Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-08
ALEXANDRIA AFFAIRS
BODY OF UNKNOWN MAN FOUND
IN THE RIVER.
Believed to Be Remains of George
Curtain, but This Identity Cannot
Be Established.
Special Correspondence of The Star.

| Special Correspondents Of The Star
| ALEXANDRIA,, Va, January 8, 1906.
| The body Of an unidentified white man,
badly mutilated and only partly covered
| with clothing, was discovered about 10
o'clock this morning resting on the bottom
| of the river in dock at the foot Of King
street. While Walter Padget and another
boatman were dragging for an anchor they
loosened the corpse from its position in the
| mud and brought 1t to the surface. A
| crowd soon gathered at the wharf and sew
| eral persons, after scrutinizing the face of
| the dead man, expressed the opinion that
| he was George Curtain, who has been miss
| ing from his home in this city for nearly
| three weeks. Among those who entertained
| this belief was Mr.. David Dudley, Curtain 8
| father-in-law Curtains father. Christopher
Curtain also called to see the body and
stated he believed is was the body of
| his son. There were several others, how
| ever, who denied that the remains were
those of the missing man named The
| question was still in doubt after the most
careful examination had been made this
| afternoon.
| Coroner Purvis. who was notified by the
| police. ordered the remains removed to the
| undertaking establishment Of w. Domaine
| & Son, on King street. 1t is understood that
! the coroner will direct an inquest to be
| held some time tomorrow. At the under
| taking rooms the remains were viewed by
several persons, who had been we'll &C
| quainted with Curtain. Some of these felt
| sure it was he while others were equally
| positive in the contrary opinion. From ap-
pearances the body had been in the water
about two weeks. IT was cut and battered
| from head to foot. The throat was cut and
| the left side of the face was mutilated, as if
| by a heavy and blunt instrument. The skull
| was crushed and there were several bruises
| and cuts about the trunk and limbs. The
| upper portion of the body was partly COW
| cred by two thin shirts. The mans pants
| had been removed, but his feet were still
| incased in a pair Of shoes.
The man was muscular and well built
! and apparently about thirtytive years of
! age. He probably weighed $50 pounds and
was OF average height. Though he had evil
| IDENTIFY been submerged for some time, de-
composition had not progressed to great
| extent the difficulty in the effort to recog
nize his features being due mainly to the
injuries he had received. The question of
foul play was raised and many who viewed
the body thought that there were strong
evidences in favor of that supposttion, but
others thought that the man had proba bly,
been struck by the propeller of some river
craft. The extent and nature of the inju-
r1es We're said to be in favor of this view.
Sergt. Dean of the Washington harbor boat
Vlgliant made an investigation of the case
this afternoon, but the description of the
man and the circumstances failed to identi-
~ the deceased with any of the drowning
cases recently reported to the District Off
Gals.
George Curtain. who as stated above,
was thought by many persons to be the
drowned man. has been missing from his
home on North Henry street since the Sat
urday evening before Christmas He was
last seen, it is stated, in the easteri part
OF the city going toward the river He was
a collector for a Richmond mercantile house
GONG business here and it is stated that he
mad almost $500 on his person at the time
of his disappearance. He resided with his
wife and two children.
No County Excise Board.
The board of supervisors for Alexandria
county at the regular monthly meeting at
the county court house Saturday, took no
action on the petition for the re-establish-
ment of an excise board in Alexandria
county for the purpose of passing upon ap-
plications for liquor licenses either recon-
mendlng or vetoing them, for the consider
alton of the circuit court. The question
was brought up more than month ago
but the board deferred it's considerations
Contrary to expectations, it was not called
at the January meeting and it is under
stood that the matter will be allowed to
rest as 1t is unless some unexpected move
for official action is made by those advocat-
ing the measure. Alexandria county is now
without licensed saloons. This has been the
situation since Judge Nicol of the circuit
court several months ago ruled that the
Mann law, requiring police protection as a
prerequisite for the licensing of saloons in
districts not included in cities, applied to
Alexandria county and should be enforced.
Since then numerous joints and speak
eases have been broken up and the liquor
traffic in the county has been reduced as
near as possible to nothing. Representa-
tive citizens declare that they more
than satisfied with the situation, asserting
that the county is in a better state of
prosperity than ever and that he improve
men is due largely to the cleaning up of
the saloons. An old law was invoked in
for bn nintr of an
else board
General Matters.
The January term of the United States
court for the eastern district of Virginia,
Judge Edmund Waddill presiding will open
here tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock The
damage suits of Howard C. Knode against
Commonwealth Attorney Cranda1 Mackey
and Magistrate Joseph f. Supplee of Alex
andria country in which unlawful arrest
and assault are charged, will come up at
this term.
The following officers were installed yes
terday afternoon by Alva Aerie No 81
Fraternal Order of Eagles to serve for the
ensuing year: Jacob Brill, past worthy
president: Samuel Bendheim, worthy presi-
dent Thomas Chauncey, vice worthy presi-
dent; Edward ]. Fleming, chaplain; Jo-
seph III. West secretary; a. A. Paul treas
urer; Emmett Kelley, worthy conductor: Fl.
NJ Head, inside guard; T. D. Downey, out
side guard; DR.. S. B. Moore, worthy ply
stefan; Peter Won de Westelaken w Fl p
Kelley and John Hanrathy, worthy trustees
The union week of prayer services. par
tcipated in by several of the local Protes-
tant churches, will begin this evening with
exercises in the Methodist Protestant
Church at 7:45 o'clock.
Mrs. Sarah Davis died last night at her
home, Ill Wythe street.
A petition signed by several of the col
ored citizens of Alexandria in the interest
of Mr.. James e. Johnson for the appoint
ment to the position of postmaster of this
city was presented at the Post Office De-
partment in Washington today.
Army Orders.
Contract Surgeon George Newloye has