Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-09-20
Coroner's Jury Reaches Conclusion in
Laurel Investigation.
DISAGREEMENT AMONG TEE DOCTORS
Verdict That Body Found Was
That of Norfolk Man.
VIEWS OF HIS EMPLOYERS

body found two weeks ago in kellogg's
woods, near here. The jury reached con-
clusion about 1890 o'clock, expressing the
belief that the body was that of Mark A.
G. Cliff, jr., but reached no conclusion con-
corning the manner of death. Several wit
nesses were examined by the jury, includ
ing four physicians. So far as the latter
were concerned, it was strictly case of
doctors disagreeing. Two of them were
positive that the pelvis of the deceased
was that of male, while the others were
equally certain that 1t belonged to a fe-
male.
Mrs. Cliff and her brother-in-law were
also present at the inquest as witnesses.
The former is fully convinced that she Is
now tae widow of the victim of the Kellogg
woods tragedy, while the latter, although
he thinks the body is that of his brother,
would not be surprised at any time should
the supposed dead brother reappear in the
flesh.
Members of the jury were not satisfied
with this Identification. but the evidence
of Prof knowlton that the picture of Gift
bore striking resemblance to- the man
whom he had seen in Kellogg's woods
caused the jury to express the belief that
the body was his; hence the conclusion.
In addition 10 returning the verdict men,
TONED, the jury passed a resolution CEN
surfing the sheriff for his apparent indiffer-
ence concerning the case. The resolution
reads:
THE jury takes occasion to call attention
to the Indifference of the sheriff of Prince
Georges county, who failed to render any
assistance by his presence or advice in the
investigation made in the case which has
been prolonged almost two weeks"
Jury and Spectators.
The hearing was held in the town hail,
where the coroner and jurymen sat about
a long table. The spectators, and they
yx-nr
wall and stood close behind the jurymen.
On the table, wrapped in a newspaper, was
the head of the deceased which had been
used as playth:ng only a couple of hours
before the assembling of the jury. In
box, also upon the table, was the pelvis
the leg were also there for the medical
witnesses to examine. The coat and other
articles Of wearing apparel found in the
cemetery some distance from where the
body was discovered, were also presented
in evidence
This was my husbands coat" said Mrs
Gift. who was the first witness examined.
Il put this patch here myself and she
pointed to a part of the garment where 1t
had been mended
Witness explained the condition of her
husbands teeth. and when she was shown
the Skul she said
These teeth are very much like nv
husbands. l know they are his, and the
hair l got most positively belonged to
him.
viii you give your husbands name?"
Mrs. Cliff was asked.
Mark A. G. Cliff, jr., she answered
Wien did you last him?'
On the list day of August, about 1890
o'clock He left me and said he was going
to work.
In answer to the coroner's questions Mrs.
Ciift said she had not heard from her hus-
band since he left home. He was not seen
on the cars near Virginia Beach, so far as
she had heard. The uncollected drug bills
of the Norfolk firm found in the coat she
recognized as having been In her husbands
possession when he left home They had
been given to him by Druggist Scott II
collect Mrs. Cliff said she had not heard
that any one left Norfolk with her hus-
band She was sick at the time, but she
learned that he left the drug store at
o CLOCK in the afternoon.
Not a bad Man.
What kind Of man was your hus-
band?' Mrs, Cliff was asked WAS he
good or bad?"
Well she hesitatingly replied, "he
wasn't bad"
Was he a drinking man?"
Well he did drink sometimes"
Ever to excess?'
Yes; but he had sweet disposition"
He was of rowing disposition, broke
in the brother When he felt so disposed.
he took to the road. and thought nothing
of tramping from Baltimore to Washing
ton, or to Philadelphia"
Resuming, Mrs. Cliff said that her hus-
band had soft, thick hand, very much
like woman's. He never did any har1
work. She was questioned further about
the Identification of the teeth, and was
then excused.
John W. Gift brother of Mark. was next
sworn, and he gave description of his
brother. He said his brother was a drug
clerk, but that he had never graduated
from a college. As he had 10 diploma he
ral Jaf fIar lr IN,
stores. He was drinking man, and when
ne drank to excess he went roaming about
the country.
my brothers teeth looked a good deal
like these he said, examining those in the
skull, but won't say that these are his"
when he went off on these tramping ex-
petitions" said the brother. "he generally
kept his whereabouts to himself
His brother had suffered with the tooth
ache. but he took alcohol and not drugs to
ease the pain. Cross-examined by juror
witness said his brother wore his hair long
and when Off on a spree he would wear any
old clothes he could pick up.
Medical Experts Testify.
DIR. Emory Walk was next called. and
producing the pelvis taken from the body
found in the woods, he compared it with
the supposed pelvis of woman he had
bough. at college. He explained the
of the pelvis and pointed
out the difference, as he claimed, between
that of the body found in the woods and
the one from the college. The pelvis of
the body found In the woods. he was GER
tain. was that Of man. Witness also ex-
hibited the bones of the leg and said he was
certain that they had belonged to a man
Prof. F. Il. Lucas, curator of anatomy
at the Medical Museum in Washington,
gave corroborative evidence, as did Dr. W.
Franklin Taylor.
DIR. J. r. Hunt, the next medical witness
examined was positive that the body found
in the woods was that of woman When
he made an examination of the body. he
found the bladder. but not the uterus He
also found nippl, which was very large,
and he thought there was not a man living
with 50 large a one.
DR.. Biser was also positive that the body
was that of woman. He made an exam
ination of the pelvis taken from the body
as well as that furnished by one of the
doctors from a college, and gave his rea-
sons for believing as he did.
Cliffs Life Insured.
John Cliff asked permission to make
further explanation, and this privilege was
accorded him. He said his brother was
shaped very much like woman, and he
had a small hand
Was his Hfe insured?' he was asked
s.aso