Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-05-12
MURDER MOST FOUL
a Sickenirg Discovery Made
Near indianapolis.
FISHES FEEDING ON A MANS BODY.

The Corpse Cut to Pieces and Buried In
the Sand of n Creek, the Different Parts
Being Held Down by wires-Possibiiity
That 1t May be the Remains of a Mis-
sing Real Estate Man-An Investigation
on Foot.
INDIANAPOLIS, May 12.-The evidences of
horrible crime were discovered yester-
day afternoon in the bed of Eagle creek,
two miles west of the city, and it is not
improbable that the victim may prove to
be Abraham Clines, the real estate dealer,
who disappeared so mysterionsly ten days
ago. Late in the afternoon Samuel Hens
ley and some companions were walking
along the bank of Eagle creek when their
attention was att acted by large number
of fishes, which appeared to be feeding
upon large mass of flesh which lay part
IL buried in the sand They waded out
into the water, and upon closer examine
ton, found that the fish were feeding upon
the fieshy part of a human face, nearly all
of which had been eaten off.
Some Diabolical Ingenuity.
An attempt to pull the head from the
| water revealed the fact that small stakes
had been driven into the sand around it,
| and wires had been stretched across the
face ami fastened TO the stakes in such a
manner as to hold it down. After consid-
cradle effort the head was released from
| the wires, and it was taken to the bank
IL had been separated from the body near
the shoulders and was almost devoid of
| flesh. Enough remained, however, TO
| show that the head had been in the water
| but short time. as the flesh had not be
come putrid, and threw off but little odor
after being exposed to the air.
The Remainder of the Body Found.
Returning to the stream the lads con-
tinued their explorations in the sand bar
and soon discovered the chest and arms
| from which the flesh had also been eaten
| by fish. This part of the body had been
separated from the lower extremities Just
above the hips, and the latter were found
| a short distance away, also partly buried
| in the sand, and with the most of the flesh
| gone. Around each of these separate parts
| a number of stakes had been driven deep
into the sand, and wires also stretched he
| tween them, so as to keep the remains
| from rising in the water.
No Clue to the Indemnity.
The indications were that, after depos it,
ing the parts of the body in the water,
coverings of sand were put upon them and
then the stakes were driven into the bed
of the creek and the wires stretched
| across. The hair had nearly all been
| washed off by the action of the water, the
| fish had preyed upon the flesh from the up
| per part and only the side next to the bank
of the creek was untouched. When the
parts of the body were placed together
| upon the bank they showed that the man,
| in life. had been about five feet nine inches
| tall, and weighed about $50 or 100 pounds
There was no clothing or anything near To
indicate that the body was clothed when
! taken to the creek, and the parties who
| placed il there left no clue as far as could
| be discovered.
The eoroner's Opinion.
Coroner Wagner visited the scene before
| the remains were taken to the morgue but
was able to make only a cursory eXami-
| nation, owing to the lateness of the hour
| He expressed the opinion, however, that
| the body had been in the sand several
| weeks, and, though it might correspond in
| height and weight very closely to Clines',
| he did not think it could possibly have
been placed there As late as ten days ago
| Il have no doubt that murder has been
| committed, and that this method was
| taken to conceal the crime" said he, but
know too little now to venture an opinion
as to the time or circumstances attending
| it. The body was evidently brought here
| in a nude condition, and doubtless in sep
arate parts, as il was found / shall begin
an investigation in the morning, but con
fess that the crime seems at present to be
| enveloped in impenetrable mystery
4 Mighty ImmateriaI Clue.
The police think they have a clue in the
| discovery that a man was seen at the creek
| Saturday, and appeared to be putting
something in the sand. He was seen to
| take sack from wagon and wade ont
into the water. He drove dun -colored
horse, and the parties who saw him, while
not watching him closely, think they
| would he able to identify him should they
| see him again. But it would have been a
| bold MANIFOLD to recklessness-who
would have done such work in broad day
| light. There have been several mysterious
| disappearance from this city within the
| past six months but none of them appear
| TO correspond to the remains found in the
creek as closely as ClineS'. \ thorough
| investigation has been set on foot by the
police and the coroner.