The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-06-18
BODY HADBE BURN Ed
Boys Searching for Laurel Make CHASTITY
Discovery in Lonely Spot-Clin-
ton Police Think it is
Case of Foul
Play.

that fire had been employed and his
opinion was confirmed by Chief Bates
after a close examination.
The fire had evidently been burned
to the knees in one direction and nearly
to the shoulder in the other. A ribbed,
thin undervest was partly buried
away. A part of a long black stocking
was scorched down to the white gar
ters which held it above the knee.
There were shreds of other garments.
There We're a few pieces of a waist and
portions of a skirt. Parts of these gar
ments which lay underneath the skele-
ton retained some of their former ap-
pearance. A piece of the waist upon
which the right shoulder rested was a
black and white check. Each check was
about a quarter of an inch square. This
was apparently piece of the lining OF
the waist. The skirt was made
of some thin goods upon
which a small dot had been stamped
upon a background of blue.
The most remarkable thing about the
condition of the remains from the
standpoint of Chief Bates, was the con-
dition of the legs below the knees,
where they were covered by the stock
ings. These stockings had been black
and are very well preserved. The flesh
within them seems to be reasonably
solid.
The process of putrefaction was not
complete, for they looked almost as
firm as in life. The authorities think
this to be an evidence THAT the disap-
pearance of the flesh was helped in
some way other than by the ordinary
process of decay.
A pair of shoes were upon the feet,
and were in almost as good condition
as when they came out of the shop,
except for the apparent wear and tear
of the weather.
The medical examiner did not at
tempt to make a thorough examina-
ton, there being no conveniences on
the spot. He removed the jawbone,
containing the lower teeth. Part of
the front teeth are missing.
The skeleton was left on the spot
where 1t will remain until morning. 1t
is the duty of the selectmen of Ster-
ling to care for the body, and before
returning to Clinton Medical Examiner
Tobey notified Jonathan Davis and
Fred H. Bates, selectmen of the town.
Early in the morning the remains
will be taken to the village, and in the
presence of Medical Examiner Tobey,
will be examined in detail for any evil
dence of the. identity of the supposed
victim. The medical examiner and
Chief Bates are convinced that there
has been foul play.
Chief Bates said this evening in an
interview with the correspondent of
The Spy: Il have several reasons for
believing that this is not a case of sui
eide or Of a woman wandering into the
woods to die. This swamp is one of
the loneIiest spots for miles around. 1t
is half a mile, at least, from the spot
where the remains were found to the
nearest house.
THE road is lonesome. The swamp is
not a place which a woman would be
likely to seek even for seclusion. The
position of the body was not natural.
1t seemed to be laid in the position in
which it was found.
There is something mysterious about
the fire 1t is not likely that a wom-
an would be playing with matches in
that swamphole, and no sane person
would try to light a fire there. Neither
had there been a fire in the under
growth as far as we can learn"
Medical Examiner Tobey in an inter
view with the Clinton correspondent
of The Spy said that the case of the
woman found in the Sterling swamp
looked to him much like a case of foul
play. He said that in his opinion the
body was brought to where the skele-
ton was found, and that the remains
were set on fire.
DR.. Tobey said that he made
as Thorough examination as
the circumstances permitted without
| tbe use of rubber gloves. He said
| that he would complete the eXamina-
| tion tomorrow. He thinks the woman
was about feet inches tall and be-
| tween 80 and 40 years old. He found
no cline to her age, but believes she
| could not have been far advanced in
Years. because her hair was not in the
| least gray. and was very abundant.
He particularly noticed the posltlon
| of the teeth. Two bicuspids are miss
| ing from the upper jaw From the low
e. law nearly ali the teeth are missing.
Continued on Page 81