Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-03-02
BODY IDENTIFIED.
RECOGNIZED BY His FiANCEE AS
THAT or GEORGE c. SEARING.
story of His Wandering from New York to
City Point--Known by His Pho
toSraph and Clothes
Especial telegram TO the Dispa;ch.l

PErEnsBuRo. VA, March l.-Mr. t. ,.
Walters, Of New York, accom- panied by
Mas Lizzie Weeks. arrived here to-day on
their way 10 City Point with the view OF
identifying. If possible, the mutilated
body of the young man found on the 25d
OF February in q swamp about a mile from
that place, supposed to be that OF Mr.
George G. Soaring, OF New York. MI
Walters and the lady. who was the tidncee
Of George Soaring, came to Richmond
with letter OF introduction from inspec.
tor Byrnss TO Chief-Of-p Police Poe, ana
were by the latter referred to Chief-of-
Police Fanes. of this city. The attention
of the friends Of Soaring was hrst at
tracted by the publication IN the New
York Word of SUNDAY ana reproduce ,h ~
the DISPATCH OF to-day. ana no doubt
being left upon their minds as TO the
identity Of the deceased, MIR. Walters ana
Miss Weeks came down on the hrst tram
to fully satisfy themselves and to relieve
all anxiety.
WROTE PROM RICHMOND.
Nlr. George Soaring. formerly a clerk at
the Hotel Royal, in New YORK lately De
stoyed by fre) left New York on the l7th
OF October. On the 10th OF the same
month he wrote 20 Miss Weeks from itch
mond. and this was the last definite in-
/ formation heard OK him.
WHEN LAST sEEN.
In the latter part of October ooloreo
woman named Lizzie Rlch, living az ,ltS
Point according 10 her statement SAYS
she was approached by young man VINO
asked her 70 tell him where General
| Grants headquarters were during the war.
/ She directed him the route 10 take to
! them. and received piece o. money as
reward. He started IN that direction and
| that was the last time she saw or heard OF
| him until the body was found. She identi-
| fed the clothing on the body rs that worn
| bv the man who had spoken % her, ana
| to-day, wnen shown by MIR. walters the
photograph Of Mr. Soaring, at once ldentl;
| fed il az that Of the young man who mad
asked the information fTom her.
TIE YOUNG LADY OVERCOME.
Mr.. Walters saws that before he left New
| York Mr. Soaring purchased an oyercoat
with a cape. The latter he threw ASIDE
and never wore, and Mr.. Walters brought
| the cape on with him TO compare with the
coat. 1t was found TO correspond IN every
respect with the coat which WAS found
with the body. The pants and vest of the
| deceased and all the articles found with
| the deceased were fully aud definitely
| identified by Miss Weeks The pm ne
wore was present from Mss weeks lust
| before he left New York. Her idcntihca-
| ton of these articles almost oyercame the
Young lady with grief and emotion, and
| vet both she and Sir. Walters felt relief III
| the fact that the long anxiety over the. DIS
appearance Of the young man h9d been
| finally removed, even though by the ind
ing Of his dead body.
HIS sHors CUT.
Only the bones OF Soaring were found,
| the flesh having been torn from them by
! buZzards and hogs. In his letter from
| Richmond he wrote that his feet were
troubling him very much and that he had
cut his shoes for relief. The shoes were
found cut exactly as he had described;
His false teeth. filed with gold. folnd
lying near the skull, wree Identified also.
4 watch which Mr.. Soaring purchased Just
before leaving New York YVES not found
on tie body, but IN the pockets were found
$3.50 in money. When he left home ne
had sufficient money TO supply him tor
several months.
THE MAN LEWIS.
The colOred woman Rich says that
man very much resembling Soaring was
with him ut City Point. This Is supposed
to be the man Lewis who IS SAID TO nave
left New York with HIM. He has not been
seen since. Walters says Lewis was well
known IN New York, and nothing wrong
was suspected about him. HIS opinion,
however. il that, young Soaring being IN
bad health. consumptiye. dependent,
committed suicide. He spoke very highly
of Soaring: said he was a man OF generous
disposition, Of high character, and go SEN
sitive that even under the most pressing
circumstances he would never accept OF
dollar from his most intimate friend.
ALI, DOUBT REMOVED.
The identity Of Searing's clothing and
effects being complete. all doubt IN the
minds of his friends being dispelled. Mr..
Walters paid all the expenses OF the in
quest. lie rewarded those who had found
the body, and this afternoon had the body
exhumed, neatly cofined, and took 1t TO
New York on the Old Dominion steamer.
The pistol % 32-callbre) with which
Soaring Is supposed TO have shot himself
was found near the body with one barrel
empty.
SUPPOSED SUICIDE.
The Walters family believes in the theory
OF suicide and thinks that Soaring sought
the lonely and secluded spot TO commit
the act with the belief that there his body
would never be found 1t was only found
| bv the merest accident A colored man
went to a spring near by 10 get bucket OF
water. lie found collar, then some cuns,
| and then a crayHt, ana following up tuls
cue discovered tho bones. The clothes
were torn almost TO fragments and the
| bones scattered.
MISS Weeks In Richmond.
Miss Weeks, the lance Of Searlng. was in
| Richmond yesterday and called on the
| Chief of Police and Sergeant Iomlinson.
| She is delicate looking but quite pretty.
| Sergeant Tomlinson endeayored some
| time ago to ascertain the whereabouts of
the man in question. In a conversation
that took place between Miss Weeks and
| the Sergeant the former was sure that
| Soaring WAS in Richmond some time ago.
| When he left homo Soaring had on beau
tiful diamond pin which It IS thought he
pawned here while drinking.
a PRETTY PETERSBURG WEDDING.
- ..A. kuE n 4. ei