The times., 1899-05-22
FOUND DEAD NEAR
CABIN JOHN BRIDGE
Tie Mysterious Suicide of an
Unknown White Man.
Believed to Be c. E. Rith, Bal
timcre Liqucr Drummer.
All Efforts at Identification Prove
Eufiie-A Verdict Rendered by
a Coroncr's Jury.

While picking flowers in the woods near
Cabin John Bridge about 10 O'Clock yes
terday morning two little children found
the dead body OF man. The discovery
vas made about 2e0 yards east of the his
toric stone arch and about fifty yards from
The Conduit Road. The body had not been
identified at a late hour last night, but it
is generally supposed TO be that of C. Z.
Rith. a whisky drummer of Richtertown,
a suburb of Baltimore. Life had evidently
been extinct about thirty-six hours.
The circumstances surrounding the case
would indicate suicide without any known
motive The body was that Of a man be-
tween thirty-one and thirty-five years of
age. about feet II inches in height. and
Weighing about lS5 pounds The suicide
was broad-shouldeTeG, wen developed, ani
muscular. In complexion he was fair, with
dark brown hair aad blue eyes. The face
Was round and full, the nose acquiline,
and the mouth well shaped. The face was
smooth, except for small reddish brown
mustache The body was dressed in
black worsted coat and vest, blue striped
trousers, white open-frcnt shirt, turn
down collar. and blue and white striped
bow necktie.
When the body was discovered by the
children they Immediately called to their
father, who was i'll the neighborhood. AMI
he sought Deputy Sheriff William II. En-
bry and informed him of the discovery.
The deputy summoned DR.. I. ". Pratt and
Squire Maylon Austin. and together the
= trio viewed the body The corpse was quite
rigid and bore no marHs Of any descrip-
tion. II was lying. as stated, in a growth
OF small trees and brush The head was
resting on a slight rise against a sapling.
while the feet hung over a depression.
The hands were lightly cliEched and rested
on the lower part OF the chest. The arms
were almost folded.
BY the side OF the body was an empty
two-ounce vial. which had contained
laudanum. II bore the label of a Balti
more firm, Qgandt Bros. at l24 South
Howard Street. 4 h2lf-pint whisky bottle,
half emptied, and bearing the label
OF Timothy sullivan. s2g2 NJ Street
GeorgetoNn, was found n short distance
from the laudanum vial. In the pockets
of the dead mans clothes was found
silveroid cDen-face watch. 81 in cash, a
pearl-hanGIe psnknife. four keys, TWO clean
and two soiled handkerchiefs. and a re-
turn ticket to Baltimore on the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad The ticket, according
10 the date stamped upon 1t, was issued
Friday. An examination CT the watch
showed that four names had been scratch
ed on the inside CT the case evidently with
a pin. The names were scarcely legible
even under stlcls glass. They appeared
TO be eithsr Rita, Prithe, Rhitts. Britts. or
Fritts. In each instance the initials pre-
cediag tie NAMES wire c. f.
clcse inspsciion Of the clothes of the
dead man failed TO reveal a clew to his
identity. The clothes we're apparently Of
the readymade variety, and were minus
the name of the firm from which they mad
been purchased The hat, black derby.
size 1-S, was Of good quality. as we're the
clothes. but il did not contain the name of
any dealer
After a thorough investigation Of the
circumstances surrounding the suicide
Squire Austin decided to hold an inquest.
As acting coroner he directed Sheriff EN-
bry TO impanel jury. The jury was COM
posed of r. C. Harley, foreman; C. e.
Benson, W. r. AiaCruder, o. F. Reddin. T.
J. Nicholson. :. IL Ward. Frank Ward.
H IL Morgal, Richard Piles. f. ". Auter-
back. J. H. Powell. and G. W FefauveT.
After hearing the evidence CT few wit
nesses the jury returned verdict to the
effect that the man. unknown, met death
as the result Of an overdose of laudanum
taken within thirty-six hours previous to
the discovery of the body. The verdict
and j. I. Bllncoe, the starter of the cleo
trio cars al the bridge terminus of both
the Glen Echo and Great Falls Railways.
Dr. Pratt WIS Of the opinion that the
man had been dead at least thirty-gix
hours. Blincos substantiatsd that III o-y
In measure by stating that while on duty
Friday night about 1880 o'clock he hsard
peculiar groaning. which continued for
aoout niteen minutes The groaning re-
sembied the noise made by a chicken ana
was OF a gurgiing nature. Il emanatad
from the clump Of woods where the BODY
was found yesterday morning Blincos
paid little or no attention to the souuds
and did not recall having heard them IN
III informed of the finding OF the body.
After the inquest the body YVES carried
from the place where IL had been lyirr
since discovered, and placed under arg
tree near the Conduit Road. in the hop.
lhat some one might recognize and iden.ifI
the dead man.
Sheriff Embry endeavored to learn some.
thing OF the man from the Bobingel
Bros, proprietors of the Cabin Johr
Bridge Hotel, but was Cnsueeezs sui Man,
persons viewed the body, among them Mr
Sullivan, Of Georgetown. who is said +,
have recognized the man as having visit,
ed his place. but he could not recall wheI
nor could he give any information conce n
ing the man.
a Times reporter visited the hotel ant
saw one OF the proprie;ors, whom he ques
TONED concerning the supposed suicide
MT. Bobinger stated that he knew moth
Ing concerning the matter. He was aske
TO step over TO where the body was lyfa
In the hope that ne might recognize il an
recall whether the man had been seen a
the hotel AT any time. Mr. Boblnger ab
solutely declined to do as requested an
remarked that he was too much engage
In looking out for his business to vast
time with suicides. We have them U
here occasionally" be said, '-and they ar
a nuisance. This affair did not occur O
our side of the bridge, and do not car
to fool with It," II was pointed out to Nj
Bobinger that he might be the means {
throwing some light on the matter. but b
maintained his apathy and reiterated hi
deciination to interest himself in the mat
ter.
John 4. Taylor Arrested