The Newark star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1909, 1909-11-24
Theories Of Foul Play
Are Disregarded by
Prosecutor.
FINDING OF PAPER SCRAPS g
FAILS AS CLUE IN CASE
Only Object of Probe Now Is to
Positively Establish Iden-
tity of Woman.

- OAhh~~hs
Attempts TO establish the probable
was found in the abandoned asylum In
South Orange avenue met her death by
the finding of scraps of local news
papers in the attic, in no way assist
the authorities in that direction.
Little or no attention is being paid
by Prosecutor William A. Mott to such
remote bits of evidence. Considerable
Stress is being laid by sensationalists
around the Court House because Of the
hnding of torn piece of copy of
an evening newspaper of the issue of
October II. 1904, in the attic near
where the skeleton was found. Tho
significance of that discovery vas des-
troyed today when a STAR reporter
found within-a few feet of where the
skeleton was discovered fragment OF
an evening newspaper of July 10, 1908,
and the STAR of July D, 1903.
If the finding of the 1904 fragment is
of any value in establishing the date
of the womans death, SO are the 1903
and 1908 fragments. Nobody connected
with the investigation believes that the
death occurred as recent as these news
papers show. The prosecutor was seen
by a STAR reporter at his office to-
day He declared that nothing new had
developed in the case. but that he still
entertained the hopes of settling the
question as to the identity OF the
woman beyond peradventure of doubt
His task is laborious one, in view
of the fact that at least records of two
unaccounted- female patients have
been brought to light
The folly of placing any cofp 80: y
proof in the finding of ShessI Ifrase iir-.5
OF local newspapers clearly 49,
by the accompanyins>d diagram of -. ~
asylum attic
If the newspaper scraps had been
found underneath the skeleton the fact
would have material weight in the
inquiry, but such was not the case
Hundreds. perhaps thousands. of per-
sons, patients, keepers and nurses have
been in the attic during the past few
years The finding of a fragment or
any newspaper there is therefore OF
no moment. Doubtless, IL a more care
full search of the attic was made addi-
tional date-bearing newspapers could
be found. The statement that scrap
of paper could not have flown so close
to the skeleton is also considered
imaginative.
A little gust of wind in the attic,
particularly from the ventilating sys-
tenn which runs to that section of The
attic, might easily have blown piece
of paper to the exact spot where the
skeleton was found. But even that
much is not claimed.
Foul play talk is weakened as the in
aSA f7r
of course. is trying to ascertain the
cause of death. as well as to establish
the womans identity. There is little
doubt in the minds of those who have
gone to the trouble of making an ex-
animation of the attic at the aban-
doned asylum that the patient wall-
dered to the spot where her skeleton
was found and that she died from
burns There is plain evidence OF a
fire. The rafters and lathes where the
skeleton was found were eharred, as
well as the skeleton itself.
The sensationalists theory of murder
is secuted by all familiar with the attic
topography. Every indication points
to a wandering patient walking along
the attic which is above ward to the
partition and then climbing through an
opening to the aperture below, where
the skeleton was found. In the first
place the attic floor is more than one
hundred feet in length, and the drop
from the floor to the place where the
skeleton was found is about eleven
feet Then the distance from there to
the spot where the skeleton was found
is another fifteen feet.
This section is of a triangle shape.
If a lifeless body had been deposited
1F haxr fof
directly below the little opening. The
woman must have been alive when en-
tering that section to have crawled TO
the spot where the skeleton was found.
The conditions as they exist there pres
cluded almost conclusively the possi-
bility of murder.
The openings from the main section
of the attic are but nine and one-half
inches by eighteen inches. 1t is argued
that II would be just the act of an
insane patient TO crawl through such
an opening not realizing where she
would land herself.
The prosecutor was closeted all the
morning with Chief Frederick Weimer.
Detective Walter Godfrey and other
members of his staff, while medical
men and laymen went in and out OF
the doors Mr. Mott refused to say
what it was all about.
Among those who csEed on him were
County Physician William II. MeKen-
zie, DIR. william H. Hicks. expert alien
ist connected with the Hospital for the
Insane at Overbrook; DIR. Livingston $
Hinckley. predecessor OF DIR. Daniel n.
Din as head of the hospital where the
find was made. and others
1t is understood that the grand jury
has not yet taken up the matter.