The record-union., 1894-06-23
C0URRLAND HAS A Big SENSATION.
How Did Farmer Louis Veil Come to
be Drowned 2
Some Ugly Rumors That Warrant the
Suspicion That He Was
Murdered.

The finding of the body of man in the
river near Isleton, on Wednesday, may
yet prove 10 be a clew to a sensational
murder. or it may turn out to be case of
suicide.
In either event it will furnish the gos-
sips of that neighborhood with something
to talk about for months to come.
When the body was first found it was
thought to be that of Chinaman, but it
turns out to be that of a white man, and
its discovery is thought to partially ex-
plain mystery that has existed about
Courtland and Iselton for some months
past.
The body is so badly decomposed that
it is unacceptable, but it is thought it
can be identified by the clothing. In
deed, a storek eeper at Courtland claims
that the shoes worn by the deceased are
identical with pair sold by him to Louis
Veil, Frenchman living near that place,
about the lst of February last.
Veil was farmer living on ten-acre
tract of land on one of the islands in that
vicinity, and who suddenly disappeared
from his home in February last. No
tidings of him have since been heard,
and it is now believed that the body ly-
ing at the Morgue is his.
Connected with VeiPs disappearance
are some ugly rumors, which have given
rise to the belief in some quarters that he
was murdered and his body thrown into
the river.
1t is said that for some time prior to his
disappearance there had been bad blood
between himself and man in his en-
ploy, caused by VeiPs jealousy Of the
latter. People living in the neighbor-
hood recall the fact that short time after
Veil disappeared so mysteriously the
hired man also left that locality, and that
his Whereabouts are unknown.
1t is possible, however, that Veil may
have taken his own life, and that the
hired man. whom he suspected of having
suppIanted him in the affections of his
wife, got out of the way through fear
that he might be charged with having
put Veil out of the way.
Perhaps the only person who is able to
throw any light on the subject is NeiP s
widow, and it remains to be seen whether
or not she can or will do so. Coroner
Clark sent for her yesterday to come here
and see if she can identify the deceased's s
clothing as that of her husband.
DR.. q. A. White held an autopsy yes
terday on the body of the drowned man,
but he was unable to determine whether
the latter came to his death at the hands
of another. or whether it was a case of
suicide. What the doctor found is thus
stated in his report to the Coroner:
1.-The right foot was missing, as also the
right arm. The left hand was missing,
and the arm fell from the body in lifting
it from the coffin. A rope was around
the neck, tied TO which was part of sack.
The nose, mouth and scalp were missing.
No fracture of the skull was found, and
no wounds discovered on the part of the
trunk likely to have been inflicted with
deadly weapon.
81 am unable to state whether the case
is one of murder or suicide by drown
ing"
Coroner Clark says the appearance of
the body indicates that it had been in the
water fully as long as Veil has been
missing, and he has not the slightest
doubt that the body is his.
OF course, Veil could have been mur-
dered without the body showing signs of
violence. He may have been poisoned,
or overpowered and strangled while
asleep, and his body thrown into the
river.
If the hired man was not directly re-
sponsible for Veils death, it is strange
that he should have left the neighbor-
hood so soon after the latter disappeared.
This OF itself is very suspicious circum-
stance, one that warrants the officers in
thoroughly investigating the matter and,
if possible, securing the arrest of the
suspected individual.