Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-11-18
BODY lay FIVE YEARS
PACKED NATRUNK
Found in Cellar Of New York
Apartment House-Name
on Case Only Clue.

NEW YORK. November 1S.7Jammed
in a Theoretically sealed trunk which
had been stored for five years In the cell
lar of an apartment house at $50 West
54th street, the remnants Of a human
body were found last night. On the
trunk that hid the secret of q crime in a
house occupied by more than twenty
families was painted the name OF w.
Lewis, who seven years ago rented
room of Philip Meagher on the third
floor of the building.
There was nothing to give a clue to the
identity of the victim. Indeed, 1t was i'm
possible to determine the sex. The body
was that Of full grown person. 1t had
been bent at the knees and neck to make
possible the packing of 1t in the trunk.
which was not more than three feet high
and three feet long. A stout rope. now
decayed by age. bad been used to secure
the legs and arms in position. Beneath
the portions of the body lay wire strands
incased In lead solder.
The trunk was wound about with stout
wire and an inner casing Of zinc was
built to make the space airproof. Reams
of newspapers were packed between the
zinc sheathing and the wooden sides, bot
tom and top Of the trunk. This pack
ing was reinforced by plaster Of paris.
which was pressed securely into every
crevice The legs and hands of the vic.
tim were partly incased In plaster OF
paris.
Meagher, who entered the apartment
in the West 54th street house more than
eight years ago, went Into the cellar
yesterday to haul out boxes and trunks
which he intended to use in moving. In
corner of his compartment he noticed
the Lewis trunk.
Tears Open the Lid.
Recalling that Lewis had not been
heard from for five years, Meagher de-
cided to open the trunk and make use Of
1t himself. He pulled it from the top OF
a heap Of boxes. When it struck the
| floor the lid sprang open fraction Of
an inch. Meagher was halted In his
work by pungent odor. Calling the
janitor Meagher tore open the lid.
The two men worked for many minutes
before they were able to wrench the
heavy I'D from Its fastenings on the
four corners Of the trunk. After one
glance at the contents Meagher ran to
the West fifth street police station. There
he was told to go to the West SD street
branch Of the detective bureau.
Detective Lieuts. O'Grady and McKin-
ney were assigned to accompany Meagher
back to the house. They ripped out the
zinc case and found the cords that had
been tied around the legs and arms.
There were no other clues. The news
paper bore dates In 1902.
Lewis has not been seen by any Of his
friends In West 54th street for 1--WE years.
Coroner Wint6 rbottom and Assistant Dis
trict Attorney Rubin were Informed last
night that he was q waiter and had been
a frequent visitor at the Meagher home.
Sometimes he occupied q room he rented
by the week.
Boarder Wanted Trunk Kept
On the day Lewis gave UP his room
he instructed Meagher. the latter says. to
leave the trunk where he had placed It.
as it contained valuable clothes, which he
expected to use after his return. Meagher
asserted he had never heard from his
friend since that day.
immediately after the body was discov-
cred Coroner Winterbottom took charge
Of the case. DR.. Leblanc, his ph5sician,
made a hasty examination, but was un-
able to determine whether the murderer's
victim had been man or woman.
A further examination will be made at
the morgue. where the trunk was taken.
on the outside Of the trunk. There was
nothing to show who had made the recep-
tacle.
The care with which the body had been
packed away caused Coroner Winter
bottom to call upon Assistant District At
torney Rubin for aia in solving the mys-
terry. 49,