Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-10-13
MYSTERY. NO LONGER
Body Of Richard Caraway
Found Near Chain Bridge.
COMMITTED SUICIDE
CORONER REGARDS INQUEST AS
NOT NECESSARY.
The Remains to Be Forwarded to Home
Of His Family in

+ The disappearance of Richard B. Cara
way, the clerk in the Department of Justice
who went away four weeks ago. is no longer
a Mystery His badly decomposed body was
found yesterday afternoon between the
river and canal about one-half mile above
the Chain bridge. Mr.. ]. s. Easily Smith
and Mr.. Charles F. De Woody identified the
clothing as being that of their, late friend.
Two boys, Herbert johnson and Lawrence
Miller. found the body while they were
looking for cattle on the lowlands near the
river. The police were notified and eff
fort was made last night to locate. the body,
but without success Early this morning
William Goodwin and William Sterling went
along the canal in search of thee body and
located it about two hundred feet this side
of the District line and about the same dis
lance from the canal
Caraway had committed suicide by send
ing bullet through his head. The leaden
missile had entered the left side of the head
and passed out near the left ear. 1t was at
first thought by some of those who reached
the scene early in the morning that the
man had been foully dealt with, but friends
of the dead man had no such idea. They
had been under the impression that he had
ended his life and the presence of the one
wound through the head and the finding of
the revolver near the body convinced them
that their fears had been we'll founded
Discovered by Accident.
The spot selected by Caraway is lonely
one, and except an occasional fisherman,
pedestrians seldom go there. 1t was the
merest accident that the boys went there
yesterday afternoon. The sight of head
less body beneath big poplar tree proved
to be a severe shock to the boys, and they
were not anxious to return to show the po-
lice where they had witnessed the CHASTITY
L,Ivy oIt oond 70 n
of decomposition, and the skull was several
feet away from the body. What was left Of
the right hand was across his BODY, resting
near the revolver. Not far from the weapon
was part of a bag of tobacco and an empty
half-pint whisky flask. The conditions in
dicated that Caraway had made himself
comfortable on the ground by putting his
coat under his head. Then he probably in
dulged in a smoke and drink and considered
fully what he was about to do. The dis
charge of the weapon was his last act.
Caraway had no reason to become de-
spondent, his friends say, although he
feared he had the consumption and stom-
ach trouble, and seemed to believe that he
would not get well. He was at his desk
Monday, the 18th of last month. Tuesday
morning he left home, 412 9Th street, about
$50 o'clock. as had been his custom. His
landlady thought he had gone to the de-
Darment. He boarded a street car. but
probably continued on to Georgetown, in
stead of getting off near the Department
of Justice.
Coroner's Opinion.
Coroner hewitt was informed of the find
ing of the body, and was told of the cir
cumstances surrounding the case. He eX-
pressed the belief that inquest will not
be necessary. To him it seemed as if it
were. a plain case of suicide, and he said he
thought he would give such certificate.
He directed that the body be removed to
the morgue.
1t is not known if Caraway wrote any
explanation of his intended suicide. If he
did the message is probably in one of the
pockets of his clothing, which will be
searched when the body reaches the morgue
this afternoon. Caraway was tWenty-four
years old. Fifteen months ago he came to
this city from Bloomfield, Iowa, and ac
cepted a position under the government.
His mother and several brothers and sisters
survive him. They are all living in Iowa.
They We're notified this afternoon of the
finding of the body.
Mr.. EasbySmth will take charge of the
remains and send them to Iowa.
Last night three men who made an effort
to find the body came to grief. They were
armed with bicycle lamps during their
search through the woods, but one of them
managed to get overheard, while another
sprained his wrist. The third one escaped
with a wetting. received in his efforts to
assist one of his unfortunate companions.