Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1907-05-06
LITTLE HORACE MARyIN's BODY.

LITTLE HORACE MARyIN's BODY.
Within half mile of The home oil MS
distracted father, who for two months
had directed a search that romihed the
whole continent, the body OF Horace
Marvin, it,, the 4-yesr-old boy who dis
appeared from his home at Kits Ham,
mock near Dover, Del, on Msrch 4,
was found Saturday afternoon, and in
condition that indicates that the child
has been dead for several weeks. Thus
the mystery as to the Whereabouts OF the
lost boy is solved; but the mystery as to
how be met his fate may remain un-
solved.
There is growing belief that the
child wandered into the marsh and died
of ex posure, but DR.. Marvin, the father
declares ais little son was murdered. He
does not believe that the boy has been
dead since March 4. Despite the condi-
ton of the little corpse, the theory to
which he sdheres is that his boy was
stolen away by kidnappers, that the nue
and cry and the fear Of the death penalty
that prevails in The State frightened them
until they dared not make demand for
ransom; and that finally, when they found
they must be rid of the boy, they slew
him and placed the little body where its
presence must soon become known to the
family.
The body of the child was discovered
by Ollie Pleasanton, a gunner and trap
per, who was shooting ducks. He was
walking past the marsh when he saw a
dark object in a small pool Of water that
had been left by Friday nights rain.
He lifted the object from the water,
found that 1t was the body of child,
and knew that it must be The lost Horace
Marvin. Pleasauton has figured in the
case since Horace was lost, having first
reported that he had seen the two strange
men who appeared there inquiriDg about
the topography OF the country three days
before the disappearance.
The spot where the body was found.
it is claimed, had been burned over by
fire four weeks ago. The clothing, how
ever, showed no sign Of having been
burned.
The child's clothing was intact, and
just as it was on the day of his disap-
pearance. Even the mittens we're still
on his hands. His knitted wooden cap
was pulled down over his face, the tas-
sci, however, being almost torn of. The
child's face was much discolored.
The medical men selected to make the
autopsy yesterday found that the boy
had not been drowned; that he had beer
dead from four weeks to two months;
that his body was in a remarkable state
of preservation; that his death was not
due to violence other than poison or
suffOcation that his stomach was entire
ly empty, and that starvation might
have been the cause.
The autopsy was adjourned to allow
DR.. Alfred Robyn, the bacteriologist
who accompanied Attorney General Rich
ards to the scene, 10 take the stomach and
make an exhaustive chemical slysis.
A prevailing theory is that the boy
met accidental death, and after being
hidden in box or sack was taken back
on the farm and thrown into the little
partly hidden pool.
Diamio, the Pinkerton representative
in Dover, expressed the belief that the
little fellow wandered across the farm
and fell through an air hole in the ice
The body of little Horace n. Marvin,
eaGoBa aid edFp tbs crave an, hi 81 sdtSs seAt
yesterday evening. This site near the
farmhouse was selected because his
father wants to spend the remaining
days of his life near him.