The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-03-26
THINK 1T WAS BLANCH
Faint Identification of the Body
Found on the Canal Bank.
Discrepancies in the Description Fail to
Prove the Remains Those of a
Restaurant Waiter.

1t is believed in some quarters that the
remains of the man found on the canal
bank near Fairview Park last Saturday
are those of Willard Blanch. Although
there has been no positive Identification of
the almost f1eshless bones and decayed
clothing, the friends of the missing Blanch
have reasonable grounds for the grave
fears entertained as to his fate. Blanch dis
appeared last June. He had been employed
in Fosters East Washington-street res
taurant as a waiter, but gave up his po-
sition on account of i'll health. He suffered
from rheumatism, and at the time of his
disappearance was very low spirited. He
a member of the Uniform Rank, K. of
p, and sold his uniform to E. s. Clark, a
photographer on East Washington street.
On the day before he left he called at the
gallery and sat for a picture, arranging
with the photographer to call the next day
and the proof He failed to keep the
appointment, and Mr.. Clark heard no more
from him. The photographer recalls the
fact that Blanch was morbid and gloomy,
and says that on the day he ordered his
pictures he remarked that he was going
home to die" 1t was understood that he
formerly lived in the southern part of the
State and his friends believed that he had
gone to his former home. Blanch occupied
rooms in the apartment house Of Mrs.
Chtwood, at 211k East Washington street.
His father, John Blanch, lives State
street, and, with Mrs. Chitwood, visited the
Gg the and They aegn o the
dead man. The pocketbook cuffs and
scarfpin they were positive did not belong
to the missing man, but the clothing and
hat they thought they could identify as the
garments worn by Blanch.
Blanch wore an emblem pin, and there
fC 1afA thaaf foot hot heaC lyx-0x
wore the trfnket on the left lapel of his
vest. He was about thirty-two years old.
and Was caed about ns Se
rant where he worked. In height he
about five feet, four inches and a half,
which falls several inches short of the dead
mans measurement However, those who
knew Blanch are not positive as to his ex-
act height, and say that he may have been
taller. 1t is said that Blanch kept himself
friends say that when he left here he had $500
or $500 on his person.
During yesterday afternoon many people
visited the morgue, and several vague
clews were started by persons who thought
that they could recognize something famil-
lar about the clothing which covered the
decomposed body. The coroner and his dep
uty were kept busy all day tracing rumors.
but accomplished nothing. Late last night
a citizen of West Indianapolis called at the
undertakerS and announced his belief that
the unknown was George Fichney, young
shoe store in the suburb. Fichney disap-
peared early last summer under peculiar
circumstances, it is said. He has a sister
living in West Indianapolis, who will visit
the morgue to-day. The coroner clings to
the murder theory, although there is no
curate way in which the manner of death
can be located. The skull shows no indi-
cation of having been fractured, although
death might have resulted from q blow that
would not crush the bone. Coroner Beck
believes that the man was a stranger in the
city, and that he was enticed to Fairview
Park by persons who knew he had money,
aftorwar1 In
the lonely vicinity where the body was
found.