The Washington times., 1904-08-25
CHAINED SKELETON
IN OLD DWELLING
Mystery Surrounds Bones
in Philadelphia House.
FOUND BY A CONTRACTOR
Alterations Lead to Queer Discovery.
Remains Those Of a
Woman.


q human skeleton in state OF disinteg-
ration have been discovered in an attic
OF the lonE-Rbandoned house, us North
Sixth Street.
1t is believed the skeleton is that of a
woman one of the legs was clasped
with a large iron ring. 70 which a heavy
Chain was attached. 1t was this chain
that led to the discovery
No. AIS has been a house of mystery
for many years. It is large four
story red brick Of the old Philadelphia
type. The attic is little more than an
air chamber under the roof without
windows or ventilation of any kind. II
is reached through a small trap door
in the ceiling OF the fourth floor. which
had been papered over.
Had Bad Name.
Old residents of the neighborhood re-
member that in the dim past AIS was oc-
cupied by a doctor, about whom little
was known by the few families in the
vicinity, who were on speaking terms
with him Later, the dwelling and its
occupants had a bad name, and that
IS the reason II has stood so long tenant
less.
An insurance company purchased It re-
Gently and contracted with Squire
Dean, Of Camden, to put new roof on
1t, as preliminary TO making it habit
able once more.
In looking over the roof Dean noticed
that there was an attic under IL and
iaItSr search he found the trap door
- suppose have grain Of romance
IN me- he said, IN describing the fnCi-
dent. but whenever I have anvtbjDr
70 90 with q queer old house like that 7
ssIS6ay S,,I look II over to see what I can
Iuu' Inc attic was very low and whom
l first crawled into It I could not see
at all sec
Found Chained Skeleton.
1T was so gloomy and forsaken that
every time I made sound IL startled
me Cobwebs festooned the place and
eVldenuy no one had been there for
many and many year.
FINALLY, L saw a chain that dangla5
from a hole IN the brick wall. disclosed
by the rays Of light that came fbro,,e-JI
the little trap door MAKING nv y ~ 4,
over the beams, I gave the chain
sharp pull II fell into my Ian. draggins,
lower leg Aoot anu
1t scared me. but after q while nv,
nerve came back. and / made an er-
animation Of the hole. il opened int :,
sort Of chimney which seemed 10 ~ -
been closed a few feet down.
stuck my arm in and pulled ont
by and by I had the skeleton conpiete
up 70 the fifth rib
Bones Were Crumbling.
There is no doubt that II had bee,
there long time, for the bones vvera
sort and Crumbly. and readily pulled ont
IRON the joints. I could not get the
bones of the upper part of the skeleton
II viii De pecessary TO tear down q part
OF the wall TO get at them
7 could feel with the tips of nv fin
gers that there were more bones In the
lnoiS ana am positive that the re
5nander OF the skeleton IS there intact
I put what bones I had IN a Pile on
;tbe third floor and threw the chain
and ring out into the backyard %
The story of Deans adventure was
soon noised about the neIghborhoOd. and
! curious ones 6ocxed 20 look at his find
and hear him relate his experience
man, VINO said: IT suppose rhs cp,So,So-
ought 10 be told about this" but no one
appeared drorn the CORNERS Office
Looks Like Murder.
! Doctors often have skeletons IN their
Fbouses, but they abe not IN the habit OF
fvalling them up in the attic with a
chain around 4he feet II IS not likely
that the skeleton would have been nut
Sthere for a joke, first, because skeletons
sSre raIher expensive, and, second he
cause there was not one chance IN a
hundred that II would ever be discov-
cred
So far as the faces thus far deveI-
Oped 80, Indications point strongly 10 a
murder mysatery.
II murder Il was, the crime must have
been committed many years ago. 10
Judge from the condition Of the bones
NO one could be found yesterday who
knew anything about the old doctor or
anyone else who ever lived IN the house.