The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-05-06
His Body Could Have
Lain Hidden in
Pool.
Lads Death Occurred
From Six to Eight
Weeks Ago.

DOVER, Del, May 6.-Following
the first flush Of excitement and
with saner judgment prevailing, the
conviction is becoming general here
today that instead OF being a VIC
tim of foul play or an accident little
Horace T. Marvin, jr-, whose dead
body was found in a pool on his
fathers farm Saturday afternoon,
died OF exposure after having
wandered away from his playmates
on the afternoon Of his disappear
ance, Monday, March +
Many, however, still adhere 10 the
belief that the lad was a victim
Of foul play, and final judgment is
being reserved until the coroner's
jury makes 1t report late this week.
No Marks on Body.
Yesterdays autopsy failed TO lend any
thing TO the murder theory. SO far as
could be discerned. there were no marks
on the body 10 show that the boy had
been killed. or that he had been the
victul pf an acCident EUch as being run
over by "a wagon on he other hand.
the lungs showed that though the body
was found Ia a pool OF water, death had
not resulted from drowning. The con-
clusiou most generally reported is that
the little fellow died from exposure.
All suspicion that the boy had been
recently killed was removed at the au-
topsy. which showed that though the
body was in a fair state Of preservation.
4 ~rra s-.TT yr-aaf fnlr TauFE had nrrf-
IDENTIFY resulted six OF eight weeks before
the finding Of the remains. The first
theory that the body must have been
placed where found as recently as three
days ago. has also been pretty effectu-
ally exploded.
Pool Several Feet Deep.
Though there were but six or seven
inches Of water in the pool at the tins
and place where the body was found.
the spot was covered by fifteen inches
Of water today, as the result OF a slight
rain last night 1t is also found that
the pooI is several feet deep in the
center. and that most of the time since
the disappearance Of the boy the water
has been deeper than IL IS at the pres
ent time.
lad was a victim of exposure is as fol-
lows.
Left alone by his cousin, Rose stand
ISL. Horace wandered away from the
sIrawstaCk, where he had been playing.
in the rear Of his fathers home. on a
little voyage Of exploration OF tho farm.
10 which his father had just moved He
wandered cut on the frozen marsh and
I the treacherOus surface broke under his
weight and his feet were sucked into
| ooze at the bottom Of the marsh Fin
ally. after struggling vainly 70 release
himself. he sat down in The icy pool
screaming and exhausted
Merciful Unconscieusness.
Then unconsciousness mercifully stoIs
over him and the little boy se;tied down
IN the ooze in the sleep Of death. with
possibly only the head and shoulders
above the water The freezing weather
which had preceded March 4 gave way
70 a thaw on that night. and with the
tie BODY gradually sank out of sight.
Then came another freeze and a aver
OF ice hid the tots body from the
searchers.
Much has been made Of the fact that
the marsh grass about the scene was
burned over and that the scene Of the
boys death had been viewed hundreds
Of times. The ice and oOze held the
little body down, and it was not until
recently, following the disappearance OF
the ice and at a time when the gases
generating IL gave the body sufficient
buoyancy TO bring IL 70 the surface, that
the waters gave up their dead