The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-09-19
GRACE PERKINS ALIVE.
Reaches Home to Be Confront
ed With Her Own Corpse.

Middleboro, Mass. Sept. 19.-While her
grave was being dug in the little ceme-
terry just across the street. while her sup
posed remains were on the way to the
house. and while her father was return
ing from Bridgeport, where he had just
taken solemn oath that the dismembered
corpse found in the Yellow Mill pond was
that of his daughter, she, Marian Grace
Perkins, alive. well and ready to wed,
walked into her home in this town.
This vision of the dead come to life was
the startling climax of this great mys-
terry.
With Miss Perkins was her youthful
lover, Charles Bourne, the person whom
the police and the public have been so
anxiousIy looking for during the last few
days.
Not half an hour after the girl had
reached her home the family shuddered at
another grewsOme shock. when the local
undertaker's wagon backed nOiseleSsly up
TO the door, and the attendants prepared
ignorance OF the developments of the case
imagined was the remains of Miss Per-
The two young lovers. whose unexpIain-
ed absence for the past week in connec-
ton with the Bridgeport murder had
thrown all New England into the greatest
excitement, came dire tly from Providence,
All along the line they received a great
ovation, crowds gathering quickly at the
railway stations when the word was pass
ed along that someone had recognized the
famous couple on the train.
Miss Perkins and young Bourne were
met at the train by Allerton Thompson
an uncle Of Bourne and by Treasurer An
drew w. Wood of the Savings bank. The
lovers We're separated and sent to their
respective homes in different carriages
They demurred at this a first. but were
persuaded that it best that they
Should sacrifice their own happiness forthe
present in order to relieve the distress of
their families.
The runaway girl arrived home just in
time to prevent MiddlebOro from having a
great public demonstration at the funeral
of the butchered remains of the real victim
OF the bridgeport murder Inc funeral
arrangements had been made and the
local pastor had been engaged to officiate
In the rustic cemetery. only just across
the way from the Perkins home. grave
d1ggers mad eXcalVated a last resting place
for the poor girl, and the windows of the
house looked directly out upon the freshly
turned loan as it lay heaped up al the
When seen by a reporter, Miss Perkins
said that she and Bourne had come home
to get married. She said that the cere-
mony would take place in a few days.
Charles Bourne, in an interview last
Z started on my regular annual vaca-
ton. Miss Perkins went with me-"
He refused to state where they had been.
He thought the letters Miss Perkins had
sent to her employers were sufficient TO
explain her absence. He denied that they
We're married. He refused to say any
thing more.
Miss Perkins told a reporter that she
had been on her vacation and that it was
nObody's business where she went or why
she stayed so long. or why she didn't let
her parents know that she was alive when
the newspapers were filled with stories
that she was murdered.
What shall be done with the mutilated
remains is problem which cOnfronts the
authorities now. Mr.. Perkins took for
NAL oath that the nlutilated corpse was
that of his daughter, and consequently
the coroner turned it over to him and gave
disposition of the body.
Another singular feature of the remark
able case is that Mr. Perkins. who is a
poor man, was obliged to borrow money
to pay the undertaker's bill.