Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-06-22
FEARS OF FOUL PLAY.
The Family of Thomas Pryle Think
His Death Mysterious.
no CAUSE GIVEN AT THE INQUEST.
A Former Southside Resident Found, Dead
in Bed at Sharpsburg,
WITH MARKS ON His HEAD AND THROAT

The borough Of Sharpsburg is consider
ably excited over the sudden and mysterious
death there, on Friday, of Thomas Pryle, a
resident of the Southside until short time
ago. and whose parents still live in Whar-
tons row, on Sidney street. near Twenty
fifth street. His wife and parents are led to
believe that there has been foul play, and
freely express this view of the case, though,
as yet, there is no positive evidence that
such is the case, and all is mystery.
Thomas Pryle was well known among
mill men on the Southside, where he has
worked in several mills. Some little time
since he secured work at the Elba Iron
Works, in Sharpsburg, as "drsg-down,"
and boarded at the house of Mr.. Sui
livan. Thursday night he went
to bed apparently as we'll as
usual, and Fridav morning was found dead.
An inquest was held by Alderman Baird,
who had been deputized by Coroner Nc
Dowell to perform this duty. Yesterday
the body was brought to the home of his
father, on the Southside.
BURIED BENEATH MYSTERY.
This tells part of the story, and there is
yet that that may never be told. At the in
quest Mr. Sullivan said that he and the
deceased had taken walk early in the even
ing, and that Pryle was perfectly sober.
They came home, and Pryle sat in the yard
for few moments and then went to bed
about $50 o'clock. He appeared rather
quiet in his demeanor, but nothing out of the
ordinary was suspected.
Mr.. Sullivan's little boy went to bed in
the same room about 7:30 o'clock. About 3
D Cali
to call Pryle and found him partly out Of
bed and clinging to the bedpost dead.
How long he had been in that position was
a mystery, as the little boy knew nothing of
what had taken place.
After hearing a number of witnesses, a
verdict of death from causes unknown"
was rendered, and the relatives of the de-
ceased, over on the Southside, were notified
to take charge of the body.
E. A, Ward, the Southside undertaken,
brought the body to the house of Pryle's
parents. On an examination it was found
that the forehead, close to the hair was
grazed, and had several little indentations
in it, which Mr.. Pryle, Sr., said look as
though they we're imprints of hob-nail shoes.
When the body was viewed last night Mr..
and Mrs. Pryle also pointed to bruise on
the top of the head and the let eye that
they said was black and blue, as though
from blow.
HARD TO DETERMINE.
However, at the time the corpse was seen,
though the eye was black and blue, as from
a blow, 1t was hard to determine TOR GER
tainty, owing to the advanced state of de-
composition of the body. They also said
that there were marks on the throat, as
though made by fingers.
The family was strongly Of the opinion
that there had been foul play, though they
knew not how to account for it. Undertaken
Ward was not satisfied with the appear
ances of the corpse, either, and finally DR..
E. A. Mundorff was called in to make an
examination. The body had swelled and
decomposition was very rapid, it being
mysterious things, had led Mr.. Ward to
think as he did. 49, -s..... .....s.
DR.. Mundorff was seen last night. He
said he was told that the man had had fits
after drinking hard, and he thought from
what he saw and learned that the man had
died in convulsions. The appearance of
the muscles and other conditions pointed to
the fact, together with the position in which
the man was found. He said he found the
bruises on the head, but they may have been
caused by fall during the night while
in fit.
NOT AT ALL CoNTENTED.
The family declares that the deceased was
sober at the time of his death, and late last
night still persisted that things did not look
right, though they made no direct charge.
The coffin was closed up last night, and the
body will be buried to-day in ST. Michael's
Cemetery.
Coroner Mcdowell says that as the man
died outside OF the city, no burial permit
was necessary, SO the body, without further
other arrangements are
be consigned to the earth. The
members of the family are not satisfied, and
a further investigation will probably be
made by them.