Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-09-22
Of Woman Found Float
In a Dress Suit Case
OF Winthrop Yacht Club House
By Two Members.
Dismemhersd and No CIew 10 Identity.
Police Working on Case.

Boston, Sept. 21.-The roiice of Win
throp and Medical Examiner Francis
A. Harris, of this city, were called up
on, tonight, to investigate the death
OF a woman, whose dismembered body
was found in Il suit case in the water
near the Winthrop Yacht Club house
There were no marks by which the re-
mains could be readily identified.
The medical examiner found two
long cuts on the body aud from these
and other circumstances the authori-
ties are of the belief that the woman
was the victim of an operation.
The property of the Winthrop Yacht
Club is situated in the long narrow
peninsula which makes ont into Boston
harbor. The locality is three miles
from the city. At $40 o'clock, this
evening, two Winthrop residents, Al
fred d. Allen and Randolph Pollard,
who are members of the Yacht Club.
were standing on the float near the
clubhouse. While engaged in CONVEX
satiOr, they noticed i suit case cover
ed with olive green leather, floating
deep in the water. Thinking that it
might have been lost overheard from a
yacht, they took it from the water.
They were unable to find any Identity
ing marks on the case. and the men
opened it. They were startled to find
the nude trunk Of Il woman wrapped
III strip of white Oilc.Oth. There
were no marks of Identification.
The police We're Immediately notified
and the suit case and contents were re-
lnnEnd IN tho nOlirp a6rri Ut or
Winthrop.
Medical Examiner Harris viewed the
body and later it was turned over to
an undertaken. The medical examiner
is of the opinion that the body had been
iii the water not longer than u hours.
Two cuts were found on the trunk,
one extending from the breast bone
down the entire length of the body, and
another from the right hand side above
the hip bone and meeting the other
cut. The intestines had been removed,
Indicating that the woman had been
operated upon for an internal trouble
The body had evidently been dismem-
bered by sharp knife. The cuts
were clean and no bones were broken.
The police hold the opinion that some
one acquainted with surgery did the
work.
The theory of those who saw the re-
mains is that some person attempted
an operation and, failing. decided to
cut up the body and dispose of it in
order that the authorities would not
learn of the woman's death. 1t is
thought that the suit case was taken
on board some steamer. possibly the
Nahant boat. or a yacht, and drop
ped into the harbor, the wind and tide
carrying the object to Winthrop.
The police estimate that the age of
the victim was about 81 years, and
that the weight would be in the vicin-
ity Of l20 pounds. The body is that of
rather small woman and would not
exceed. the police think, feet. inches
in height.
Chief MacNeil Of the Winthrop pO-
lice. summoned the aid Of the State
police and, tonight, both are at work
OH the case. which is one of unusual
difficulty. While the authorities are
of the opinion that the crime was prob
ably committed in this city, there is
nothing about the dress suit case or
the dismembered trunk that offers the
slightest clue. They are hoping that
the disappearance of the missing
woman may lead to inquiries by
friends.
An autopsy will be made by Medical
Examiner Harris, in the morning.