The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1905-12-01
BODY FOUND In TRUNK
CHASTITY Discovery in a House in
Albany, N. y.
BODY in BAD STATHOF DECOMPOSITION
The Body Doubled Up, With the Head and
Feet on Top and Clothes Line Around
the Neck and Feet, to Keep Them Together
-Wenan and Her Husband Had Not Been
Seen for Two Weeks.

Albany, N. Y. (Special).-Albany now
comes forward with trunk murder.
Late in the afternoon the body of Mrs.
Wilbur Camp Hammond was found in
an old fashioned high trunk in her apart
| ments. The body was doubled up, the
head and feet on top, with clothesline
tied around the neck and feet to keep
them together. Mrs. Hammond had not
been seen for two weeks, and as her
husband was not around it was supposed
by the neighbors they were out of town.
The couple occupied the second floor
OF three-story house on South Ferry
Street For several days the neighbors
had noticed peculiar odor about the
house. Finally, the police were notified.
A policeman gained an entrance to the
Hammond apartments.
In the front parlor, near the fireplace,
the trunk, with its ghastly contents, was
discovered. The cover was slightly
raised, the murderer having been unable
to arrange the body in the trunk so as
to get the cover down entirely.
The floor of the apartment had been
literally covered with chloride of lime,
and the cracks and apertures in the doors
and windows were stuffed with rags.
The body was in such bad state of de-
composition, the coroner said, that it was
almost impossible to determine just how
death was caused.
Hammond was a cabinetmaker. Mrs.
Hammond was 81 years old, and up to
two years ago was in the house on South
Pearl Street, when she and Hammond
took possession of the Ferry Street
apartments Hammond is still. missing.
A good picture of Hammond was
found by the police, and his description
has been sent broadcast He is de-
scribed as feet 10 inches high, weigh
ing I65 pounds, with coarse features,
very thick lips, unusually heavy black
hair, rather straight and parted in the
middle. When last seen he wore black
mustache
Upon breaking into the rooms the po-
lice found that every crack, keyhole and
crevice was stuffed with rags. The
joining room had been removed, as if
to assure a draft to carry odors up the
chimney. Outside the hall entrance was
found bottle of perfumery with the
stopper out.
By means of all these precautions dis
covery was delayed and the escape of
the murderer greatly facilitated.
Within the rooms there was no evil
dence of struggle, but many indications
that the ordinary life of the couple came
to an abrupt end. None of the jewelry,
OF which the woman was reputed to own
considerable quantity, was found, but
all her clothing and the furniture and
bric-a-brac were in their accustomed
places.
The woman was we'll known in Albany
FOR many years under the name of Mrs.
Wilbur Cramp, as the proprietress OF a
largely patronized hairdressing establish
'nent in the principal business section of
| the city. This was her second marriage.
Ii look place about two years ago.
She was believed by the neighbors to
be wealthy and owned the house in the
South End where her body was found
She is said to have been extremely jeal-
GUS of Hammond and objected to his go
ing out daily to work.
Hammond's family lived in the house
six years ago, when they moved to Co.
hoes. The woman and Hammond be-
came acquainted when he was but 10
years of age, while she was 40. He is
now IS years old. Hammond kept up an
acquaintance with the woman after his
family moved away and she seemed to
| have been infatuated with him from the
| FIRST, though the neighbors never sus-
oected anything serious from this &C
luaintance until they were married.