The Oskaloosa herald., 1901-09-19

would indicate that the deceased was
of advanced age. The feet were COW
cred with a pair of heavy weight
stockings Of dark material and pair
of low cut walking shoes, almost new,
had been worn.
It was thought for time that the
remains were those of a, colored
woman. The shape OF the head
seemed to warrant this opinion as al
80 did the size of the body and the
hands and arms. The exposed sur
faces Of the skin were black as coal.
The skin of the face and hands had
dried in its blackness and this added
to the general appearance ofa negro.
The opinion OF DIR. Todd who was
called to examine into the case was
that the remains were those of a
colored person. IL Is practically inn
possible to tell this however, on ac-
count of the advanced stages of de-
composition.
The remains were taken up and
placed in rough coffin and carried
to place in the cemetery where they
could be examined again. A coron-
er's jury was empaneled upon the
scene of the finding of the remains.
T. W. Hyde, U. A. Cartwright and
B F. Remington were empaneled to
hear the evidence in the case. The
investigation by the coroner will! pro-
C sed until Friday at two O'Clock when
the inquest Is called for.
Coroner Eugene Cheesman in COM
pahy with J. B. McCurdy, Superin-
tendent Cunningham and a HERALD
reporter were over the ground this
Tuesday morning in the effort to
learn of additional facts concerning
the case. The ground where the body
was found and the vicinity was
closely searched but with out result.
No clew as to the identity of the
corpse was found. The remains we're
again gone over carefully. Dr.. O. E.
Todd assisted inthis examination.
The remains we're discovered by
W. e. Blakely, D. w. Capper, and
Tbos. Maloney about three O'Clock
Monday afternoon. DR.. Todd gives
1t as his opinion that the body has
been lying in the position found for
two months at least and perhaps
three months. The hot weather of
July and the following dry weather
of August would tend to ~dry up a
body rather than decay it and it may
be that the odors of decaying flesh
have been most prevalent during the
past couple of weeks since the recent
wet weather has come. The body was
found close against the boundry
fence Of Forest cemetery about one
hundred feet southeast of the large
cross in the Catholic cemetery. A
few ieet to the east is an aban doned
cave cellar, About three hundred feet
south is the public highway but the
spot of the discovery is not discern
able on account of the thick growth
of vegetation that intervenes.
A CIew.
Some months ago acolored woman
named Josie Neal disappeared from
this city and the home of s. NJ. Cratic
where she had been staying She dis
appeared with a months sslary as a
domestic due her. No word of the
woman has since been heard. 1t was
thought that the body might be that
OF the Neal woman. Both Mr.. and
Mrs. Cratic fail to identify the re-
mains either by the teeth or the
clothing. MIR. Cratic thinks that the
women had hat like the one that
was found. Mrs. Cratic states that
the woman left their home wearing a
white sailor hat.
There lie now another theory ad.
vanced to explain the presence OF
the remains at the place. About
three months ago there was q band
of gypsies encamped near this city
and in the vicinity of the place where
the body was found. 1t is possible
that one of the band died and was
carried as near the burying ground
as possible. 1t may have been the
intention to bury the woman but thai
the ones who had the corpse in care
were frightened away before they
had completed their work.
Just why the body was not discov
cred before appears somewha
strange and yet the like might easil!
happen. The spot where the bod!
lay is out of the way and unfrequent
ed. II is at the side of a field untitled
on account of the tangle of plum
trees near it and the remains of al
old residence. The weeds were higl
and rank. No one has any occasion
to go that way. There was a small
path through the weeds aud almos
over the feet of the corpse wher
dogs or perhaps fowls had penetrat
ed and! traversed the thicket. Mr.
Cunningham had performed dutie
in the Catholic cemetery not twent.
feet from the place where the bod,
was found. A Mr., Davis cut gras
from a part of the cemetery propert
not ten feet distant from where th
corpse was lying. There was no odo
noticed at the times these men wer
in the vicinity and nothing to attrac
their attention to the place. Their
are dozena Of other places as nea