The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-08-08
DROWNED In THE NIGHT.
Josephine Ferber's Death
Bears Strong Indications
of Foul Play.
4 HEARTRENDING SCENE.
Her Parents Weep Over the Dis
figured Corpse---The Mystery
Of Camp No. 5.

The train which arrived at the d., Il q
W. r. R. depot in Hoboken at half past
four O'Clock yesterday afternoon carried
rude wooden box. which contained all
that was mortal of pretty seventeen-year-
old Josephine Ferber
A little less than a month ago the girl,
light-hearted and happy at the prospects
OF sojourn by the waters of Lake Ho-
patcong, left her pleasant home at No.
400 Palisade avenue, Jersey City Heights.
Now, her corpse comes back to her agon-
lied parents, and her death is shrouded
in mystery.
On the train with the body were Coroner
Brackner and Philip Ferber, Jr., the
brother of the dead girl The body was
taken at once to Brackner's Morgue on
the Heights, and the family was notified
Of its ARRIVAL The father and mother Of
the girl were the first to arrive at the
morgue. The lid was taken from the
crude box and the parents were allowed
to look upon the remains of their loved
one. Then ensued scene which made
even the morgue attendants, familiar az
they are with sad scenes, turn their eyes
away and wipe away a tear. The grief
of the father was uncomfortable, and
he moaned time and time again. "Oh my
poor josie" Coroner Brackner said last
night that he seldom witnessed more
affecting scene.
The features of the dead girl are con-
siderably swollen from being in the water
and the traces of her former beauty are
marred. They show, however, no evil
dences of violence. The direct circum-
stances attending her death are at present
not positively known. A JERSEY CITY
NEWS reporter learned considerable LAST
that the young woman was foully dealt
with.
HER VISIT TO THE LAKE.
The Mountain View House at Lake
Hopatcong Is owned and operated by
Fred Muller. Muller also conducts a
Hoboken. and It is said that Ferber was
employed by him at one time. About
three weeks ago Muller desired more help
at the hotel, and Miss Ferber was recon-
mended. and was immediately hired.
Miss Ferber was of avery gay and lively
disposition, and the life at the summer
resort seemed to agree with her. She
loved the water and was fond of boating.
Along the lake are several camping out
parties OF young men, and 1t is said that
Miss Ferber was on friendly terms with
the boys of Camp No. s. This camp was
and one of them paid particular attention
to Miss Ferber. On last Saturday night
uhis young man asked Miss Es-h:- to sc
rowing with him on the lake and she con-
sented. The following night, which was
Sunday, the young man called again at
the hotel, but Miss Ferber refused to go
with him. He remained at the hotel very
late, importunlng her to accompany him,
but she, for some reason steadfastly re-
fused, and he went away.
VERY MYSTERIOUS.
On Monday night when Miss Ferber
q k-~. - L~mra
room and began reading. She remained
there until about ten o'clock, when Miss
Muller called at her room and asked her
| if she was going to retire. She answered
that she was not sleepy, and Miss Muller
| left her. That was the last time the girl
was seen alive. The Muliers remained
| on the piazza of the hotel until eleven
| o'clock and Miss Ferber was not noticed
| leaving the hotel. The next morning the
| girl was missing and search was made
! for her. AS she could not be found the
| Mullers thought it likely that she had
| gone home, and wrote a letter to the
| family. Before the letter reached its
destination the body of the unfortunate
| girl was found in the water. The body
| was found by two young men on Wednes-
! day morning on the shore OF Bertram
Island. There were no marks of violence
on the body and the girl wore her work
| ing clothes. Her hat was found near by.
sURMIsEs.
How the girl came to her death can
I only be surmised by the circumstances
developed thus far. That she should go
TO the shore and jump overheard is not
at all likely, judging from the place
| where the body was found, and from her
| general demeanor. That she did not
fall overload while rowing alone, is just
as unlikely as, if such was the case, some
one of the rowboats at the lake, which
are all tied up at night, would have been
found adrift. The only conclusion that
can be arrived at, and the one which IS
most generally accepted. is that she met
some young man by appointment. and
that the couple went rowing.
The young man might have made adj
vances to her which she resented and q
struggle might have followed, IN which
the boat might have upset or she might
have fallen overheard This is the theory
that Coroner Brackner is working on
He told the reporter last night that the
young man from Newark with whom she
was out previously was known and if
circumstances warranted it he would be
apprehended The Coroner has notified
the County Physician of all the circum-
stances in the case and If he thinks it
necessary a post mortem examination
will be held
| MISS MULLER'S CORROBORATION.
Miss Muller the daughter of the pro-
prietor of the hotel was seen ut her resi-
dence in Hoboken last night. She had
just returned from Lake Hopatcong. The
other members of her family are still at
the lake. She told substantially the story
which has been told above. She said that
Miss Ferber had been receiving attention
from young man from Camp 5 OF
| Newark.
If nothing intervenes the funeral OF the
unfortunate girl viii be held this after
noon. The interment will be in the Wee
hawken Cemetery.
DR.. Converse made an examination OF
the girls body He found no indications
of violence OF any kind, but the body was
much decomposed. This, of course, does
not materially affect the theory broached
| above.
Victims OF the Mosquito.
Edward Leland and John Gilligan. two
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