The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-12-28
BODY.
WILLIE'S E
That Found i'm Bolinas
Bay Was His.
A Polk-Street Saioon-Keeper Who
Receives Notice From the
Suicide Club to Die.

The body OF the unknown man found on Fri
day last floating In Bolinas Bay, and which was
buried by Coroner Eden Of Marin County
owing to its decomposed condition immedi-
ately after the inquest, has been identified as
that OF Joseph Willie, the Polkstreet saloon
keeper. who has been missing since December
10. Yesterday afternoon Joseph Eberhart
brother-in-law Of the missing man. paid a visit
TO the Coroner's office al san Rafael 10 compare
TWO Yale lock lalchkeys with those found on
bunch in the dead mans pocket. The CorO-
ner was absent from home when Eberhart
called. so that he was unable 10 see the keys,
but left those in bis possession In the Office.
On the CoronePs return the keys were COM
pared and found TO be Identical, proving be-
yOnd doubt that the body found at Bolinas
WAS that OF Joe Willie.
When Willie left his boarding house I4O6
Polk street, on the morning OF December 1, he
carried with him bis latch keys Mrs. Kuhn
read the account of the finding OF the BODY
with the bunch OF keys IN the pocket. Having
duplicates and suspecting The man TO be her
missing boarder, she sent her keys TO Mrs.
Eberhart, who is sister Of Willie, and advised
her 10 20 TO San Rafael aud see If the keys
correspOnded. Mrs. Eberhart, being indis-
posed, sent her husband, which resulted Ia the
Identification OF the body.
The finding OF Joseph Willie's body gives
rise to the question: Does such an organiza-
ton as the Suicide Club exist IN this city Ii
Will be remembered that the day after Willie
was missed, his saloon at 1912 Polk street WIS
broken open 10 see II any explanation of his
absence could be found. In tie cash drawer,
along with few Cents In change, was found
letter signed by The Suicide Club" addressed
10 joseph Willie.
IL gave notice that al a meeting of the CLUB IL
had been decided that he must die, aud II he
did not within given time take his own life,
others would be appointed TO DO 1t for hun.
A most thorough search In all quarters Of the
City failed 10 throw any light 90 The existence
OF such an organization. he envelope which
InclOsed the letter had been destroyed. but
those Who were familiar with Wilieis handwrit-
ing, including his sister, Mrs. EbeThart, declared
that the letter had not been written by Willie
himself. Willie was never heard TO mention
cOyery after he WAS gone. Those who were
familiar with linn and his ways are Inclined 10
believe that the letter was sent to him by some
person joke. BE that as IL may II throws a
shadow over the scene when connected with
the finding OF bis BODY.
Willie boarded al l4O6 Polk street On the
morning OF December he arose early, eat bis
breakfast and left the house TO go TO the Ger
man Hospital, of which he was member, to
be Irea ed for disease that had troubled him
for years. While eating his breakfast lie CON-
planned 10 Mrs. Kuhn, his landlady, OF feeling
uncommonly unwell. He told her where he
was going, and said he would be at the saloon
al 8 o'clock. Alter leaving the house where he
went is not known. de did not appear at the
German Hospital, and nothing was heard OF
him afteTwaTd until! his body was found on FRI
day.
Willie was a member OF the GambriDus Be-
nevolent Association, a German fraternal Or
ganizallon paying $3.50 benefits at death.
Mrs. EberbaTt, his sister, Will 60 to-day TO
Bolinas beach, where the body Is buried, and
make arrangements to have IL disinterred and
brought here tor burial.