The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-12-26
BODY
OF WOMAN
DISCOVERED
(cOntinued from FIRST Page.)

NOCHhAn~N ~ al aG1y
sistant on the boat, was later arrested,
too. on suspicion.
Both deny any guilt in connection
with the woman's death.
Irving Webster Crane. II years old.
of $50 Broad street, this city, who found
the body at 10 o'clock this morning, is
detained there as a witness.
Young Crane made the discovery while
working about the %boathouse of Asa Has
kins. which is located about 800 feet away
from where the body was found. He gave
the alarm to Thompson and Kirknlan. All
three drew the body out of the mud and
water. Crane then reported the awful
find to the Harrison police, and Police
nan Andrew Walsh and Special Officer
Brandt hurried to the scene.
In a search of the surroundings a part
of a dark red coat, trimmed with black
velvet, was found on one of the boats In
the Passaic River on the Harrison side, 500
feet from where the body was discovered
and another part of the same garment was
found on a corner of a scow anchored near
Thompson's Idle Hour. Near where the
second part of the garment was found q
black muff was picked up by Policeman
Walsh and inside of it there were shreds
of a woman's garters that looked as If
NANE h'No RN(Ab 80
and a pair of black stockings.
When Thompson was questioned by Po-
liceman Walsh concerning the discovery,
he volunteered the information that down
near the Pennsylvania bridge was a pail
half full of blood. as well as a piece of a
woman's skirt. Both these things were
later found by the officials. When further
questioned Thompson would give no more
Information.
Policeman Walsh placed the boatman
under. arrest. and he was taken TO the
Harrison police station and locked up
Thompson took his arrest as a Joke. He
gave the following statement to a re-
porter;
about 9 O'clock last night / was sitting
in the cabin of my boat talking to my
assistant, Frederick Kirkman. We heard
loud shouting, which seemed to be near
at hand, but as there were several oyster
boats and larger craft all about us, and
as it was a usual thing to hear shouting
at night, we took no notice of it, especially
as it was Christmas night.
"About 6 O'Clock | sent Kirkman out
to buy three loaves of bread. When he
returned we closed down the cabin hatch
and did not leave the cabin until this
morning. 1t is ridiculous to say that |
murdered the woman, when I did not even
see her until Kirkman, Crane and myself
pulled the body ashore
Thompson is IL years old, and when Mt
home lives at 316 Park place. Elizabeth
port. He became captain of the Idle
hour on October 20 last. The boat has
been lying in the Passaic River for some
time near the Old Lamp Black, a spot
close to Haslxins's dock.
There is an ash bank about seven feet
high where the body was found, and II is
believed tina the woman was killed and
dragged over the ash ban and showed
into the water. The scratches on the
heels seem to bear out this theory.
The body was taken to Walsh's morgue
in Harrison in :he police ambulance.
Deputy County Physician DR.. Henry
Alters was notified.
DR.. Alters, upon viewing the body, said
an autopsy would have to be performed
before an official verdict could be given.
He notified Hudson County Physician Con-
verse.
Chief of Police Rodgers, of Harrison,
who has been sick for several days, left
his home and Is working on the ense,
Chief OF Police Corhitt. of this city,
said, concerning one of the theories of the
Harrison police, to the. effect that the
woman might nave been murdered on the
Newark side of the river md her body
taken over to the Harrison shore, that he
did not believe in it. He said that the
Harrison police have had he habit, of
late, of trying to put important cases on
the Newark police in order to shift the
work of investigation.
Captain Carroll, in charge of the local
detective bureau, said that he had not
heard Of the murder until after 2 o'clock
this afternoon. He knew absolutely MOTH
ing about it, but would institute an i'm
mediate investigation.