The record-union., 1896-12-16
Is TARTHUR O'NEIL'SSKULL?
The One Found by William johnson
Yesterday.
Possible Clue to a Mystery That
Has Existed for Twenty
Three Years.

1t looks at last as if one portion of
the mystery that for twenty three
years has surrounded the disappear
ance of Arthur ONeil has been dis
PEELED. And if so, may not the whole
truth yet be revealed?
About two months ago William John
son and family moved into the little,
Old brick house that stands on the alley
and in the rear of 40 n street. Yes
terday morning Mr.. Johnson deter
mined to lay a carpet on the Kitchen
floor, but found that number OF short
boards nailed down in the middle OF
the room were in the way, so he pro-
ceeded to remove them. Instead of the
floor being worn thin, as was expected,
he found that the boards had simply
formed trap-door which led to the
earth beneath, a distance of not more
than two feet Looking down he saw
something smooth and round, and on
drawing it forth found it to be human
skull
Mr.. Johnson, as was natural, dropped
the gruesome find, and at once notified
the police Officers Fisher and Maley
We're detailed by Chief Drew to in
vestigate and after making a cursory
examination of the premises they
dropped into a gunnysack, the shell
that once held a brain and took it to
police headquarters, where it is now on
exhibition.
Skulls had been found in Sacramento
before, but never in the history of the
city was one found that carried with
it stronger evidence of murder most
foul than that brought to light yester-
val
formed, having been that of a man
who, judging from the teeth of the up
per jaw-the lower jaw being missing
must have been past the meridian of
life.
The left cheekbone had been cleft, ap-
parently with a hatchet or an ak, and
a corner of the instrument penetrated
the left temple clipping out piece Of
the skull about two inches long.
Whether only the head of the victim
of foul play was placed under the floor
of the kitchen of the old brick house
in the alley, or whether eats, dogs or
other animals have scattered the other
bones of the skeleton broadcast, has
not yet been determined. but the evil
dence of foul play remains unchanged
and may possibly lead to clearing up
zens of Sacramento for the past twen-
ty-three years.
on the 18th day of December, 1873.
Arthur ONei disappeared as COM
pletely as though the earth had opened
and swallowed him, and though the Of
ffcers for years after sought for clews
he was never again heard of. O'Neil
was quite wealthy, and besides a brick
yard which he opened he owned sew
eral pieces of valuable property along
and X streets that brought in a
handsome rental. The day of his dis
appearance he had been collecting his
rents and INDUCED freely in drink.
About O'Clock in the evening he en-
tered a saloon meat market and store,
combined. situated on Fourth street,
between l. and NJ, and ordered a drink,
after which he started south on Fourth
street. with the avowed purpose of go
ing to his home on Tenth street, be-
tween + and S.
From that day to this nothing was
ever heard of Arthur O'Neil, and while
at the time the majority of the Sher-
ifs officers and the police force be-
lieved he had been foully murdered for
the money he was known to have with
dered to the river and was drowned
though, as Chief Drew aptly put it last
night, what would he have been doing
down at the river front, when his
home lay in the opposite direction?
Chiefs of Police Karcher, Stevens,
Jackson and others all worked on the
case. but without success, while the Of
ficers under Chief Drew. who was
elected Sheriff shortly after the occur
renee, made several futile searches
after possible clews.
William Brissell. jailer under Drew,
last night recalled having conducted a
search for the missing man in the vi
cinity in which the skull was found
yesterday. and recollected having sunk
a number of holes on lots in the imme-
diate surroundings, in search for the
remains.
1t would seem that all traces found
stopped in the neighborhood of Fourth
and Fifth, y and streets, and last
night the old-time officers of the city
shook their heads as they gingerly turn
ed over the mutilated skull. One name
was on the tip of each tongue-Arthur
O'Nen.
They may be wrong, but they re-
count that the little, old brick house
has stood in its present place for a
great many years. and has been re-
paired time and again to keep it ten
able. though none seem able to remem-
Der who owned or occupied il when
O'Neil disappeared. or whether it was
vacant at that time.
At all events. a mutilated skull, taken
from beneath the floor of the little old
brick building in the rear of No. 4oS
\ street, now lies in a gunnysack at