The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1908-08-29
Special 70 The Journal.

Special TO The Journal
Tampa Fla, Aug. 2S-Whiie dig
ging up some heavy hedges on the
boundary line of his property at No
los Cardy street, in Tampa day be-
fore yesterday morning, Frank NJ
man skulls. buried there recently in
CHASTITY find in the shape of two hui
man skulls buried there recently IN
an ordinary market basket They
were wrapped in paper, and there was
nothing else in the basket but two
or three small bones. and piece of
iron that looked like a boat ring.
Mr.. Parker was overcome by the
find. and Immediately went TO the
home of Mr.. Henry Cohen and tele-
phoned TO the sheriff-s office Deputy
Sheriff Max MOTitz went to the home
of Mr.. Parker and secured the bones
and brought them TO the court house
They were placed on a pile of wood
just outside the sheriff's office, where
they were viewed by thousands OF
morbidly curious
County Physician A. C. Hamblin
was summoned and made an exami-
nation of the skulls He decided that
one was that of an aged man. pos
sibly sixty years of age, and the
other that of a boy ten or twelve
years of age. The age of the man
who had possessed one of the skulls
was estimated by the condition of the
teeth. and color of the hair, a pOr-
ton of which was found in the Das-
ket- The boys hair was also found,
it being a deep red
Victims of Murder.
That the skulls represented a dark
crime was evidenced by the marks
of blows on the head. the skull OF
each being crushed as by some dull.
heavy instrument The blows fell in
almost identicalIy the same place.
just above the left ear. crushing the
skull in such a manner as to produce
instant death. There were also blood
stains. Indicating that the scalp had
also been broken by the blows
-Mhen- found by Mr.. Parker, the
wrapping paper. bearing the stamp 81
me u r e store, a piece of a coDv
OF the Tampa Times, dated March 81.
and portion of the Tampa Tribune
dated May 1. 1908. This 5ndicataI
that The skulls were buried in the old
hedge later than May I.
A Gloomy Place
The spot where the ghaStIv find
was made IS a gloomy place. indeed
Mr. ParkcT's property is situated
near the Hilsborough river and on
the western boundary Is 4 thfcL,
hedge. which he had decided MANY
times TO cut down. as he believed II
pred mosquitoes and sickness Tues
day morning, armed with a erITb noe
he started about the wS~L before
breakfast, intending TO develop an an
petite by a half hours work before
having mis- breakfast and coming
down TO business He had hardy
started on the work. however. when
his hoe struck the handle of the has
ket and he UneaTthed the human /
skulls.
Mr.. Parker was almost overcome I
by the find. and fastened into the /
house A servant in the employ Of /
Judge Cohen hurried over to have a /
LOOK at the find. and she became so /
Ill that she was forced to 90 home
without performing her duties.
Many Theories Advanced.
Many stories have been advanced
as to the meaning of the find. Or
Hamblin Is of the opinion that the
murder could have been committed
several years ago. but admitted thafi
The hair would hardly have been in
such state Of preservation unless
1t had been in an air tight comparr-
ment- From the blood spIotches and
The fact that portion Of the brain
still remained in one of the skulls II /
would appear more feasible that the
murder was committed within the
last year
Neither the sheriff nor the chief or
police have had reports of persons
missing that might have been murder
ID and it is not believed bv either
# these officials that they were resi-
tents Of Tampa, but rather that they
we're brought to this spot in a boat
Ind the heads buried there after the
bodies had been cast in the bav. The
motive for buryinS the heads va
probably, 10 prevent possible ident1n-i
,atiOn in the event the bodies wee
washed up in the bay. /;