The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-09-04
Disappeared From Home and
Never Heard of After.
Found Yesterday With a Stone Tied
About His Neck by a Rope.

has know in half century-a mystery
that has bafliod the friends OF Harry s..
Shapleigh for three years.
For "Harry," as everybody knew him,
was one of the most popular express
messengers on the eastern division of
the B. x M. railroad, and had been for
more than 30 years. He was a stranger
indeed to the community who did NOT
know Harry Shapleigb, and yet he went
and left no trace, no trnil, until yester-
day, when.young Dwight Foster and his
father, Mr.. David l.. Foster, stumbled
upon 1t wholly by chance In the Beverly
woods.
The place was peat bog or meadow
near Paradise Crossing, on the Glouces-
ter branch of the railroad, beyond Mont
seratt station. The Fosters went to get
a load of meadow muck. AT spot known
as the "holc,'', a deep pool but seldom
visited, it was noticed that the level of
the water had fallen greatly owing to the
drought.
The boy saw what appeared to be the
heel of a mans boot, and on parting
the bushes and long grass discovered
that there was somebody lying there
He called to his father who came quickly
and was astonished to see the booy of
q man lying face downwards with his
breast and head in the water. 1t was as
though he had gone head foremost into
the pool. There was some decomposi-
tion, but the face and hands appeared to
be petrified.
Mr.. Foster went at once to the nearest
telephone and called the police, Chief
Haskell responding in person.
Upon examining the pockets of the
clothing a gold watch, still untarnished
in spite OF It's long exposure in the water,
was drawn forth and the long sought
stood revealed.
Upon the lid was this inscription:
presented to Harry &. Shapleigh by
mis- Salem friends, Nov. 4, 1872" 1t was
remem brance given to the missing
express messenger by his fellow employees
and associates in the service of Merritt's
Boston Express, which he had represented
for many years. other friends on his
route to Boston contributing.
That threw food of light upon what
had been so inexplicable before. Tender
ly'tbe body was taken from the water
Beside the watch all the other valua bles
which Mr.. Shapeigh had with him on
leaving home on the morning of bis de-
parture were found intact-his scsrf pin
pocketbook containing s1l in money,
bunch of keys and three pocket knives.
Nothing had apparently been touched
L. ~ % lyato L.
change.
A piece of clothes line was apparently
attached to the neck near the head, and
there were indications that there had
been a heavy stone tied to the cord, but
the rope had snapped and parted in NOV
ing the body. In the neck tand was a
gold collar button with peculiar stone
The spot, though a secluded one, is yet
not far from a byroad which is in more
or less use through the day and but
short distance from the railroad.
Until this season there has beer much
more water in the pool than is the case
at present.
Medical Examiner Haddock OF Beverly
was notified and reviewed tho body in
charge Of Undertaken Full to remove to
Salem.
1t was in the early fall of 1893 Harry
Shapleigh was granted a vacation by his
employer and went TO tho Worlds Fair at
Chicago to enjoy 1t. He returned in
October and was TO resume his duties as
On the day before, which was Tuesday,
he left his home on Union street in
Salem In the morning. 1t was about
o'clock and he said ne would 60 up town
and stop to pay bill at the Salem Gas
light Company's ofiice in the old Museum
building. This he did. Leaving the Gas
Company's ofii ce he continued on and
up the street, nodding to acqusintances.
Persons declared that they saw bin
board horse car bound for Beverly Cove
at some time between 10 and IL O'Clock
that morning and that he proceeded
toward Beverly.
Other individuals saw him in Boston
that day, and a nephew, &c work I'm the
Lowell station, was said to have seen Mr..
SnhpltlBu pussiHk turouBu tue EaStern
depot on Causeway street that same
| forenoon, and he was not seen again.
The remarkable feature OF this discov-
cry is that Mr.. Shapleigh's body was
found at a point about a mile from Wood
bury's store, where II was declared that
he aiigbted from n horse car, and In q
piece OF woods which had been, IL was
supposed. thoroughly searched by the
Salem police-a detail OF seven or eight
officers, aided by famous blood hound,
"Jack the Ripper," Mr.. Glazisr's bench
dog. Nothing was found, and the Bos-
ton clue was thought by many TO he the
correct one until the revelations of yes
terday set at rest all doubts.
On his return from the Worlds Fair
Mr. shaplcigh complained OF headache
and peculiar pains in his head. Years
ago, when residing on Mt. Vernon street