The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-07-06

BALTIMORE, July 6.-There is a great
deal OF speculation as TO the identity OF
the headless body found Wednesday in
CromwelPs Woods, near Brooklyn, in Anne
| Arundel county. Many believe it to be
| that C John Marshall. well known as an
actor in Baltimore, where his family re-
sides.
! The identity of the dead man remains
mystery so far as the officials of the town
! are concerned and the manner Of the mans
death seems equally uncertain, despite the
fact that a coroner's jury viewed the body
and decided, after hearing one witness,
Policeman Arnold, who found the corpse,
that the man had come TO his death by
hanging himself with a piece OF tarred
rope. not III cker than a lead pencil, to the
limb Of tree scarcely larger in diameter
than human finger and less than four
/ feet from the ground.
Justice W L. Hawkins impaneled the
jury and acted as coroner, and these facts
were developed: There was little flesh up
on the body OF the dead man. The upper
portion of the head was found about six
feet from the trunk Around the jaw
which was also detached from the trunk,
was piece of tarred rope, tied in slip
knot, which several OF the jury thought
was hangman's knot. A lady's umbrella
lay on one side and an empty whisky bot
tie also. The small rope was tied TO the
broken limb OF an oak tree
According 10 the justice this limb Was 20
larger than the finger, or at most. tie
q IN g~rffr =
a nearby tree. less than four feet from he
ground, there WAS found the stump from
which the limb had been broken. Aue-
looking at these things and being u1ab e
TO find anything IN the pockets Of the q I'D
men, the jury decided that he came 10 tis
death by suicide by means Of hanging"
Il was decided that the man weighed
about 1875 10 l4G pounds. HIS height was
estimated to be . feet or 10 inches The
shoes were black and laced and had been
half-soled. One back tooth ard two frr ut
upper teeth were missing. Tie cIothirg
was in good state OF preservation. TIE
coat and vest dark blue in color. were 4
good material. while the trousers. watch
we're dark with a stripe. we're eQua ~ 70 d
black felt hat. size Il. lay near The
body, but affording no clew 10 the iu-
rors- An ordinary penkuife was found in
the pockets Other than this there was
nothing found TO indicate who the deal
man may have been.
The jury decided that the man must
have died some time IN April. because OF
the lack of flesh upon the bones. Justice
Hawkins did not believe that buzzsrds hal
eaten the flesh, because, he said. the 9th
ing would have been torn. Ii was his o in
ion that the man had been dead from Xix
" to ninety days. After the inquest tn
justice gave orders that the body should be
buried where it lay. This was accomplish
ed il the afternoon.
Charles J. Tracy, a prominent Elk. said
yesterday that be was persuaded that the
body was that Of Mr.. Marshall. who had
Tor long time been one Of his most
intimate friends and who disappeared from
his home on June :. He said that the
description Of the body was Identical with
that Of MrshalI. who was OF medium
height. Of slender build and was always
exceedingly fastidious IN regard TO his
dress
Mrs. Thomas Marshall. s'ster-in-Iaw Of
the missing man said she felt positive thar
the body found across the river was not
that OF her brother-in-law. She said.
On the morning OF June > John left our
house, where he resided and said he was
going to Union Station TO meet a friend
He wore straw hat with a blue band and
am almost sure, did not carry an UNI
hrella- He wore striped trousers and had
two novels under his arm. We have not
heard word firm him since he left on
June D L is so unlike him 10 20 away
Tor any length Of time without letting "a
know his address. and 7 admit I am AT n /
loss TO account for his disappearance Every
piece OF his clothing was marked with his /
name and, as l said before. 1 am positive J
he wore a straw hat And his right side \
was ban LACED owing 70 an accident v-licb /
befel him last winter.
AT the time OF his disappearance he was
out or position. as he had been for Some
time, but l do not think he would have
committed suicide on that account. for he
had too many friends who would hsvA ala
ed him had he been in need As for there
being possibility that he would be muir
deTed, am sure there is none for I never
heard OF his having an enemy. and he wore
very little iewelry."
John Marshall was born in Baltimore n
little over fifty years ago. He studied in !
the schools here for a time and then took
up elocutiOn, OF which he decided TO make |
a speciality When about twenty-one wears
old he went abroad and studied elocution /
and the dramatic art in the best schools
upon the Continent for a little over three
years Upon returning to this country |
he went West and taught elocution in |
school in Missouri. and after remaining
there few years went TO New York. !
where he opened an academy Of eIocution
and acting Later he Joined the Texas
Steer" company, assuming the role of
Lieutenant Elliott. remaining with this
attraction FIVE years.
At one time Mr.. Marshall was under the
instruction OF the late Charles Vanderhoff
Last winter the missing man was a mem
Der Of the Lyeeum stock company. and
since the close of the season had been en-
1eavoring to secure a position In the cast
Of the company which is to play "Janice |
Meredith" in the fall.
Mr.. Marsh all was a well-read man and ,
had many friends in all parts OF the coun-
Try He was well known in Baltimore as ;
an accomplished reader and actor. He ,
never married, and lived with his brother Z
Thomas MAJ shall, 1905 East Baltimore :
Street. Il
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