The morning call., 1893-03-29
The Mystery of San Mateo
County.
FIND ON A MOUNTAIN TOP.
Was 1t Murder or a Strange
Suicide ?
The Coroner Says It's a Murder-lf Not
an Unknown Man Took His Life
in His Own Grave.

the top of lone and unfrequeuted noun
tain four miles from San Bruno and near
San Pedro Bay, and it has not yet been
solved
A lone grave neatly mounded over, with
none TO mourn the occupant thereof, was
the find of an employe of the Jersey farm
in San Mateo County on Sunday last
Who the occupant of the grave was.
whence he came or how he reached his final
resting-place is mystery that time alone
can solve.
On Sunday morning last George Jones
was sent out to search for some cows that
bad strayed away from the "upper ranch"
Of the Jersey farm.
Jones searched high and low for the lost
cattle. and finally concluded to give up his
quest
Going to the summit of the highest hill on
the farm overlooking San Pedro Bay he
thought perhaps he could see the cattle.
What he saw was enough to frighten him
almost out of his wits.
About forty feet from the summit, on the
preciptous slope of the hill, he saw mound
OF earth newly made.
Going down to the spot he began to inves-
tigate Raising an end of a protrudng
board he beheld fearful sight. 1t was the
partially decomposed body of man.
Hurrying away from the scene he re-
ported the discovery TO Mr.. Sheath. his
foreman, who at once telephoned to Red
wood City for Coroner Grove
On Monday a jury WAS summoned and
proceeded to the scene of the discovery.
Climbing the steep hillside was 20 small
task. as in order to reach the scene the
jurors were compelled to cling to the under
brush for support
a careful examination was instituted. A
mound of earth. loose and fluffy. was found
10 conceal one of the most curious graves
and hide the results Of perhaps one of the
foulest murders ever committed in San
MateO County.
Beneath a top dressing of earth was
series of redwood boards lying Iaterally
across the grave. The boards had been
carefully covered with sacks before the dirt
was piled on them.
As whole they served as a covering for
an open grave four feet wide. four feet
deep and eight feet long.
The grave had been carefully dug out of
the loose. yellow clay, part of which was
thrown on the upper side OF the excavation
and part was tossed down the hillside to
find a Judgment where 1t could. That
thrown on the upper side was used as
covering for the grave. or rather to make
the mound of.
Lying within the grave, just as If In
coffin. were the swollen remains Of a man.
The body was carefully removed TO a ccfin
and conveyed to San Mateo.
Here a close examination was made and
nothing was found that would give an ink
ling as to who the dead man was.
Under the chin was a gaping wound,
which appeared to have been made by a
bullet The right wrist was shattered, and
from behind the right ear. extending be-
meath The scalp to point under the left
ear, was Sill another telltale wound, each
Of which had been made by bullet. Other
than these wounds no bruises were found
on the body.
been received in warGing off attack, as the
bullet entered the front of the wrist and
ranged up toward the hand.
The remains were attired In neat suit of
clothes OF a dark gray material.
The coat, cutaway, was found rolled up
alongside Of the body. A suit Of red fan
mel underwear. red socks and white fan
mel negiigee shirt, in which was a faint
blue stripe, completed tile clothing worn.
A pair of new shoes. little soiled, were also
worn by the deceased. Lying In the grave
was partially battered silk hat.
description Of the dead man, as near as
can be obtained, was given by the Coroner
Of San Mateo County last night. The de-
ceased was 8 feet inches in height, weight
about 165 pounds, hair dark, scanty on the
crown of the head, eyes blue or gray,
mustaehe sandy and very heavy.
The deceased had evidently been shaven
just prior to his death. as his beard was not
visible.
A search of the clothing revealed new
pOcket-knife, with iron handle, containing
two blades. A silver watch was found In
the upper left-haud pocket of the vest.
Around it was wound a silver chain COM
posed Of large, heavy links, and on the end
OF which was hook such as Is worn by car
conductors.
An examination of the grave yesterday
by CALL reporter resulted In a new dis
eoyery being made.
Concealed just beneath the earth at the
foot of the grave was found new pick. In
the brush about ten feet from the grave
was a shovel
These had been used to hollow out the
grave and eilanf wi 70 ba o.
that the man met with foul play.
:. No revolver was found on the remains
Bor near the grave, neither was there found
any other means whereby the man could
have taken his own life. To have carried
the body to the spot where it was found
must have required the mbined efforts of
three or four men.
Another thing that veriies the murder
theory is the finding Of an old soap box that
had evidently been used for a feed box.
which, partially wrapped in sacks, was used
to close up small opening on the lower sid
Of the grave where the earth had fallen
away.
Had the man. who, from appearances, has
been dead over ten days, been buried In
this grave that long. the last rains would
have made mud puddle of the grave. AS
:, 'sS1S vas NJ SiEu VI du rain having
fallen on.the newly turned earth.
The clothing and shoes of the dead man
had no mud nor had they any OF the dirt
Characteristic Of the clay banks of the
Vicinity on them. The shoes In particular
were very clean and free from any mud
stains
Had the dead man In any way been
party to the digging of his own grave he
surely would not have been able to so
snugly tuck himself away. The scene of