New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-09-01
THE BODY NOT IDENTIFIED.
NO LIGHT ON THE PLAINFIELD MYSTERY.
FACE OF THE VICTIM APPARENTLY CRUSHED
fN BY A BLUNT INSTRUMENTATION
ACTION OF OFFICIALS.

IN BY BLUNT INSTRUMENTATION
ACTION OF OFFICIALS.
How the man whose body was found floating on the
waters Of Spring Lake. near Plainneld, " J on sat
urday, met his death Is matter stll to be solved.
n he was murdered the criminal who committed the
deed may never be apprehended II the authorities OF
Middlcsex County are depended upon to ferret him
out. During all Of yesterday John l. Holly. upon
whose property the lake Is situated endeavored 10 find
some official who would assume responsibility in the
matter. He was entirely unsuccessful. No Coroner
county physician could be found to conduct an In
quest In the case, and in despair Mr.. Holly abandoned
all hope Of obtaining immediate relief I'm Planlied.
In Union County there were dozen men who would
have taken the matter In hand they legally nj
lowed to do so.
The only New Brunswick official who sustained the
dignity of his place by taking any interest in the NIT
ter Recorder and County Justice Charles p Ford.
He went to the Holly place and offered his services.
As Justice Wood of Metuchen, had done all in his
power on Sunday, however, Ford's services were not
needed.
The body had a narrow escape from being buried on
Monday afternoon. BY permission of Justice Wood IL
removed from the meadow to the stables of the
Avon Park House, situated nearly opposite. As no
county undertaken or morgue-keeper could be found
who would take charge OF the body one OF the Jury
men, Cornelius Teefe, who was empanelled sun
day afternoon by Constable Soper made rough coffin
and placed the body therein. Not long after Con-
stable SOper concluded that the body might just as
well be buried, and he gave permit for such pro
ceeding. Those who had watched the farcical pro
ceedngs up to this time without remark mt once ell
tered vigorous protest To bury the body OF a man
who apparently was murdered without holding an In
quest, even having medical examination made. was
going entirely too far said Juryman Percy Ohl Colonel
John l. Holly and Others and they absolutely refused
to allow the burial to take place.
in all probability would reach South Plain
field by this afternoon and take charge Of the body
II he cannot conveniently it IS said that County
Physician Donohue, OF Perth Amboy, will make an
autopsy.
There are several new clcws that indicate that
crime remains to be revealed. II the man was
murdered, as seems most likely what the motive
and who did the deed Whether not the scrap of
paper bearing the of Michael Hoffman and
Francis Enge will help to explain the matter remains
to be seen. The presence Of money in the pockets
may Indicate much or little. If robbery the
motive Of the greater crime the dead man must have
had much than S10 on his person. 1t IS be-
leved by many that money has been left on the
person 10 divert suspicion and make the death
suicidal or accidental. The place where the body
found is lonesome one and on dark night the body
coud have been conveyed to the bridge without fear
Of detection.
The writing on n scrap Of paper purpoftng to be
recommendation Of Michael Hoffman seemed to be
hastily executed on a scrap torn from the end OF
sheet of white paper The paper was not. frayed at
the edges nor worn about the Creases and seemed 10
have been hastily rolled up and thrust into the waist
coat pocket, Just the watchchain and loclct were
thrust into another If II really recommendation
for the dead man, it queerly written one, and
was carried in a careless In his pockets, tho
money like tho written scrap OF paper, had a sls-
picious air Of nowness about il.
The bones OF the front Of the face seemed to have
been crushed in, though by heavy blow across tho
iage OF the nose. Upon the front OF the shirt arc
some dark stains that may prove, upon examination,
be blood. The inquest to be held this afternoon at
O'Clock will determine several important matters now
in doubt The most important Of these now appears to
be the marks Of violence which appear in the crushed
condition OF the bones in the face
Several persons viewed the body yesterday. but no
one identified II. Near the spot where the body was
found IS an old house that for six years has been
deserted. II was built by William Faig man once
prominent in Plainheld. II has been suggested that
the murder EhCht have been committed in this house.
Abraham Wallberg, Of Brooklyn, viewed the body
Yesterday with the object to ascertain whether il was
that Of his brother j. Lipsker member OF the
Lane. Ilpsker was last heard from on August II,
when he tclegrnphed from Trenton that he would
start for his home II is said that he had about 800
in money, checks and icwelry with him. Wallberg
seemed to be satisfied that it was not the body OF
Iipsker.