The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-02-13
REMAINS HACED|NMORGUE.
CORONER At TACOMA FINDS A
CORPSE IN THE BRUSH.
Decomposition Had Progressed To an
Extent to Make Identification Diff
ficutf, hut There are Reasons TO

Special Dispatch 70 the Pcst-Intelllgencer.
TACOMA. Feb. 12-After quite an ex-
tended search IN the vicinity Of Fifty
sixth street and South Pacific avenue.
Coroner HoskA and local detectives today
about noon succeeded Ia finding the body
q the dead man reported TO The police
Las evening by two boys, who brought
with them a revolver which they had
picked Up beside the body, and which
they presented as an evidence. or their
good faith The body VAS IN an advanced
state OF decomposition. and this fact. be
Side several other odd circumstances,
leads 10 Il being matter OF clever in
fest!gation TO determine who the man
WAS and how he came to his death.
The condition OF the remains points TO
the man having been dead three months
or more, and his clothing. with the gem
erai appearance OF the body IA sher tends
70 show that the man was Harry ".
GardieSt0ne. chief steward Of the steamer
Homer, which pat into port IN route 10
Alaska last October. Upon the return
Of the vessel from her northern trip ii
was discovered that Gir,lIestone who was
highly connected in San Francisco had
been missing from the time the Homer
reached Tacoma. Foul play was sos-
pected and a diligent inquiry put under
way, but from then until now no trace
has ever been found of the missing stew
ara. \ letter in the possession OF Chief
CT Police Hogc from Glrdlestoae's rela-
tyes In San Francisco describes the man
as bght-compiexionsd 33 years of age
> Feet Ga inches tan and weighing abou.
IN pounds TIE remains found today, so
lar as their condition would permit OF ex-
animation, tally with The description OF
Girdlestono, ana the detectives ON the case
are " the opinion that such VIII prove
the correct solution OF the mystery.
The body was dressed in tailor-mat,e
clothing, but the name of the maker on
the inside coat pocket was so washed out
and soiled as TO be illegible. a hat worn
by the man had been made in san Fran
cisco The clothing is now being cleaned
and Pat in condition 10 be used for
Identification ir possible. The man wore
pair Of new shoes. and in this connec-
ton there ~ strange circumstance
one of his Shoes was found lying near
the body. and was so stained upon the
II side from the c0loriEg Of his socks that
The officers are quite sure the shoe re-
manned on his foot long after he was
dead, THAI the rains caused the stains SO
plain upon the lining. and that some one
removed the shoe from the foot since
death.
II has been impossible to find a bullet
mark Of any kind on the body. The only
mark Of this nature is al the neck and
does not appear 10 have been made by 4
bullet. but 10 the work of insects since
death. Nowhere else on the body is there
a sign of a bullet marx. On a fallen tree
Eear by was found the marks OF two
shots. One bullet lay embedded In the
tree, showing II 10 have been fired DOWN
ward. The other struck the tree hor-
zontaily and had glanced Off Nothing
in the way OF writing was found on the
body Eleven dollars In silver was IN
one of the trouser pockets, pint flask
half full OF whisky and Il two-fo0t rule
in another, this being all that was fonnd
on the person of the dead man, other
than his clothing. Examination OF h's
mouth showed that two upper teeth on
the right side and one on the left side
are missing. On the body was also found
an old-fashioned knit jacket. or wamus.
worn between the vest and outer s:>rt.
IL was found necessary To at once bury
the body. and after stripping it of every
thing which might prove Of value I'm
Identifying the man the remains were pre-
pared for the grave and inferred
Harry w. Girdiestone disappeared from
his vessel az the dock here on or about
October . Of last year. lie had left tie
vessel with the intention of purchasing
supplies for the Alaskan trip while ashore
and WAS never afterward heard from.
His strange disappearance caused quite
q stir in san Francisco. where he was
the Coast were employed TO find some
clue 10 his mysterious end. After care
fully inauiging here local officers gave up
the search. as they could not get a word
OF information about The missing man
from the time he left his vessel
At first Il was the prevalent opinion
that the steward had deserted with puf-
pose. but later Investigation developed
he could have mad no valid excuse for
such hghaNis~ Then the SfffsfHa avl
f0ul play theories were next advanced. begs
al 10 Re- purpose. as nothing ever came
or the minute inquiry instituted lay this
san Francisco police. and n last the
Whole affair was forgotten. From what
the local detectives know of GirdleStone's
past Ghey are Inclined 20 think that II
the body Is that Of the missing steward
he mas been foully Ge4it WITH. either for
money or revenge. San Francisco az
thorities are being communicated with.
ana . FUN Investigation viii he made 10
determine the identify Of tho body