The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-03-25
CANAL-BANK MYSTERY
Badly Decomposed Body of a Man
Found by a Farmers Children.
Coroner Thinks 1t Is Murder-Only
Slight Clews to the Mans Iden-
tity-Disappearances.

Yesterday morning two children of Far
mer Bailey, who resides on the west bank
of the canal. about a mile north of Fair
view, while gathering flowers. discovered
the decomposed body Of man in the
swampy land on their fathers farm Mr..
Bailey lives on what is known as the old
Lee farm, which consists of land extending
from the canal to White river. A great
part of the land is marshy and overgrown
with tall weeds and shrubbery. In the
swamps grow innumerable flowers. Yes
terday morning about 9 o'clock his two
children. aged six and eight years respect
lively, went to these swamps to gather but
tercups which are very numerous. While
thus engaged the elder child discovered
the body lying on the side of small hill.
half immersed in the swampy ooze. They
were too terrified to get the exact state of
the case, but ran shrieking to their father,
all the while crying that man had been
killed in the swamps.
He, thinking that recent murder was
about to be disclosed, hurried TO the spot
He found that the man had been dead for
months during which time the clothes on
the body had rotted. Only the skull and
few OF the bones of the hands and wrists
remained. What remained of the clothes
led him to believe that the man. had been
in good circumstances. Without further In
vestigation, he hurried to Fairview Park
and telephoned his information to Coroner
Beck. Dr. Cary. the coroner's assistant,
went to the scene and made hasty in
vestigation. AT the first glance he saw that
the mans pockets were all turned inside
out, indicating at once that robbery and
been the motive of the probable crime. Ly-
ing in the ooze to the left of the body, was
the mans pocketbook. but this too had been
rihed of it's contents The mans hat, a
light SLOUGH one, was on the ground
few feet from his head. This was weather
worn The condition of the clothing in
dictated that the man had worn dark suit
of clothes at the time of his death. The
coat was of the cutaway style His shoes
were of congress make, and Notwithstanding
that they were covered with water, were In
n fair condition. On the left vest lapel was
a X. Of p pin On the little finger of his
left hand was plain gold band ring. There
were no initials or name on this to give
cIew With much difficulty DR.. Cary
searched the pockets, but at the time sue
ceeded in discovering only two handker-
Chiefs silk one and the other linen one
of extra quality. The clothing was hard
and caked from the exposure TO the weather
and lying in the ooze and this rendered the
| search difficult Undertaken Tutewiler was
| notified and in a short time the remains
were removed TO his morSue
Coroner Beck then made a close exam
ination. He thought that the man had been
about five and one-haf feet IN helsht: he
found that the man wore Deard at the
time of his death. Two front teeth had
gold filings, and these he extracted TO pre-
serve Several back teeth were nlIed with
amaigam. Another search of the pockets
| revealed in a vest pocket a rusty ten-cent
| piece. These were the only efrects found
on the man.
| After the examination the coroner was of
| the belief that foul means had been en-
| ployed in the mans death, ana ne declued
| TO visit the locality where the body was
| found and search for clews that would sub
| stantiate his suspicious. About o'clock. IN
mis- way to the spot where the body had
| been found. The ground was so marshy
and covered with water that pianks mad to
| Arriving at the spot they first discovered
| several scraps of newspaper. With. careful
paper, dated June u. 1898. were .unfolded.
| No other clewS or additional Information
| could be obtained The spot is about
| bank. Coroner Beck, after this investi-
cation, is positive that the man was muir
| dered. His theory is that he was murdered
| on the high and dry land to the east, after
| which the murderers carried the body to
| the edge of the marsh and left II there The
the coroner is of the belief that such Is
| not the case. He thinks it improbable that
| a man would go TO land, marsny ana
covered with water, to kill himself. The
fact that his pockets were turned inside
| out for the most part dispels the suicide
| phase of the question leaving that OF rob
berry and murder the plausible theory.
The body has been in the marsh Tor
months. The condition of the clothes, which
are all worm eaten, indicate this. Coroner
| Beck is of the opinion that the mans death
occurred near June IL. as the date of the
| newspaper would suggest The many holes
| IN the garments were, In all PROBABILITY,
caused by the work of insects. Any one of
them might have been from a bullet or a
| knife. There were no observable MARKS OF
| violence on the skull
| Durfns, last summer there were many dis
| appearances, and this discovery caused g
| great deal of speculation among the friends
| and relatives of missing people. Yesterday
| there were many who called at the morgue
| TO identify the remains, but there were
| none who were positive they knew the man,
| friends had many similar markings and
| possessions at the time Of disappearance.
| was that of Charles Rhodes. a collector
| for Coffin, Greenstreet & Fletcher, who, ii
was known. had been missing for over a
i year. Rhodes resided at No. II East
| Thirteenth street and was very fond of
| fishing and hunting. His favorite haunts
/ were in the country around the spot where
| this body was found. Mrs. Rhodes, who
| still resides at the above number, was
seen last night. She stated that the height
| anu uTeSS, even " the SAOe9' anSN Gu "
description of her husband. The ring on
| the left finger also corresponded. Mrs.
| Rhodes stated that her husband had been
a member OF the odd Fellows, but, not to
| her knowledge did he belong TO the K.
! of +. Mr.. Rhodes disappeared from home
| on Jan. %, 1898, and this fact II is be-
| lieved. will dispel the theory that the body
| of the man found yesterday was that OF
| Mr. Rhodes.
] The police have been informed of a num-
! Der of disappearance that occurred along
| about that time. and they are investigating
| each case. 1t was suggested to them that
| the body might be that OF the man who
/ was probably shot by night watchman
! Watterson but not much credence is at
! tached to this theory.