Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-06-29
A DEEP MYSTERY.
W0MlN VITO SUIJlDSD IS TWIJs lDsN
1IFISD, BUT FALSELY.
1 Man Who Claimed to b. Fer Husband is PrOyt1
to have Assumed Name, and Moro Start
ling Still, lis Wife is Sail Living.
Very Strange Case.

New York, June 2S.-Another falls
Identification of the fair young womal
whose corpse was taken from the Hud
son at Croton Landing. First she wa
recognized as Dolly Davis, and then a
Mrs. Frank Atwood, of Philadelphia
Frank Atwood" who claimed TIL
body at Tarrytown on Thursday nigh
as that of his wife, proves to be sus
picious character with a bogus name
He is under arrest. His relatives sa,
that for the past ten days he has beer
tout of his head" His true name l.
Victor George Herdling, and he is tn
son of George Herdling, proprietor o
the United States Hotel at Fulton anC
Water streets. He is twenty-four year
old.
His wife spent yesterday LOOKING
frantically everywhere in this city fol
their little daughter Louise, whom
Herdlng took from their home in Thir
ty-fifth street on Thursday afternoon Il
Tarrytown. He told his wife that hi
was going to Coney Island. On his way
to Tarrytown Herdling called on hi:
uncle, Philip Herdling, pharmacist IL
! Yonkers, and borrowed SO of him.
THAT isn't my mamma" lisped. the
pretty, chubby faced and curly haired
little one when her father held her W
so that she could look into the casket.
The child spoke the truth. Yet Herd
ling may have known the dead woman
He accurately described blemisheS o.
her body that the doctors had not dis
covered at the autopsy, particularly a
scar from either burn or scad on her
I'lett knee. Herdling had only looked al
the face OF the corpse when he located
the blemishes, and further eXamina-
ton of the body by the physicians
proved his statement TO be correct
The rest Of his story about his mar
ried life with the woman was a string
of lies. Herdiing drank freely after
his Identification of the body on Thurs
day night. and he went to bed with his
clothes on in the Sherman House, IN
East Forty-second street, this city. His
little girl slept at his side. The identi-
fer was voluble in his statements at
Tarrytown yesterday morning, but
after his parents appeared there in the
evening he refused 10 say a word.
In the afternoon he was taken tc
New York by Sergeant Bowles to bring
back with him persons who he said
could identify him as Frank Atwood.
The search for Atwood'S friends proved
to be wild goose chase.
These sensational disclosures natural
ly stirred up the Coroner to sharp &C
ton. AT the afternoon session Of the
inquest, George P. Herdling, proprietor
of the United States Hotel, came to Tar
rytown with his wife and his brother,
Philip Ierdling, of Yonkers. Atwood
was in the city at the time, but Mr..
George Herdling recognized Louise as
his sons child, and said that he had no
doubt that Atwood" was his son. He
was not willing, however, to testify TO
that fact until he had seen the identi-
fer
The inquest was adjourned until even
ing, and in the meantime Atwood" put
In an appearance, but kept aloof from
his relatives.
lie was. nut ON the witness stand at
ton asked him if he had been to the city.
81 refuse to answer all questions,
said Atwood.
Efforts to get him to testify were use
less. and he was led out OF the room Dy
the Chief of Police.
Mr.. George =. Herdling took the
stand and sald:-
II have viewed the body and do not
recognize it. l am acquainted with the
man who saws he Is Frank Atwood. lie
is my son, Victor George Herulihe'
He left his home in Thirty-ffth street.
New York City, Thursday, taking this
child with him. He is married and has
been working on the New York Central
Railroad lately. This child, Louise, Is
his daughter. He is living with MS
wife. Their relations are friendly SO
far as know"
GLOW do you account for his actions
in this natter" asked the coroner.
ole has been out of his head for the
mast ten DAYS" answered Mr.. Herdling.
'rrbe heat. or maybe drink, has affected
him. His wife was down to see me
to-day. She said he had taken the
child away. He never lived In Phlla-
delphia to my knowledge. He has
lived in New York since his mar
rage" NJ
In reply to question by q juror Mr..
Uerdling said that he thought his son
was employed on freight train, but he
had no positive knowledge. .,
81 know man named Frank Atwood,
continued Mr.. Herdling. "He was en-
Moved bv me at my hotel for several
years. Ii, ooorr
ate description OF the blemisnes on the
body?"
Il can't say" A..
"He knew of scars on the body that
tho doctors hadn't discovered" said
Foreman Roe.
well. | can't account for that" said
Mr.. Herdling, "unless his wife should
have the same marks"
II saw my son." said Mr.. Herdling,
"ohout two weeks ago. Before that
had not seen him for year and half.
Are any of your family named
Ahrens?" asked Foreman Roe.
eyes, on my wife's SIDE" said the
witness.
Foreman Roe explained his question
nv saving that Edward Allen, the brick
maker. of Croton, was heard by Mrs
Oscar Lent to say on the morning thf
BODY was found. "She hollered like hel
and bit and scratched like the devil,
was Edward Ahrens, and not Allen, as
called by his associates, who found DIN
Guilty in pronouncing his name.
Several iurymcn tried to find out iron
Mr.. Herdllng whether or not his sol
had ever been employed on the Crotol
local. but the father said he was unab!
to answer the question.
At this point the bogus Atwood wa
again brought to the inquest room.
sis this your father?" Coroner Sutto
| cd tho unnnO man.