them in unraveling q mystery which now
SURROUNDS TIE CRIME.
Last night a gardener living on the
border of the park near where the re-
mains were found was awakened by the
furious barking of his dogs. He seized
his revolver and ran out doors. He saw
an object moving from the direction Of
the park and hailed it. Receiving no
reply, he attempted to fire his revolver,
but the weapon would not 60 off. He
went TO the Reservoir hotel, situated at
the Columbia avcnue entrance to the
park, and told the proprietor, John Ernst.
who went out into the darkness and saw
q man walking from the direction Of the
reservoir. He called to the man TO halt,
but his command received no attention,
and the mysterious visitor to the park
disappeared in the darkness. The spot
where the CHASTITY remains were found is
a lonely one, and at this time of the year
is seldom visited by any one, and the
police therefore think the party or parties
seen by Ernst and the gardner were con
ncctcd with the crime which led to the
placing of the cut up body in the neg
lectcd portion of the park. The chief OF
detectives is working on the case, assist
ed by several of his best men, but the
clues are slight.