The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-09-06
DEAD man WAS NOT
HOWARD VALENTINE
Mrs. Augusta Valentine De-
cIares Body Is Not That Of
Her Missing Husband

Inc BODY taken from the river near
Fort Smelling Sunday was not that of
Howard Valentine, this fact having de-
yeloped from a visit to the ST. Paul
morgue yesterday by Mrs. Augusta
Valentine. Mrs. Valentine after view
ing the body Of the supposed victim Of
murder, declared it was not that of
her husband.
But one clue, therefore, remains by
which it will be possible to identify the
remains, which are in such condition
that all hope of Identification from
viewing the body win soon disappear.
There was found on the body, when
taken from the river, letter from
John Ryan, the First ward Minneapolis
alderman, in which the bearer was rec
commended to Mr.. Van Hoffen, a con-
tractor, for employment. Aid. Ryan
said last evening that he had given out
fifty such letters in the last month,
but did not believe that the man. came
from the First ward. He doubted If he
could identify the body. but said that
he would make an effort to do so to-
day.
Mrs. Valentine went to the morgue
in the company of w. H. Dawson, of
for the Modern Woodmen Of America,
in which order Valentine carries $1,000
insurance. Mrs. Valentine had failed
to identify some Of the clothing sub
mitted to her inspection, and after she
had described certain scars that would
be found on the body If it was that of
her husband. Dawson made a close in
spection and reported that no such
scars could be found.
Mrs. Valentine Views the Body
This raised the hopes of Mrs. Valen-
tine, who consented to enter the death
chamber and make an effort to identify
the body. She remained there for
some minutes, and came forth pale but
smiling
ct is not Howard she said. 81 am
certain Of that. A little more than two
months ago he shaved his muStache,
and when he disappeared from home Il
| month ago the mustache was not more
| than an inch in length. This mans
mustache is over two inches long. AL
| though the features are swollen and
hardly recognizable, am certain that
the body is not that of my husband
| Mr.. Dawson said that in many re-
spects the description of the dead man
and that of Valentine did not tally, and
| that the assertion of Mrs. Valentine
| that it was not her husband settled all
doubts. He felt sure that mistake
| had been made when Mrs. Valentine
failed to identify the clothing, but was
not fully satisfied until Mrs: Valentine
had viewed the body.
All doubt as to the identity of the
body was supposed to have been dis
| PEELED yesterday when Mrs. Vesler,
mother of Mrs Valentine, identified the
| body as that of her son-fn-IaW. She,
| however; took home with her the put
| side shirt and one of the Shoes taken
from the body, and Mrs. Valentine de-
| .clared that they were not part of the
| clothing worn byzher husband when he
disa ppeared. Her trip to the morgue
resulted.
Evidence of Foul Play
| A closer examination of the remains,
! which have been prepared for burial,
leaves little doubt that it is case OF
| foul play. The fracture Of the skull
| just above the forehead extends back a
| distance of from five to six inches, the
| wound having apparently been inflicted
with a square cornered club or piece OF
| iron.
| 1t is not believed possible that a
wound of such dimensions could have
| been inflicted after the body was in
| the water, even though it came over
| the falls at Minneapolis. The injury
could POSSIBLY nave peeH TeCeiSeu Wy q
| jump from bridge and by striking a
stone or some other solid obstruction.
| But there are other points that hardly
| coincide with the suicide theory. 1t is
commended by the police that man
| who is about to end his life will hardly
take the trouble to remove his hat from
his head and tuck it under the band OF
his trousers. This is where the hat OF
| the victim was found when the body
was taken from the river by Morgue
Keeper Richardson, and the fact is
| supposed to indicate that the murderer
| dared not leave behind a hat that
might call attention to the disappear
ance of the victim.