The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-06-16
CHAPTEROF HORRORS
A Murdered Mans Body Found
in Smiths Cove Woods.
DROWNED COUPLE RECOVERED.


A rhasfIy and sickening sight met the aston
fsf1cd cycs OF three men who were looking up
some lets beyond Smiths cove yesterday after
noon. Thev discovered human body in Q
state of decomposition, with a horrible cash In
the left side OF the neck. cut about three inches
downward from the cheek, which was consider
ABLY fy-blown. No evidence Of how the man
came to his death could be discovered BY the
finders. who were r. y. and George Barrett and
J. @. Rockwell
HF Barrett and his brother George are sign
painters at No. III Marion street, but live near
The YezIer ssenue power-honse on Lake wash
iugton. Mr. Rockwell has been work
ing for Mr.. Barrett. and lives sf No
rs south Eighth street. They CHANGED
20 discover the body while they were
trying to locate soma property in Hiawaths
park. They had crossed the piiing at Smiths
cove and had proceeded along the beach for
about q hall mile north of the coal bunker
when they essayed q shorter cut through the
woods, Mr. Barrett leading OF to the right, as
csnding the bank, and then trying to find some
way through the woods.
He had reached . spot clear OF trees and some
what grassy, when he was startled by coming
upon the PROSTATE form of man. ooh, come
here. quick: there is body" he calculated.
And suss enough il was, although IL was first
supposed by Mr.. Rockwell to be sleeping man.
II isy on the back, with the head turned on
the right side and almost concealed by broad
brimmcd black soft hat What hair could be
seen on the back OF the head was cut very short
and broWnish i'm color. Part of the face could
be seen and was very much discolored. It was
difficult TO tell whether the man wore nous
tache or not, owing to discharge from the
mouth Tho face had gone some time without
shaving. though there was not much growth OF
beard.
The man was "sized up" by Mr.. Rockwell as
being about five feet nine inches tall, weighing
between 80 and 100 pounds. His body was COW
cred with coat of coarse gray material. which
had evidently been taken off to use in lieu OF
blanket, and n sleeve was tucked under the right
arm. He might have deliberately planned suicide,
and therefore taken off his coat, lain down. cut
himself In the neck as described, and then az
deliberately tucked the coat-sleeye under
his right arm. This seemed improbable,
Tor man could scarcely infiict such
cash IN such place with
his right hand. as the slash was not crosswise
but vertical, extending from the cheek bone TO
the windpipe. Still, the palm of tho hand was
bloody No weapon was found, however, al
though the men did not modest the body, and
their investigation was altogether superficial.
There were no foot-tracks about the spot nor
any signs OF scuffie having taken place. II
was surmised, though, that the man might have
been stabbed while asleep by some murderer.
u n.
pantaloons being of q dark common material,
but his shoes were somewhat flner than woods
men or railroad laborers usually wear. His
finders guessed the man TO have been about 80
years Of age. They were OF the opinion that he
had been dead from four days to week.
The body was found about $50 p. m, and the
men returned to the city as fast as they could
and notified Coroner Horton, who decided that,
owing TO the lateness OF the hour when
he received his information 6
o'clock-and the difficulty, and, perhaps,
improbahility of finding the body before dark,
ne would start out at o'clock this morning
MT rockwell will accompany him. The coro-
ners decision, OF course, settled any further at
tenipfs 70 identify the man until today, when
an investigation viii be made, and If found
necessary, an inquest will be held
A Posr-INrxLLTGEScEg reporter, assisted by
Messrs Barrett and Rockwell and q real estate
map, subsequently located the corpse in Clarks
addition, though ii might be In newey's
addition, just adjoining. The gentlemen
named are inclined to think that it might be a
case OF murder, but are puzzled at not having
observed any indications of struggle. What
stu more perplexes them Is that there lis no
trail leading to the spot, and how the man got
there without leaving any marks be-
hind Is problem hard to solve.
uniess he had been carried there.
and In any case there should be some tracks. n
10 very secluded place, some distance from
chareoal-burners shack. and is between 80 and
40 feet from the water. The position of tho
body was northwest and southeast, the head to-
ware the former direction. The cash in the
meek was very deep and had opened to a consid-
arabia Width