The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-12-30
IT WAS MURDER
NOT ACCIDENT
Such Was the Verdict on the Death Of
John Frank, Jr.
KILLED BY BLOWS ON THE HEAD
when Frank. Nearly Dead, Was
Found Eying in the River, IL Was
Thought lie Had Been Hurt by u
EaIl.-IIe Died and the Autopsy
Gave Evidence That Franks Skull
Had Been Crushed bya Weapon.

The police department has a chance
to distinguish itself in ferrcting out
what q Coroners jury believes to have
been case of murder \ verdict was
reached last night that John Frank,
jr.. who was found dying in the Lacka-
wanna river, Sunday morning. Dee. ~,
came to his death from the effects of
blows upon the head ana not from a
fall as was generally supposed
The verdict was based chiefly upon
the testimony of Coroner IOngstrcet.
In his autopsy of the body he found on
Franks battered head the best Of cir
cumstantial evidence that the young
man was the victim of foul play. If
this testimony had been lacking there
was abundant reason to suppose that
Frank died from the effects of somo-
thing other than a fall
on the Sunday morning in question
Frank was found moaning and numb
ling inCuherently while sitting in a
kneeling position near the rivers shore
below the Jersey Central tracks. near
the Elm street bridge 1t was sup
posed he had fallen from the railroad
wall and had been stunned. He was
taken in the patrol wagon to the CEN
tral police station. where he died in
two hours. Police Surgeon Fulton had
been called to attend him, but could
do nothing to save his life,
CORONER CALLED.
Franks body was taken to Raub's
undertaking establishment on Spruce
street and the case turned over to the
coroner.
1t was ascertained that on Sunday
night Frank was carOusing in Polish
saloons on the South Side and that
Patrolman Sartor had taken him from
the custody of two PolandprS. Frank
being sent toward the Elm street bridge
on his route home to the West Side and
his companions in another direction,
on Tuesday three POlanders, John Ku-
mar, John Olszurski and George Ber-
nae. were arrested.
The latter was discharged by Alder
man Millar and the other two he'd for
| a hearing on Wednesday and pending
investigation by the police. No evil
dcnce against them was found and they
were released.
Corner LOngStreet discovered i'm his
| autopsy that Franks skull had sus-
| tained several fractures. 1t was al
most mushy" as he described it, The
| injury was at the base of the skull
| but the scalp was not cut, showing
| that a fall could hardly have caused
| the fracture There was every reason
| to believe that Frank had been struck
several times with some heavy instru-
| ment that had a smooth surface,
| THE JURY'S VERDICT.
The revelations Of the autopsy were
| made known to the COrOner's jury, who
| met last evening i'm the arbitration
| room at the court house. From this
| evidence. augmented by the knowledge
| that Frank had been CarOusinG and il
| bad company the night he met hi!
| DEATH verdict was quickly reached
| that he died from the effects of blow
| or blows on the head at the hand O
| a person or persons unknown.
The verdict will be made known t
the police early this morning, and i
| is possible that there may he furthe1
| developments in the case.