The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-09-13
A MYSTERY IN BRIDGEPORT
PARTS OF WOM4N,S BODY FOUND
 ON MUD FLATS.


 Bcon D Person of Refinement--Teeth Filled With GoId-A Skilled Person Evidently Dismembered the Body Some Parts Missing-No Clue as to tho Murderer.
 Bridgeport, Sept. 12.-The detective branch of the police department of this city is all agog tonight over grue- some find of two bundles on the mud flats of an arm of the Yellow mill pond, which points almost conclusively to an- other murder mystery to unravel, and the means taken to dispse of the victim recalls the famous New York murder for which Martin I'horne recently paid the penalty. The packages in question contained the head of woman cut from the body near the ear, and the lower limbs which had been separated from the body, unjointed and cut in two at the knees, then tied together again and wrapped up in strong glazed paper. The parts of the body gave no signs of decomposition and apparently could not have been where they were found but short time.
 The discovery was made about four o'clock this afternoon by Henry Dell mar, Stephen Kelly and James Jackson, three small boys, who live on Seaview avenue. They were on the north end of the bridge which crosses an arm of Yellow Mill pond when they discovered two peculiar looking bundles on the mud flats near the west side of the bridge. They were unable to get them without assistance, and William Burr, carpenter, had his attention called to them, and procuring rake was able to secure them. The first bundle that was opened revealed the head of a woman, one side of which was battered and jammed and had cloth tied over the mouth. The other held the lower limbs, as previously mentioned. The news of the discovery soon spread and a crowd hastily gathered The police were notified and Coroner Doten had the parts removed to Cullinan's morgue. The head was photographed and 1t is thought to be that of woman of about twenty-five years of age. From It's bat tered condition it was impossible to form an opinion of the woman's na- tionality.
 Medical Examiner Downes was at once informed of the discovery, and he immediately drove to the scene, and 1otr ,s1n4 A. <t. Doten. Detective Cronin,. also by good chance, happened to be in the neighbor- hood and succeeded in retaining many apparently trifiing articles, which will probably be of invaluable assistance in working up the case Medical Exam iner Downes gave permit for the dis membered parts to be removed to the morgue, where they were taken shortly after 5 o'clock. After the head had been cleaned and made presentable as far as it was possible on account of it's battered condition, photographs were taken for the purpose of possible iden- tifcation. Two pictures in different po- sitions were secured The result was that it is the option of the authorities that the victim was a person of more than ordinary refinement. The feat ures however, are wan and thin. It Is surmised that the woman was about five feet six inches in height; her hair was dark brown and was braided in a manner as usual with many women before they retire and was tied with cotton cord. A number of the teeth were white and regular, and some were gold filled, while only two or three in the back of the mouth were missing. The eyes were greyish blue. The pro- nounced characteristic of the face is the short aquiline nose, which, it is be- lieved will afford strong means of identification. The feet are small and shapely. The neck and also the limbs at the knees and thighs were severed in manner showing a clean cutting of the flesh, and was clearly done by some one conversant with anatomy, and was either butcher or a medical person, and the authorities are inclined to be- lieve that one of the former class was the guilty party.
 Dr. Downs stated that the case was a most curious one, and one of so many contradictions that the solution of the mystery promises to be no easy task In his opinion the body had been in the water about twenty-four hours when found, and also a large knife had been used to dismember the kody, as in no place was the flesh torn. The limbs were sawed apart, but the entire work was done in 1eisurely manner and evidently with much care, as no bruises were visible about the head. It is the opinion of the medical examiner that the death took place in the night from the arrangement of the woman's hair, and also from the appearance of the teeth; that she had not lived in a plen- tiful manner of late. There was also noticed that two stout cords were wound about the thighs so tightly as to cut into the flesh. and it was evident that whoever did the cutting was de- sirous to prevent the flow of blood. The limbs also had one leg of mans cot ton drawers, the kind that are worn in summer, wrapped around them. They were of good material, but there were no marks on them to assist in identifi- cation.
 Two stones weighing about ten pounds each were attached to the bun dles. They were black and grimy, and discolored from being in the water a long time, and they were undoubtedly taken from near the shore, where there is much refuse, by whoever tried to