The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-09-18
IN TIME TO STOP
HER OWN FUNERAL
Special Dispatch to The Call.

MIDDLEBORO, Mass, Sept. 1.-THE
supposed victim of the Bridgeport,
Conn, murder, Miss Marian Grace Per-
kins, arrived at her home this after
noon in the best health to the great
Joy of the family and the unbounded
establishment of the entire community.
Her father was not in town, for at
the time of his daughters, arrival he
was on his way back from Bridgeport
with the gruesome remains which he
had identified as those of Grace, and
for which the funeral arrangements, in
Guiding the digging Of the. grave, had
already been completed.
Miss Perkins came from Providence,
r. l., and was accompanied by her
lover, Charles Bourne, and at first 1t
was stated that the couple had been
married. This was afterward denied
by young Bourne's uncle. So unex-
pected was the coming of Miss Perkins
and young Bourne that outside of Mr..
Thompson and one or two friends who
had been previously notified, there were
very few at the railorad station when
the train came in.
The young lady, however, was imme-
diately recognized by the bystanders at
the station, and the news spread
around the town with incredible rapid
ity. There was a large crowd at the
gate as the young lady stepped from
the carriage and ran into the house.
Just across the street from the Perkins
house is a little cemetery, and only this
morning, in response to the request of
the uncle of Miss Perkins, a grave had
been dug by the sexton in the family
lot, and the new earth thrown up be-
side 1t could be plainly seen from the
house Half an hour after Miss Per-
kins arrival home local undertaker's
wagon drove up to the house, and in 1t
was the coffin which had been ordered
by the family. The funeral arrange
ments had even gone so far that the
family minister had been notified and
asked to conduct the service.
AT the Perkins home tonight an
uncle of the young woman, in the alb
sence of her father, gave out the fol-
lowing statement:
I'VE think that Grace and Charles
Bourne have been married as they have
been off on, frequent trips during the
past two or three months. Grace knew
nothing of the sensation until yester-
day morning, when she read Of it in
a paper She sent a letter to her
mother only ten days ago, but tho lat
ter never received it,
Later in the evening Miss Perkins
herself after many opportunities, con-
scented to speak, but all she said was:
II am glad to be here, alive, truly
alive, and 1t is truly me-"
Mr.. Perkins arrived from Taunton
about 10 o'clock and drove to the Per-
kins house. The meeting between father
and daughter was affecting. Late to-
night it was reported that Mr.. Perkins
was very Ill.
BRIDGEPORT, Sept. 1.-THE news
that Miss Perkins had returned to her
home in Middleboro was received with
incredulity at first, so general wns the
belief that the identity of the body had
been established. That no doubt existed
in the minds of the officials as to the
Identification is apparent from the
fact that the death certificate has been
filed and everything official In connec-
ton with the death of Grace Perkins''
has been complied with. Superintend-
ent of Police Birmingham said to-
night: Il was satisfied that the dead
woman was not the original OF the pho
tograph exhibited by Mr.. Perkins and
there were other discrepancies, great
many of them.