New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-09-14

August l6. They are all well known in Long
Branch. Their story is that at about Z O'Clock
that evening, when all bathers had left the place
and they were about ready, TO lock up the place
and CO. two people came down to bathe. They
were the boy in question and his companion,
a man perhaps twenty-five or thirty years old.
Their arrival at such an unusually late hour
caused the four men to n0tiee them particularly.
But another circumstance impressed the appear
ance of both on their minds When Mr.. Erickson
caught sight of the boy, his first impulse was To
give him a playful slap on the back, as he mis-
took him for boy named Mullin, painters
apprentice at Long BraRch, sc striking was the
resemblance between them.
The two came 10 the window of the bathhOusc,
and asked for bathing suits On their being de-
livered the man told the boy TO pay for them,
as he had no money. The boy then pued out q
roll of bills to pay for the suits, but put tlle
money back into his pocket and offered some
silver instead. The four Een then left the bath
ing houses leaving the two in the water, after
cautioning them against going out too far, as the
undertow was strong. The boy said he couldn't
swim, and wouldn't venture far into the water.
They remained in the water till about p. m.
probably and then dressed and went UP the steps
to the bluff. That was the last that was seen Of
the pair, till the fishermen found the body OF the
boy about half mile north of the bathing place,
as already related.
These four men are positive that the boy who
was found and she boy who went bathing with
the stranger that night are Identical. They all
saw the body the next day, and recognized 1t
picture of George viii, and each of the men said az
once that that was the boy who went bathing.
Their evidence was positive, and it was easy TO
see that they knew What they were ia lking about
and meant what they said.
Mr. Bearmore, the undertaken and morgue-
keeper, told the reporter, in answer to his ques-
tions that it wos clearly case Of suicide, but
he failed TO adduce any proofs beyond the fact
that the police could not find any evidence Of
scufe. lie also said that a small pool of
blood had gathered in the sand under the dead
boys face, which came from the hemorrhagc
produced by strangultion He thought that
this proved that the boy had died in the place
where he was found, and had not been carried
there But it Is doubtful whether Mr.. Bear
more is not merely desirous of avoiding any
clash with the local police. as at the end Of tho
interview he shook his head and remarked
"But it's very queer case When asked
VIII had not drowned himself, instead of ohoos-
ing such torturfng mode Of death, he an
swered that the boys legs were wet to the
knees when he found. As to the evidence
of those who saw the two at the bathhouse, he
dismissed it lightly, and said that n thought
they believed what they said, but that they
were - doubt mista ken, and that all other
officials thought so, also
The general impression at Long Branch is that
the boy was murdered and that the authorities did
wrong in not paying more attention to the eVl-
dence of the four men who are so positive that
they saw stranger with the boy, and also that
they saw a roll Of bills, which was not on the
body when il was found The reporter WIS
warned by hevcral persons that be would have din
entities thrown in the way of his investigation.
and that others who had been interested in solv-
the mystery had been "bufed"
The only arrest made was that of the fisher
man who fonnd the body. He was seen shortly
afterward with plenty Of money and a, watch,
and il was suspected that he had robbed the body
after finding it. But he was perfectly innocent
and came ont triumphant, as he was able TO prove
that he had been paid the money by Mr.. Gasltin,
and that he had bought the watch at store in
Long Branch. The people at the house where
George Will boarded 10 15s East Eighty-seventh-
ST., saw him on Saturday, August 8, and he was
then in good spirits, and his actions did not
lead any one to suppose that he would kill himself