Norwich bulletin., 1909-04-29
PUTNAM.
coroner's. Inquest in Case of Charles
r. Mecomber, Found Murdered at
West Woodstock-News About the
City-Personal Items.


Murdered with merciless savagery,
with robbery or revenge as the prob
able motives-slashed to death, pos
sibly with his own pocket knife, the
body of Charles +. McComber lay in
a little outbuilding at the town farm
in West Woodstock, Wednesday when
the coroner, medical examiner and
state police Arived to begin the in
quest and weld the chain of evidence
that should bring aFmysterious Grim
inal to justice. With the head half
severed from the body by a hideous
cash across the throat, the windpipe
and jugular vein Clearly cut, McCom-
Der rested on an improvised cot, death
due to such a crime as has seldom
startled the historic town. Only mea-
ger clues exist for the state police
to use in unraveling the crime, the
secret of which is probably shared be-
tween the dead man and his slayer.
The solution of the case promises to
develop excessive difficulty for the po-
lice.
The location of the crime is about
nine miles from Putnam far over in
sparsely populated section of the town
Of Woodstock, near the Massachusetts
line. On an unfrequented road, near
the old town farm, the body was found
lying face downward beside a wall
The CHASTITY find was made about six
o'clock Tuesday evening bv Louis Har-
rington, a teamster in the employ of
Thomas Hedges.
Medical Examiners Finding.
Medical Examiner Joseph Spalding
MD, who lives on Woodstock Hill,
was notified and after viewing the
body ordered it removed to the town
farm, where Coroner A. G. Bill Of Dan
ieison conducted the inquest Wednes-
day afternoon.
DR.. Spalding, after his examination.
stated that the man had been dead
since Monday. In all probability Nc
Comber was killed on the afternoon or
night of that day and the body re-
NAMED undiscovered for twenty-four
hours.
As to the dead mans movements
since last Friday and his companions
during that time very little is yet
known. Locating where he spent the
time between that when he was last
seen alive and the finding of his, body
will mark the beginning Of the inves-
tigation by the police.
Struck Down from Behind.
Such deductions as could be made
Wednesday from an inspection of the
| place where McComber's death oc-
CURED and from his wounds and cloth
ing would indicate that he was struck
down, probably from behind, and his
throat cut while he lay helpless on
the ground.
A great pool of blood, saturating the
leaves and turf, marks the spot where
the mans life ebbed away.
Body Placed Where Found.
It was not there, however, that the
body was found, but p feet away, be-
side the wall where Harrington's start
led gaze fell upon the limp form In
DR.. Spalding's opinion, no man could
suffer the wound that McComber did
and thereafter be able to walk. Nor
does any blood stain the earth where
the body rested near the wall or the
space between that and the place
where it is plainly evident the man
bled to death. The conclusion remains
that the murderer returned. in the
opinion Of the medical examiner, about
six hours after McComber died, and
carried the body over beside the wall.
Watch and Wallet Missing.
Robbery may have been the motive;
at least the dead mans watch is miss
ing and also a wallet which he always
carried. In the inside pocket of his
vest however, and in a small purse In
an outside pocket of his vest, bills and
currency amounting to $5335 were
found when the clothes were searched.
If robbery was the sole motive it is
probable that in his haste the murder
err overlooked the money.
Knife Also Missing.
McComber's knife is also missing
and it is probable that it may have
been used to end his life He certainly
could not inflict on himself such a
wound as would cause his death with
any implement found on his person,
That he always carried a knife is
known and also indicated by partly
used plugs of tobacco found in his
pockets.
The cut in the throat is about six
inches across and extends back even
with the ears. 1t Is clean cut, made
with sharp instrument in the hand
of a man who did not falter at the
frightful act he was committing.
Another wound is noticeable on the
back of the mans head and NAV have
been inflicted when he was struck