The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1896-05-30
MOST SHOCKING
MURDER DONE
Horribly NutiIated Body Of Miss Es-
ther Ganioa Found on the Beach
Near smiths Point.
THOUGHT THREE ARE KILLED
Crime Mas Committed Some time on Thurs
day. bat the circumstances Surround
Ing the ANiu Deed Remain
Nystey.

About o'clock last evening tho mu-
tilated body Of woman waH seen by
some persons lying on the beach ~
Smiths point. and Coroner Pohl wuA lm.
modlatrly notified. The corpse was taken
10 tho morguc. whore several hundred
people viewed the remains
The body was Identified as that Of Is.
thcr ounion. and AN Indications point to
a brutal murder Tho forehead IL dis
ngured by an awful cash. while there
are several wounds on the top and back
OF the head The wound on the fore
head Is not deep. ana was probably not
tho cause OF the womRn's death Those
on the back OF the head are deeper, ana
wero undoubtedly made with a blunt in
s,rumcnt.
There were many theories aiioat ns 10
the manner IN which the unfortunate
woman met her death. but there II not
the slightest doubt but that she was
murdered. From all appearances tho
woman had not been dead more than
eighteen hours ard the body was easily
ldsu,incd, The womnn'u clothes were
somewhat disordcred ana Il was evident
Hho made a desperate fight for her life.
II what was reported last night IL true.
three persons have been murdered. ana
all a, the same time 4 special TO the
Astorian from Clifton casts some light
upon the mystery. II appears the Gunlon
woman has bccn living with a man nam
ed Miclandt, a fisherman. In a scow near
Clifton. Wednesday night Mciinndt. the
woman and her brother. Adolph Gunlou.
werc seen at the scow In an intoxicated
condition Shortly nftcrward they left
the scow In fishing boat. since which
time none excepting the woman. has
been seen.
The theory that the woman WAS drown
cd was exploded as soon as Il was stated
ns the fact that the body aoatcd TO tho
Point would demonstrate. Had she been
drowned. the body would have sunk
When death comes before tho body is
thrown into the water. the corpse floats.
The Eushes on the head could not possi-
have been made by dashlug against the
rocks. as that on tho forehead looks
very much like the result OF blow from
u haicheL Dr. ], A. Fulton says the
wound might have been made with a
bottle. and this makes Il possible that
the unfortunate woman was murdered
by one OF the men In the boat.
Then there Is another story II Is
stated by some that the woman was seen
In Astoria yesterday and that she was
murdered here, II Is also stated that she
was seen In company with two persons
whose names. however, were not given.
The tellers OF this story think Miss Gun
ion was murdered early yesterday ana
that her body was taken to one OF the
docks nearest Smiths point ana there
cast adrift. But n this be true. what
has become OF the woman's brother ana
Meilandt? Tho three persons left Clifton
at the same time and neither OF the men
has been reported as having arrived at
Astoria.
The most plausible theory Is that the
whole party was murdered near Tongue
Point Had the crime been committed
above the Tongue, the body OF the
woman would not have drlfted so far
Apparently the party was attacked while
In the boat the two men being shot As
all were drunk when they left Clifton,
the woman was probably asleep in the
bottom OF the boat Miss Gunlon was
then discovered and beaten TO death with
an oar or a bottle.
Chief OF Police Loughery and detach-
ment OF special police left up the river
last night, and will no doubt bring the
perpetrators OF the awful crime to jus
tlce, An inquest will be held at ~ o'clock
today,