The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-08-23

TORN CLOTHING FOUND ON THE
BANK OF FALL CREEK.
A Letter in Which the Writer Speaks
of n Duel and Airs His KnowI-
edge of I'M

For the first time in several months the
deal. Early last evening Patrolman G.. w
Rankin. colored, who is now on the pension
roll, found on tho bank of Fall creek. a
square west OF the Michigan road, a blue
serge coat and a shirt. Many such articles
have been found along the canal and Fail
creek. but in this case examination of the
articles brought out the mysterious part of
the case. Whether or not there is a body
of a man with a bullet hole in his left arm
and a wound in the region of the heart at
the bottom OF the creek is a question. The
general opinion is that there is no human
body in the creek and that some one has
tried TO create a sensation.
The shirt was of blue cloth with yellow
stripes. Two holes in the left sleeve near
the wristband looked as If they had been
made by a bullet. The cloth around the
holes was discolored and had the appear
ance of having been daubed with blood. In
the front of the shirt there was a hole. II
was at a point in the garment which would
be, when on a body, directly over the heart.
There was some suggestion of it's having
been made by a knife. but there was also
reason for thinking the hole had been torn
by a bullet. The cloth about this hole was
also discolored. The left sleeve was about
half torn off near the shoulder.
ton of the shirt for laundry marks dis
closed the fact that several marks had
been carefully cut out of the neckband on
the inside since it was last laundered.
The coat was of the blue serge skeleton
variety and of cheap material. In one
pocket was a handkerchief. in another a
lead pencil and some matches, and in an
other a page torn from a cheap memoran-
dunn book on which was written in a hand
evidently disguised: M death was caused
by my own hand. Blame no one. Bury me
as usual in such cases. Have no relatives
or friends.-The Bearer
AS each pocket was examined the mys-
terry became deeper, and II IL had not been
for an examination Of papers found in an
other pocket there would have been con-
siderable activity on the part of the police
and several undertakers last night. There
was no dragging of the river. and 1T is
doubtful if there will be ny to-day. The
letter found in the other pycket led at once
t. the suspicion that tho wh0lo thing was
a hoax. The letter was W irten in a fine
hand upon four sheets. eVe ral places
in the letter the name c cIty or town
had been cut out. The as, however,
plenty of interesting n left which
showed that the writer had expert
ence," as was stated. .tIe was a story
in the letter, and an ir..er ting one. too.
1t was in substance as follows:
A TALE OF ROMANCE.
The writer and the one to whom 1T was
addressed had been together in San Fran
cisco. The writer loved a girl named
"Madge." The addressee suddenly left the
city and during the next few days Madge
left also. going to "aunts in Oakland. -
where the addressee had gone. These two
were afterwards married. The writer had
married two years later. The two men had
met in Mexico and had business dealings
and trouble together. The unknown, to
whom the letter was written, had evidently
married "Madge" with the expectation of
getting money and in a previous letter had
told the writer that he didn't get any of Ii,
and there appears, speaking Of her money
1 never knew she had any of her own. / in
fer you didn't get that either. No wonder
you are sore
The men separated after trouble, which
Is referred to in a manner suggesting a
fight in which the writer bested the other.
The men had been in correspondence with
been the subject of several letters in which
revelations TO each are made. A new
| score is mentioned. but an old one seems
TO have led to proposals for a duel 10
which the writer refers in the following
language:
such affairs as you propose are out of
place in this effete civilization and besides
the law has an unsentimental way of deal
ing with them If they come out"
Reference in the letter is made to the adj
dressee as VIII and to Juarez, San
Francisco, Oakland and Sonora. The writer
no doubt knew something of women, for in
one place appears, IF she told you what
you say / ought to feel deeply fattered,
for eight years is a long time for a woman's
regard TO last. However, the only effect IL
has had on me is TO fill me with new won
der at the inconsistencies of her sex" In
another place when the separation occurred
and Madge went to "aunts at Oakland
the following is found: 81 received a queer
letter from her that ended 1t so far as ]
was concerned. / did not ask for an expla-
nation Git is bad form to ask a woman
'why)."