The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1910-09-25
Acid Eaten Body Dug Up From the
Cellar Of San Francisco Home
Is That of
Woman.
DOCTOR UNDER ARREST
Remains are Those Of School Teach
er Who Disappeared on
April Twentieth
Last.
LGate City Leased Wire service.l

[Gate City Leased Wire Service.1
SAN FRANCISCO, Cal, Sept. "a
The mltilated acid eaten body dug
from the cellar of vacant house last
night, was positively identified byE
Mrs. Harry Weir, as that of Eva Clara
Swan, the Paso Robles school teacher
who disappeared on April 20, last
Mrs. Weir is proprietress of the
rooming house at which the Swan girl
lived, and her Identification is accept
ed by the police as positive. Although
the face of the girl has been marred
by the gallons of acid poured over 1t
by those who buried her. Mrs. Weir said
any doubt as to the body's identity
was relieved by the presence of the
high cheek bones and by the two
broad, fiat teeth, prominent in the
center of the lower jaw.
How the girl came to her death is
question the police have SO far
been unable to solve. The autopsy
| physician, DR.. Glover, who examined
the body, found it in such condition
that he said tonight he belived it
/
cause of death The abdominal wall
had been ruptured either when the
body was forced into the trunk in
which it was carried to the Eureka
street house or when it was doubled
and forced into the hollow grave and
acid soaked dirt filled in. This caused
4 the acid to eat away the stomach and
effectively efface any evidence of pois
on that may have been administered
The police theory that any operation
Z may have been the cause of death can
not be proven. The acid destroyed
any traces of an operation If any ever
appeared on the corpse.
a The cheek bones and the conforma
tion of the lower jaw were the only
parts of the body affording positive
Identification. 1t Is for this reason
that the police have accepted Mrs
Weirs testimony as conclusive. An
ether witness of equal Importance is
Homer Hatch, the Paso Robles ranch
er, said to have long known Eva Swan
and who, it is believed could not be
, mistaken in identifying her. All
though the detectives worked hart
on the case, the evidence that they
brought forth had little effect on DR.
James Grant or Marie Messerschnhdt
nurse employed by him, who is alst
under arrest
The police assert that they have
evidence that Eva Swan entered DR.
Grants office on the day Of her dis
appearance. They openly assert thei
belief in the theory that Grant per
: formed an operation which proved
fatal, and that he buried the girl t
protect himself. The doctor chattet
end laughed with the nurse whel
they were taken into the photograph
: room where their measurements wer
taken. He denied that he knew any
thing about Eva Swans death an
his story was not shaken.
Late this afternoon DR.. Grant wa
taken to the Eureka Street house an,
led over the ground by detective
). He answered questions but never ad
q mitted any connection with the girl
d death.
r Miss Messerschmidt did not seer
= to mind her connection with the cas-
n and treated her arrest lightly. Sh
It refused to answer any questions.
Y, Bernard Gordon. the youth VIII
A. told the police where the body wa
d buried, is also held This afternoo
< a formal statement made by him i
h answer to police questions was gi,
o en- out. The statement differed m;
h terially from the first story told t
e detectives. In his first statement
il said the girl, according to the stor
d told him by Will Saach was tn
Swan girl. In his statement this a
ternoon any reference to her nam
was absent The statement told of
= trip made to Highland Springs, Calf
y where the doctor and the nurse b
said, were spending a vacation t
ir gether He said Saach accompanie
him, and that another man name
Pike was in the party. According |
Gordon, Pike acted as spokesman
their efforts to get money from ID
n, Grant The expedition was not su
n, cessful Saach was employed, accor
Of ing to Gordon. by Dr.. Grant and to-
Id him all he knew of the death of I'll
y. girl and her burial. Saach has n,
i, yet been found by the police.