Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1902-01-09

Weeks, and the Authorities belleve Ihap
He Was Murdered and Robbed Had
Been Staying at Nearby Boathouse.
Chester. Pa, Jan. g. -Essingtun has
a mystery which developed yesterday
in the finding of the body OF man
living In field near the Lester piano
WORKS. The discovery was made by
George and Charles Wilcox Of Essing.
ton, who were on their way home from
the lighthouses ON Darby Creek. They
saw the body of man lying in the
field. and closer inspection revealed
CHASTITY wound back of the left ear.
Coroner Fry made an Investigation,
wLich leads to the belief that the man,
who proves to be Samuel Venable, aged
about 35 years, was murdered.
Venable has been missing for several
weeks. For month or SO he stayed
at the Metropolitan Boat Club, on,
Darby Creek, and apparently went out
cunning. He was attired in leather
boots and cunning outfit. The clothes
we're frozen stiff, but the coroner found
that one OF the inner pockets had bsen
turned inside out, although the coat
was tightly buttoned.
Another suspicious fact was the posi-
tion OF the body. One leg was under 1T,
and one hand rested on the gun, which
was lying across the knees. On top OF
the gun, apparently to hold it in placs,
was placed heavy stIck.
The coroner also discovered that the
high grass in which the body was found
lying had been fired. The flames burned
over the entire field. including about
an acre and the flames had reached the
man. One side of his face is scorched
| - Alxr
was to hide the evidences OF the crime,
| if crime was committed.
The weapon found in the mans hand
was a shotgun, and one barrel was dis
charged. The hammer of the other
barrel was raised, but there was no cap
on the nipple.
The clothing contained nothing but
card bearing the following inscription:
.William S. Presser, Metropolitan
Club, North Essington, Darby Oreek.
Delaware county, The cunning outfit
is of the best material. The man' 9
corduroy cap was found 20 feet frou
where the body lay. Venable, ID Is ba,-
level, is a Philadelphia man. Coroner
Fry was unable to find Presser. A
pscuiar incident was that there was no
shot 10 the mans cap, although he
was shot in the head, right back OF the
ear.
Chester, Pa, Jan. THE theory
that Samuel Venable, PhiladelphiR
81 ortsman, was murdered. is not enter
tanned by5oid river men and Runnere at
Essington. They declare that the man
must have committed suicide. An
autopsy is being held, and this ray de-
eide whether the load of shot entering
the man head was sent there by his
own gun, with the muzzle pressed to
the skin, or whether IL was fired from
10 or 15 feet away. This decision will
show whether the man was murdered
for valuable papers In his pockets or
WAS merely suicide. Venable's
widow. whu lives at 3450 Ludlow street,
pbjladephia, called at Coroner Fry's
otfics Yesterday and identified the body.
, She said that they had separated some
, months ago and she has been working
for her living. Mrs. E. j. Chapman OF
2O46 Oxford street, Philadelphia, Vena-
, ble's aister, also called to Sue the body.
They advanced no information to show
, that any motive existed in any quarter
, that would lead to the murder of the
man.
No one has come forward who saw
, Veuable alive after December 4th, and
! Tl6F6 is UUbuluS " lnhlbuAp ~ Whoi
time the man met his DEATH Detective
Berry worked on the case yesterday,
and he stated last night that he did
J not propose to base his Investigation
: upon a theory Of murder. He has moi
, seen the body, but examined the ground
! where it was found and also interyiewe ed
old gunners al Essipgton. When Vens-
BILE fell he still retained his grip oil
both his gun and his stick The theory
that the grass was fired by the murderer
, TO conceal the evidences of the crime Il
a secuted by sportsmen. The field IL
burned in scores of places, and this ha,
!; been done by gunners to start rabbit
out of the tall grass and also to oleal
:; the paths. The grass is waist high
One man said yesterday that the gras
o near where Venable lay was ast or f1r'
. last Friday, as he had occasion to know
f. having passed in that vicinity on tina
day and pointed to fresh aHhes founC
there. The fire PASSED up and arount
Venable's dead body and one side of hi
face was ncorohed.
|, Coroner Fry has had an interview
9 with W. f. Presser, whose card was il
4 yenahle's q pocket, and the latter etste'
/. that he had gone cunning with Venabl
on December 4th last, and becAm
separated from him. Aside from thi
he can throw no light on the mystery
9 Gunners who knew the dead ma
|, scout the statement that the body wa
robbed. They say he carried nothip
q valuable, and Coroner Fry said las
n night that in order to get at the content
of Venable's 8 pockets he found 1t necss
sary to cut the pockets, owing to th
= frozen condition OF the CLOTHES.
. II was stated at Essingson yesterds
~ that Mrs. Richard Wood, the wife of
y widely known gunner, is of the opinio
that on December 4th she saw venabl
:, take the train tor Philadslphia, an6
IS arguing from this, it is possible this
q Venable may have returned to Essins
y ton, gone cunning, and, stumbling {
% the gun catching in the high grass, shs
himself.
ID Nenable's body was found with th
head reclining on bank, while th
to body and legs were stretched down th
Or incline. One leg was laid over th
ID other. One hand, the right, was clenohe
$. up near the breast, while the left han
IN tightly grasped both the gun and
10 stick he carried for beating out rabbits
IN The hat was some distance away an
j, showed no shot marks, aDd it may has
il been blown there by the gale or frol
d the force of the concussiun when To
Il