Semi-weekly Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1897-1901, 1901-07-12

The body, found in the Connecticut
of Vernon two weeks aQo tomor.
low, was exhumed at Hins.
dale Wednesday afternoon on
permit from Concord and pos
| itivelv identified ss that of James
Griffin of Brattleboro, who ditap
peared the Tuesday night before. The
eridsr ces of identity as given Tues
day left little chance for doubt. The
remains were but black and msgotty
mass so that it wBs impossible to dis
tinguish much of the features, or the
different tattoo marks on bo1v. But.
| in addition to the points enumerated
Tuesday. there was semi circular
bald spot on the head correspord dug
to Griffin s, the clothes were the same
rs be wss known to have had, and a
peculiar little pocket on the outside
OF the coat made this ell the more
positive. The body measured ) feet
81 -lches in length instead Of feet
I. as first reported 1t was 60 badly
bloated of course that there vas no
wav of reconciliug the discrepancy of
Gritfin's weight, about 1870 lbs With
that reported of this body. $50 to leo.
Such examination rs DR. Coula5d
was able TO make confirmed Under
taker Wethrrbee's opinion that there
were no signs Of violence There was
a SPOT near each temple where the
Il sh was disiutegrated or fallen away
more than elSewh here. that have given
rise to fresh rumors of bullet boles.
hut the doctor. eXamiring with
gloved finger, found that there was 20
fracture Of tie skull.
There was no autopsy to determine
whether death wss bv drowning or
the body thrown into the water after
death. Decomposition had sdYancsd
too far to leave it of any use. The
presence uf water 10 the stomach ana
Of water and mucous f,oth in the
longs ard air passages Hre evidences
Of death 10y drowning but the exami.
naation must be made before putre-
faction proceeds 80 far as to liquifv
tissue
The party that went down to Hins-
dale for the Identification consisted of
Drs Conl-rd and Aldrich, hrs Nora
Touhill, the dead mans sister. Mrs
Nora Duggsn, Miss Mary Breeu, Mrs
T h Rouse, John Baker and John
Moynahan. bis cousins. and Il Fl Baker.
The remains were brought here and
inferred 10 the Catholic cemetery
after the arrival Of the 6 o clock train
Wednesday evening.
The Identification row makes all
the more Imperative the duty Of a
searching iuves tigation. To reitsrate !
the points made Tuesday
Il The body must have gone into |
the watar near where il vas found. If |
il had been here or in this vicinity |
that it hsprened it is hardly possible |
that it could have fuated to there
without sinking.
% Judging from the state of De,
CON IMPOSITION, ip which tie body was
found. it could nut have teen later
than Tuesday night that he met his
death.
81 He was seen here Tuesdsy
evening in company with other men
II this is so-and it ought to he sus-
,eptible of easy determination wheth-
r il is so or not lit must have been
late that esenine that be started for
Hinsdsle. Did he go alone9 If rot
who went with him' BY sitting the
'acts here, we viii approach the solu-
ion OF the mystery. 1t is not easily
that any man, drunk or
sober, made such trip alone. If be
had company, the fact ought to te
If not the men last
snown to be with him are the ones to
1e questioned as to when and where
hey left him, what condition he vas
q. what purposes be indicated, and
t they cannot show auything fur
ner, TO account for themselves that
tight.