Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-01-16
THEY THOUGHT 1T WAS JONES.
A Dead Man Found by an Italian Ped
dIer In Field Near Branchville.

An italian peddler, who was crossing field
on the farm of Mr.. ]. b. Smith, near Branch
vile, on the Baltimore and Ohio railroad yes
terday morning discovered the dead body of
white man beneath large tree. When the
discovery was made known Justice Walter
Whalen deputized Mr.. Smith as deputy sheriff
to summon a coroner's jury to investigate the
case. The body was found face downward
with the arms extended. The dead mans
clothing was searched and in his pockets
was found card on which was
the following inscription: "John F. Miller, No.
1887 n Broadway" There were also pieces OF
paper found, on some Of which biblical quota
tiOns were written. On another piece of paper
was written: "And We shall know the truth and
the truth shall make you free" The dead man
was dressed in neat suit Of dark clothes and
chinchilla overcoat.
THEY TALKED WITH THE MAN.
Messrs. Miller and Heilmus, two farmers liv-
ing near Branchville, identified the body before
the coroner's jury as the remains of man who
called on them before daylight New Years
morning. The man came to their house bare
headed and said that he lived ON Charlton
Heights, which is near Branchville. He told
them that he had met with an accident, having
fallen into ditch and hurt himself. Heilmus
gave him hat and some coffee. He thought
at the time that the man was either insane or
intoxicated. He took him in his wagon as far
Charlton Heights and left him there. DR.. w.
Z. diversified, who examined the body, did not
think that the man had met with foul play.
He was of the opinion that the man had been
hard drinker. He thought that the dead body
had been on the field for at least two weeks.
The jury returned q verdict that death was
due to exposure land that We believe the body
to be that of D. A. Jones, who disappeared from
his home in Washington, d. c., on or about the
oath day of December. 1888"
The body was removed to the blacksmith
shop of Benjamin Scaggs, where it was held for
Identification
NOT LIKE JONES' PHOTOGRAPH.
Ex-Sherff Scaggs came here last evening and
reported the case to Inspector Swindells, think
ing, as the jury did, that the body was prob
ably that of the missing Benjamin A. Jones, but
when shown picture OF the missing man he
said that the body was not that Of Jones'
The Baltimore directory was searched and it
was found to contain the name Of John +.
Miller and the address No. 1857 N. Broadway,
as found on the card taken rom one of the
pockets of the dead mans clothing.
Acting Chief OF Police Austin sent telegram
to Marshal Frey last evening giving him the
| information stated above and this morning O
dispatch was received from Marshal Frey to
the effect that j. ID. Perry, one of Miller's rela-
tives, would 60 to Branchville today and take
charge of the body.
b
Mr.. Miller's relative was at police headquar-
tiers today and went from there 10 Branchville
| to take charge Of the body. He had no doubt
| that the dead man was Miller. Miller was about
forty-two years old. During the latter part of
the war and for Q time after the war
closed he was employed az pressman In The
| STAR office. After leaving there he studied for
| the ministry, but his mind became impaired,
and on the 30th Of last month he left his home
| in Baltimore. His disappearance did not excite
| much alarm, as it was supposed that
he had gone to visit relatives in Pennsylvania,
but when nothing was heard of him his wife
feared that something worse had befailen him.
Last night when the news Of the finding Of his
| body was broken to her she was completely
| Frustrated. The deceased leaves q wife and
one child.
SURE THAT II WAS NOT JONES.
Mr.. Alex. n. Williams, the stepson Of Bsnja-
min g. Jones' returned from Branchvills today
and reported that the dead man found there
and supposed ct first TO be Jones did not an
| swer the description of Jones in the slightest.
| The dead man Was much smaller than Jones.