Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-06-07
TRACED ON MARBLE.
4 Suspected Murdersr'S Face Traced by
Supernatural Forces.
ON HIS VICTIMS GRAvESTONE.
Wonderful Psychie Phenomenon That May
Lead 60 the Clearing Up Off
Horrible Crime.
CNew York WORLDLY

Cherokee county. Ia tncTt CVi"eS
story OF Poe.iike gruesomeness about
gravcstone that is credIbly said to show
on its face the dImly-traced features OF
murderer. the assassin OF the old couple
whose remains lie buried underneath. The
marvellous Likeness OF this gravestone-
portrait Of the man. now that he Is miss
Ing after having been suspected OF the
crime, has aroused the prosecuting at
torney OF the county to vigorous search
for him. while the fupers,itious country
folk whereabouts for miles around are
making pilgrimages TO the cemetery TO
see this wonderful manifestation OF su-
pernatural forces, for such it seems 10 be.
IL IL more than likely that this most
remarkable psychological mystery will be
investigated by those past masters In the
scientific pursuit Of ghosts and other
death mysteries. the society for psychic
research. But In none OF the blood curdi-
ing reports yet published has any
psychic wonder had so many elements
OF the phenomenal as this one in Iowa.
AN OLD COUPLE.
The Rravestone, a photograph OF which
ten across its face. was made by a pho
tographer for the World, marks the spot
where lie an old German couple named
schultz. who were murdered In their own
home IN the middle of the night. They
lived a short distance from the town ana
were Etaylng alone I'm the house at the
time The old man had brought nome
a few days before considerable amount
OF money, which he had taken from
bank On account Of the panic. IN lhe
morning the old folks were found. their
heads split open with an axe, ana thefe
were evidences that there had been
struggle The money was gone.
The murder created great sensation on
account Of It's fearful details There was
nothing TO indicate in any way who had
committed IT, but the neighbors SUI
rected that the murderer might have been
w $ Florence. a hired hand who had
been in the Schultzs employ until SNORT
time before. a few weeks after the muir
der Florence left that section ana went
10 Nebraska As soon as he had gone
the stories began TO gain more currency
than ever. and the result was that de-
tectlyos were employed by the county au-
thofitics to hunt him down. lie was
found and taken back to Cherokee county
The grand jury examined him. put LOT
want Of evidence, discharged MIN. lie
promptly disappeared. and has not Deem
heard OF since
About the same time that the grand
tIry was engaged In the investigation oi
tbs case the relatives of the couple hau
a plain marble headstonc placed over their
grave. The grave was in little country
Iuryinr- ground. on the side Of II mn
within sight Of the house in which the
murder had been committed. Before
many weeks strange stories began TO pe
tod about IT, At first they were whlS-
pcrcd about the nciGhborhoOd. ana the
suporsi tiOus people OF the country side
shook their heads wisely and often gain
cIcd IN groups at the roadside or at the
village blacksmith shop. j was sald lhdt
the tombstone was slowly but surely de-
vclop!ng human lineamcnts, just as
photographers plate, under the action OF
chemicals. develops the lines in the mega
tive.
FLORENCE'S FEATURES.
The first person 10 tell the story WAS
an old woman. vino had also been the
first to suspect Florence Of the murder
II was received with increduity. and even
those " hose cur osity led them TO 90 and
look at the stone declared that the pic
tu,c had no existence except in the imagl-
nation of the old woman. Rut she m
sisted that she could see n picture there.
ana that II represented the features OF
Florence.
From time to time the old lady declared
tilt the picture was growing more ana
riorc plain. At last she convinced some
e her friends that they. too, could sec
the features Of man on the stone. The
face continued TO grow more and more
distirct, and to b. more and more talked
about until IL attracted the attention OF
the authorities They inspected 1t, and the
most unprejudiced were compelled 10 all
mil that they could sec the features of
q man. 4 marble dealer was taken to sec
it. lie declared that the features were BE-
ing devoloucd as "A result Of exposure to
atmospheric influences OF the rust ana
veins I'm the stone. He said IL would con
tinue to grow palmer.
This prediction has now been verihed.
The picture on the slab has become dis
tinct 10 even the most casual observer.
and to-day there Is not a person who knew
Florence that docs not declare that tho
lectures show q startling resemblance 10
his.
What Is equally prophetic Is tho fac.
that since the picture has been developing
on the stone, and the suspicion has be
come general that Florence was the muir
dcrcr, therc has developed evidence not
known at the time of his examination
before the grand jury that points TO the
conclusion that he was really guilty. The
prosecuting attorney OF Cherokee said to
the World representative that he was
confident that ne could now prove the
Guilt Of the suspected man should he be
located But this seems to he now impos-
siblc Florence has dropped out or the
world apparently. II Is supposed ne has
heard of the strange developments and got
as far away as possible.