East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1905-02-16

His death was produced by some
party or parties unknown TO the jury,
presumably by violence. about June.
1904. There is no evidence by which
to determine the exact place where
he died"
The above is the verdict of the cor
oner's jury which investigated the
death of the man whose skeleton was
found in the willows three miles west
OF Umatilla. The inquest was held
last night between 1880 and O'Clock
and Coroner Henderson returned
home on the morning train today.
Indications of Foul Play.
The circumstances which led the
jury TO return the above verdict are
mainly those of the place in which
the body was found, and the condi-
tions OF his pockets. The body was
found under a clump of willows about
100 yards from the oregon Land 4
Water Co.'S irrigation ditch. and was
on their land and not that of Riley
Jones, as was reported yesterday.
The ground under the willows is OF
swampy nature and would not have
been selected as a resting place by
man. The inside coat pocket of the
dead man was turned wrong side out,
and not an article OF any description
was in any of the pockets, or about
the clothing to give view TO the iden-
tity of the man. Most of the flesh
had been eaten from the body by
coyotes. No hat was anywhere TO be
found.
( The body was found on Sunday af-
ternoon by Riley Jones. his brother
and Mark Henry, while-on their way
I home from the medical springs. In
his testimony before the coroners
I jury Riley Jones stated that an odOr
/ had been noticed in that locality last
July. but that nothing had ever been
seen of the body by anyone at that
time. He also informed the jury that
he knew of no one being reported
missing from that neighbOrhood.
Medium-Sized. Young Man.
The age of the dead man was de-
termined by DR.. Henderson to be be
tween 25 and 80 years. He was of
medium size being about five feet
eight inches in height.
From the fact that no one is miss
/ ing from that locality, and in view
of the evidence showing foul play, it
/ is thought that the victim was prob
ably murdered by tramps passing
along the railroad. who then deposit
ed the body in the willow shrubbery.
The coroner's jury was composed
of the following: ]. E. Halter, ]. P.
FalIihee. H. G. Colwell. George A.
Ferguson, Frank E. James and J. W.
Duncan.
Possible Identification.
The skeleton that was found in the
willows near Umatilla, the other day
may be the remains of Frank Rod
key. of Tonganoxie. Kan. Such is the
fear Of d. W. McKeehen. an uncle
of that man. and who has been a res
ident of Pendleton for several months
past.
This afternoon Mr.. McKeehen. who
Is an old gentleman, called on Coro-
lner Henderson and laid the facts con-
cerning his nephew, before that of
ficial According to the story told
Frank Rodkey, his nephew, has beer
missing since the latter part of las'
summer He was a bridge carpenter
by trade. and when last heard of wa,
employed by the Nooksack Mining
company. at Nooksack. Wash. Up tC
the time of his sudden disappearance
he had been writing regularly to hi
parents. who reside in Tonganoxie
Because Of their failure to hear from
him. the young mans father, William
Rodkey. has written Mr.. McKeeher
to see II the latter could not aid then
In finding their boy.
The description of young Rodke.
as given by his uncle tallies wei
with that of the body found. Hi
age is given as being between rs ant
30 years. weight 100 pounds. an
height about five feet eight inches
This is almost the Identical descrip
! ton Of the man whose skeleton wa
found.