St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-11-09
BODY |NABARREL
First Result Of the CHASTITY
Discovery Of Lake Jo-
hanna.
ga Traitor" Found Engraved
on the Improvised Cof-
fms Top.
Dismembeped and MutiIate6
Remains Wedged in a Tar
Barrel.
Hatchet and Saw Had Done
Their Work on the Rot
ting CorSe.
A Mystery That HAY Yet Rival
Chicago's Big Sensa-
ton.
Story That the Body Is That
Of Young Kemper, of Vir-
ginia.
ga traitoriv

pine slab, were thrust upon Coroner
Quinn and his assistants at Lake Jo-
hanna yesterday afternoon in most
startling manner. The GLOBE yester-
day morning gave the details of a
ghastly find on the west shore of pictur-
esque Lake Johanna. by Theodore De-
laneY, young hunter and trapper, who
lives at $50 Eighteenth avenue north
east, Minneapolis. The matter was re-
ported to Coroner Quinn through the
police of Minneapolis and st.
Paul, but when he visited the
lake Thursday morning. he failed
in finding the spot designated by the
young hunter. Delaney came to st.
Paul Yesterday morning aud accom-
panied the coroner to the lake. Arrived
at point on the west shore of the lake,
not far distant from the farm residence
of Patrick Powers or the district school
house, and about four rods from the
main travelled road, they saw what De-
laney had reported to the Minneapolis
police. A withered, heached human
hand protruded from the ground. Near
by lay the red-stained hatchet. The
spot had evidently not been visited since
Delaney pulled his excited hunting dog
from the scene Tuesdry night, and fed
in fright to the city. A spade vas
brought into service, and in less time
than it takes to tell it, mutilated and
decaying human body was exposed.
THE TISJTNK OF THE POnV
was first rolled from the hole, then a
piece of old wool ingram carpet was re-
moved. and under this was found the
legs, The body had been cut in two
just above the hips. In the bottom of
the hole was a heavy tar barrel, with
five hoops upon either end. The four
uppermost slaves had been knocked in,
placed bulging side down, and were
supported at either end by piece of
real estate sign board bearing the name
of G. c. Mackubin, forming the bottom
of sort of coffin, into which the man
gled remains had been dumped. When
the barrel was raised to the surface, the
eyhunerS read with great excitement,
the words: "a Traitor" carved upon
pine slab that had been secured fast to
the barrel head. A careful examination
of the remains produced some most puz-
Zling facts. The scalp had apparently
been badly lacerated in several places
before death; there was long cash
over one eye, two ribs on the right side
were STAYED in, and the left arm was
badly fractured near the shoulder.
These injuries would all indicate mur-
der. but there was other evidence that
the body has been in the hands of stu
dents in surgery. The scalp had been
cut from ear to ear, across the top. and
turned down over the face, and down
over the back of the neck, after which
the top of the
SKULL HAD BEEN SAWED OFF
The job had been done with fine sur
gical Instruments, but was rough, bear
in the marks of novice. In cutting
the body in two a hatchet or other blunt
instrument had been used to sever the
spine. The heart and lungs were in
place, but the viScera were missing. In
the bottom of the barrel was found the
liver and some of the intestines. The
remains were badly diseolored and de-
cayed, making the exhumation and ex-
animation exceedingly sickening. The
body was perfectly nude, and not
stitch of clothing was found about
the excavation. The remains were
those of man probably thirty
or thirty-fiye years of age. He
was smoothly shaven at the time Of his
death. but vestige of sandy hair re-
manned. The teeth were regular and
well preserved, but for slight cavity
between two of the upper front ones.
As nearly as could be aScertained the
victims features had been regular, his
ears snail, and his hands small and
shapely Coroner Quinn is of the opin-
ion that he was not accustomed to hard
labor. He is believed to have been
about five feet eight inches in height.
The body had evidently been buried
three or four months.
Coroner Quinn would like to believe
that the body had been operated upon
by medical students, and that the pecul-
lar method of burial and the startling
inscription upon the slab resulted from
a desire to create a sensation. the i'll
spiration being drawn fIOm the noto-
riouS Cronin murder. Certain 1T is that
such pranks are often played by foolish
students, who profess recklesSnesS In
their handling of dead bodies. but there
are reasons to believe that
SUCH Is NOT THE CASE
in this instance. The body was buried
i'm an out-of-the-way place, where it was
not likely to have been discovered, and
students could not have waited so long
without adopting methods to bring the
body before the public. Another reason
to doubt the theory is that medical stu
dents would have used the body to bet
ter advantage, not throwingi it away as
soon as part of the brain matter was
removed. 1t would seem more
plausible that cunning mur-
derer had adopted these tactics to
throw suspicion from an awful crime,
should the body be discovered, believing
that the public would be quick to lay
the matter at the door of some medical
college. The remains will De brought
to the city to-day for possible identIflca-
tion. In tie meantime Sheriff Bean,
with his men, will work upon the case,
believing something may be learned
that will possibly clear up the mystery.
4 STARTLING STORY.
A story regarding the horrible dis
eovery was current last night and found