The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-06-26
AUTHORITIES QUIET.
Autopsy Proceedings May Have Developed
Facts Which Would Be Cnwise to
Reveal to Curious Public Pend
ing Coroner's Inquest
Shedden In Boston.

be said there is no conclusive evidence
that the woman found in the Sterling
swamp was murdered. But the pre-
sumption that she was is strong.
Can it be possible that this woman
wandered to this spot alone and set
fire to herself while she lay in pool
of muddy water, or while she lay upon
the snow, and certainly within a few
feet of a brook which contained water
enough to put out any such fire? How
did those teeth fall from the jaw bone?
have read the statements of the lead
ing dentists of Worcester, as they have
been printed in The Spy. They say
that teeth do not fall from the Jaw after
death, without violence. Moreover, the
teeth were found several inches under
ground. If her teeth could not fall out,
somebody pulled them out, because
there were no signs of violence or in
jury 20 the bones Of either jaw.
Even assuming what is perhaps a
more reasonable suppostion, that the
| teeth found in the mud do not belong
in the Jaw of the dead woman, but were
planted where they were found, ought
not the manifest attempt to interfere
with the course of justice by manufac-
turing evidence, to be traced to its per-
petrators and punished as it deserves
! to be?"
This interview expresses the opinion
of many Of the citizens of Sterling,
Lancaster and Clinton. The feeling is
very strong that the county should Of
fer a reward for evidence leading to the
identification of the dead, and proof of
the manner of her death.
1t is not true that there is nothing to
be followed up. The carriage seen in
/ the grove above the crossing tenders
shanty on the edge Of the swamp re-
mains an undisDuted fact. This car
riage, Sheriff Bartlett says. may well
have been that IN which the body was
brought to the spot. The route 1t took
may be traced If the horse and car
riage was in the grove 1t came from
somewhere and went somewhere, and
somebody must have seen 1t. The car
riage was worn and old-fashioned. The
horse was marked by lump on one
of his hind legs.
Sheriff Bartlett has been abroad all
day on business for the most part con-
nected with the case.
William Sheldon. the husband of Eli
zabeth Shedden, whom some still believe
to be the dead woman, went to Boston
Immediately after autopsy to make. a
final effor6 TO get trace of his wife. He
told his neighbors in Oakdale, where
his home is, that he was sure she
would have communicated with him or
some of her friends during the excite
ment of this mystery. If she was upon
earth. He said: Il am going to try
once more to find her. will 20 to Bos-
ton to see IL 1 can get any trace of her
there"
While he is in Boston he will visit
one of his daughters, who lives in the
suburbs of Boston, to see If the mother
may not have communicated with the
child. Shedden tells his neighbors that
he is by no means satisfied that the
dead woman was not his wife. He tells
them that he would have been much
easier in his mind If he had been al
lowed to see the remains, and he says
he has not yet been told the reason why
he was not permitted to satisfy him
self