Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-09-06
A MYSTERIOUS BODY
In the Woods Near by Laurel, Mary
land.
Coubt as to the Sex-Partial Inquest
Held-Very Few Clues Are
in Sight.
Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.

Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star
LAUREL. September 6, 1897.
inns place was thrown into considerable
excitement yesterday morning over the
finding of a decomposed body of a white
person, supposed to be a woman, nv 'rhos
Keys. a young lad of fifteen years. in the
Kellogg woods, which are east of the b.
ard o. railroad and about mile from
Laurel The body was reduced to Il mere
skeleton. being but partially covered with
skin. and had evidently been lying where
found for month or more past. The skull
which was devoid of flesh or skin, was de-
tached from the body. The person was
evidently nude when death came, as there
was no sign of any clothing about the
body. There was, however, a pair of
trousers. in fair condition. with the body.
which led many to suppose that the corpse
was that of a male person.
About ) O'Clock yesterday afternoon ms
lcc jackson held an inquest, with the fol-
lowing jury: l.. A. Robey. foreman; VIM.
f. Scott, VIM f. Kaiser. f. w. Norris, r.
W. Kerr, j. y. Brown, James Rhodes sam
uel Oldiield, John Phair. Geo W. CurIev.
Jr-, WA Fairar and John W. Gray Mr.
r H. knowltCn. octanlst of the National
Museum, who resides here. testified that
August he passed through the kellogg
WOODS. looking for specimens of plants
lie saw man there, he stated in Il
nude condition. The man, as well as he
could re, all, had about a weeks growth of
beard on his chin and face, and had a
Stubby rec muStache. AS il was raining
he passed or. thinking the man was a
tramp and was taking a rain bath The
discovery of the body today recalled the
occurrence - him. Although not knowing
where the corpse was found, Mr.. KnowI-
tons description of the location where he
saw the nude man tailed exactly with the
place here the corpse was discovered.
DI. j. r. Hunt of Laurel, who examined
the body, said I! at judging from the shane
of the bones the body was that of a wo-
nan Near the skull was found some hair
o. a brown color and of fine texture in
die eating that if must have been q woman.
TIE lair was short Without reaching any
decision the jury adjourned until this
evening at 1 o'clock.
With many the opinion holds that there
must be some foul play connected with the
body. SCme, however, think that the bod
vas u al of the man seen by Mr.. knowl-
ton The fact, however. that the person
lad small hand and was of small stat
ure, and the testimony of DIR. Hunt tends
10 show that it must have been a remale
No one, however, either male or female
has been missed from here, which gives
color tC the impression that the corpse
must be of S.me one of another locality
who was lured or brought here and muir
deed. Bailiff Robey is at work making
the best of what evidence he has toward
urravcing the mystery surrounding the
case. The fact that the person has evil
gently been dead for a month past will
make the search difficult one. The skull
was found a short distance from the body
Undertaken VIM. Milstead took the body
in charge and buried il late yesterda y
afternoon in Laurel cemetery.