Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1890-01-30
j. g. DtrasN VAS DROWNED.
His ffody was Found in IL c schuyi.
Ma ,... 1n.s1As.

man, the ex-president OF the Quaker City
National Bank who was last seen driving
in the park on the evening of December
18th, was partially cleared up yesterday I
by the discovery Of his body floating 70 4
the Schuylkill river. The body was /
thoroughly identified by the relatives of
the dead man, and the only element Of
obscurity still remaining In the tragedy |
was the manner in which MIR. Ditman /
come to his death. There was nothing
about the bedraggled corpse to throw
any light upon this point
The discovery was made shortly after
. O'Clock In the afternoon by Harry Grew,
New Mexlcan cowboy, who came to the
city two weeks ago with consignment Of
cattle for the West Philadelphia abgttolr.
An examination OF the body showed
that it was In fairly good state of pres
eryation, considering that il hAd been In
the water six weeks. II was clothed in
the heavy fur-trimmed overcoat In which
Mr.. Dltmsn usually went driving in cold
weather, q Prince Albert coat, dark trou-
sers md merino underwear. On the
hands were driving gloves, and when
these were removed the diamond ring
which Mr.. Ditman wore flashed brightly.
In the cufs were buttons bearing the
initials, ~. G. d. - and in the vest were
the gold watch and chain which were
presented to M. Ditman by the employees
OF his firm when he WAS in the paper
business at Sixth and Jayne streets.
The face was badly bloAted and except
| in its general shape almost unrecogniz.
I able. On the crown Of the head was
! CASH about two inches long, but 1t was
| left for the coRoner's physician to deter
| mine how serious II was and whether II
! could have caused death. The knees
were badly torn and bruised, ne though
\ they had dragged for long time over
/ the rough bottom OF the river. portion
Of the hair had fallen out, and n the
clothing we're number OF wRter.soRked
leaves. The presence of the leaves was
taken as indicating that the body had
been lying in the river above the dam. as
it is said that they are never found on the
bodies of those drowned below the dam.
The skin had peeled Of the hands and
the face.
In addition to the watch and chain,
diamond ring, sleeve. buttons and studs,
little OF value was found on the body.
There was 1886 in bills and silver, Six
postage stamps, some keys, q memoran-
dun book and wallet. In this wares me
pRpera referring TO Frankford properties,
some newspaper clippings containing
references to the Quaker City Bank, and
some ether clippings OF prose and poetry
that had pleased Mr.. Ditmsn's I roy.
Lieutenant Green of the hGEbor police,
took charge OF these articles.
An interesting question which will be
raised will be over the payment Of the
$4,000 accident insurance which Dit
man carried. When the family claims
the money II Is expected that the insur
ance companies will objsot on the
grounds that death may have been sui
eide, and that il cannot be proved tea
there was an accident. This will be 4
very nice point II raised, nnd viii b.
sure to bring up the whole question as e
the cause OF the bankers death, whether
he YVES thrown from his carriage into III,
! river or drowned himself because Of bus
jness ertaDglemepts.
q In addition to the $50, 900 accident IN
i surance Mr.. DitmAn carried Sl40, 600 lite
insurance, which must be paid the family
, The question of suicide 10 not likely 10 b
raised in this case. The companies IT
footed, with the amounts of their policies
are the New York Life Insurance Oom
pany, $50 600; the Provident Lite an
:, MUTUAL Life Insurance Company, OF Ma
York, $40, 600, Penn Mutual Company Q
! this city, Sl0,0O0 the Connection
n Mutual, $4,000, and the North wsster
a Equitable and others In small amounts.
h The discovery Of Mr.. DitmAn's bod
\ ends oil legal proceedings against him
4 and vests everything pertaining TO hi
n estate 10 his executors. The domesti
a attachment which vaG obtained b
Charles II. Nj. Stoever on January 4th, o
IN the representations that Mr.. Ditman ha
i absconded, falls TO the ground, and wha
u ever has been done by f. X. Bulklsy
u Robert A. McWRde and j I'm Woodsidt
i. the trustees appointed by the court
4. take charge OF the property, goes Il
n naught. Inc proceedings in retersnc
Of to the Royal Publishing Company IN
4. the W. +. Shaw Company hold, howeVe
a. Is they are corporations.
~ mir. DitmRn's will IL now in the pc
n session OF Alexander +. Coiesberry, b
no counsel, and it is believed that it will
10 offered for probate ia few dsya Il
II pnderstood that II leaves everything
"a his widow and that it makes her Sc
eXecutriy,
by IHiLADELrnIl, Jan. 2s.-All that
nd IN lack building of Undertaken
To- Lewis Goods establishment, at No. Q
d, Spruce street, guarded day and night
TO q trustworthy attendant. The idea
in having the remains guarded, espscisl
iot at aight, originated with the undertake
ID. who Is unwilling TO run any risks. T.
30 publicity given the whole affair, and 1
nd large AMOUNT Of life insurance on /
ny dead NAN, make some extra precHlti
*, necessary, and Undertaken Good Is dett
te mined to have tie body when wanted.
nd Or. Formal, the ooroner's phyalola
er, made partial autopsy OF the body "
.ry tprday afternoon. Deputy Cofor
ip- DugAn bad charge OF the work, and l
irs Stewart assisted DR.. Formal. d.
rs. BashouR, James and Il. Neil we're pres
70. on behalf Of the family. The law
qaires a thorough identification Of DO
prior 10 a poVt.mortem examination, a
this was Gone by Edward J. Wells and
vi X. Buckley, brothers INLAY of MIR. D
~ man, Captain w. W. Wallace and |
oy' Rev DR.. Mutchmora.
TO Tho body was found In Gn excellt
Ms state OF preservation, due in great me
Tor ure to the temperature OF the water o
the excellent hsalth Of the deceVSed.
ny though the features we're consldersl
10y, bl6ated from lying SO long In the wat
OF those who had Known Mr.. Diiman fou
very little difficulty In recognizing I
ma rauRing.
ere In making the autopsy Drs. Form
-s and Stewart first turned their attenti
fas to tho wounds on the head, and after
u.s. careful external examination had bt
II made the scalp was removed and
ary skull opened, exposing the brain, p
not ton of which was removed for future
NIL amination A carefp, s,ndv ~
lib, vonnds n tho sknll faiisd n ~, u,