The age-herald., 1901-12-27
DECOMPOSED BODY OF MAN FOUND IN CHURCH STEEPLE GhastIy Find Made by Boys While Seeking Shelter
 from Rain IDENTITY IS A MYSTERY Nothing to Indicate Color of Man-one Theory Is That He Is Ben
 Johnson, Negro
 Murderer.
IDENTITY IS A MYSTERY

The body of a man in an offensive yesterday in the steeple of a negro church between Gate City and East Lake. The body has undoubtedly been in the belfry for weeks but the mem- bers of the congregation who gathered at the usual time for services noticed noth- ing wrong. It was Impossible to tell whether the corpse was that of a white man or a negro
 Yesterday afternoon shortly after l o'clock several white boys went into the Zion church, as 1t is called, to seek shell ter from the rain. True to the boyish prying instinct they climbed through cuddy hole which leads to the loft. When they thrust their heads through the opening they were met by foul odor which forced them to retreat to the floor below. In few minutes they re- entered the loft and began an investiga- ton to find the origin of the smell. In one corner the body of man was found in such a state of decomposition that it was impossible to tell his color. The boys retreated in terror but later mus tered up courage and made a closer in- vestigation.
 Knife Near the Body.
 Lying on several old blankets.-with one of them folded as a head rest, lay the corpse which was barely more than bones covered by clothing. To one side of the body lay an immense knife. The boys notified the occupants of the nearest house, who returned with them to the church.
 There Is much speculation as to the identity of the negro, but the theory the officials consider most plausible is that it is the body of Ben Johnson, a negro who shot and wounded several people in that neighborhood several months ago. and who was never cap tured.
 Coroner Paris was notified, but owing to the darkness and rain was unable to make a careful Investigation. He will pursue the investigation today. The body Is still in the church steepie. The man wore a genteel suit of clothes, trousers of a dark blue and coat of a checked ma- 
 article of apparel shows that the man was a good dresser. There Is nothing about the clothing, as far as the coroner could tell last night, furnishing a clue as to the identity of the man, but 1t is possible something may be found on mere careful search.
 crawled Through 18-lnch Hole.
 4t ,-fr, said the hole through which the man crawled Is not more than eighteen inches square and is in one corner of the build ing at least twelve feet from the door. There is no means of reaching 1t except by ladder. and not the least mysterious part of the case Is how the man sue ceeded in reaching 1t. The hole opens tire building. and 1t was in a far corner that the body was found.
 There were several blankets, and the posture of the body indicates that the man was probably sleeping when death came. Another theory offered Is that the body might have been arranged after an assassin had done his work. The large knife lying near may aid the coroner in identifying the body. There was nothing to indicate the color of the deceased ex- cept the hair, and in the darkness 1t was impossible to tell whether it once be- longed to a white person or a negro.
 There was not enough flesh on the bones to reveal the mystery. the skin having long ago been eaten away by na- lures process of decay.