The San Francisco call., 1898-02-13
Boys Discover a Corpse in a Wood Near
 Tacoma.
Officials Believe It Is That of Alfred Cushing of San
 Francisco.
Slayers Had Removed All Evidence Which Might Lead to an
 Identification.
Special Dispatch to The Call,

TACOMA. Feb. 12.-Tacoma has a murder mystery. The victim was killed nearly two months ago, and the body concealed in the woods four miles south of the city, near Fern Hill. Everything which could afford the slightest clew to his identity was removed with one exception, and that clew leads the Cor oner and police to believe that the man came from San Francisco. It consists Of a stamp in his soft black hat, which shows that it was procured at the San Francisco Hat Works, at Ill Fourth street, in that city.
 Alfred Cushing, who came from San Francisco in November, is missing. His description tallies with that of the body found last night, except that Gushing wore gray clothes when last seen, while the murdered man was dressed in new suit of black diago- nal cloth. Cushing was oing cut near Fern Hill looking for land, which strengthens the belief that he may be the murdered man.
 The body was found last evening by boys, but was not recovered until to- day. It lay on it's back, with the hands stretched out by it's side. The dead man wore sack coat. light striped shirt, celluloid collar and four-in- hand scarf.
 Beneath the vest was a short knitted brown wool jacket. His pockets con tafned black silk handkerchief, $9 35 in silver, some cartridges, bottle half full of whisky and a carpenters fold ing rule. He was five feet six inches tall, weighed 160 pounds and was from 30 to 35 years old. His teeth may afford a means of identification, being pecu- liar in that an extra tooth protruded IL l.. L. the right of the center of his lower jaw. One lower tooth was decayed to the roots and two upper teeth were miss ing. All his clothing was new and of good quality, including underclothing and shoes. Ten feet away was found cheap small caliber revolver. His pockets bear evidence that all papers had been removed from them.
 Everything indicates that the stran- ger was murdered by having his throat cut for his windpipe was completely severed. Rodents and insects had gnawed at his face and neck, but care full examination shows that no bullet had entered his head or body. Blood had run down his body, which it would not have done had he committed sui eide and died on the spot.
 The police are working on several theories, being inclined to believe that
 
 carried into the bushes by the mur- derers, who removed his letters and papers, placing a whisky bottle and re- volver near by to indicate suicide. The leaving of little money in his pockets would also tend to divert suspicion.
 Alfred Cushing, who came here in Mo- vember, rented a room on Tacoma ave- nue until February 20. He returned from one land-hunting expedition, and started out on another shortly before Christmas, intending to start a chick en ranch, when he found the right To- cation. The fact that he has not re- turned has aroused suspicion, and it will not be surprising if he and the dead man are found to be identical. Whether he has relatives in San Fran cisco is not known, as his room con- tains absolutely nothing that reveals who his friends were
 The remains were buried this after l