The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1910-10-01

day. During that time they tore up q
a section Of the wood flooring Of the
basement. Where it had been they dug
a shallow hole, throwing the earth they
removed into a pile in the yard outside.
When the hole was dug they saturated
the earth with nitric acid. Then they
took the body Of the girl from the trunk,
wrapped IL in q blanket and flung it in
to the hole. They covered it with loose
earth and poured in more nitric acid.
Then over the grave they dug they had
built a cement floor four inches thick.
Made Their DUN Cement
In the cellar, in the dead OF night, they
made their W cement. When all was
done they remained in the cottage. CIV
ing the cement time to settle. Then they
packed their belongings aud left. The
doctor went calmly back to his work and
his patients. Willie Sack. the boy who
had aided him, did not go back with the
doctor. He had had enough of the grew
some work.
They left the cottage. with its dead.
behind them. but although they did not
leaye hurriedly. they left behind them
the blood.stained trunk in which they
had packed the body of the dead girl.
Weeks afterward this was found by a
new tenant of the cottage. She told the
police; they were told also by her Of
strange odors in the basement.
They-came and investigated and dug
holes in the yard, but did not disturb
the basement. The trunk, in which
were still strands of the dead girls
hair, was sent to the city chemist for
analysis. That was in the first week in
July. There at that time the police
stopped their search. From that day
until this no report has come from the
city chemist on the trunk. Such is one
of the curiosities of the tragedy.
There the police might have ended
their efforts to have penetrated the mys-
terry OF the cottage, which they never for
a moment associated with the disappear
ance of Eva Swan. But fate had de-
creed otherwise aud the manner in
which the solution of both mysteries
came about comprises one of the strang.
est cases in the police history of this
city.
Eva Swan came to San Francisco from
her home in Paso Robes about the mid
die Of January. this year She had been
a school teacher in Paso Robles and
came here to better her fortunes. She
took rooms at the home of Mrs. Gary A.
Weir, 2040 Scott street. ana secured en-
ployment as a stenographer in a n office
in the Balboa building. Her life ap.
pearei to run along placidly. She did
not seem to have many friends in the
city. She went out but little. Most of
her time was spent in study or in prac-
tice on the typewriter, by which she
made her living.
On April 2 the girl went to her work
as usual. On this day her fellow en-
ployees remarked that she seemed pale
and depressed. In the middle of the
mornings work she was seen to slam
down her desk and heard to remark. 1
can stand this nc longer" She put on
her hat and coat and left the office.
From that moment until her body
was dug from the cellar Of the house at
1877 Eureka street last night no n who
was her friend looked upon her face.
Woman Nurse Confesses Whole Story
Miss Marie Messerschmdt. the nurse
arrested with DR.. Grant for completely
in the death Of Miss Eva Swan. has
made the following statement to the
police. which supplies the missing link
needed to connect Grant with the girls
death and subsequent burial in a house
at 327 Eureka street:
"My name is Marie Messerschmidt.
and l live at 1898 Golden Gate venue
On Saturday evening. April 16. 1910,
Miss Eva Swan of 2040 Scott street,
was operated on by DIR. Robert Thomp-
son, known as DIR. Grant, and came
back the next day, Sunday, for further
treatment.
"She then left aud came back on
April 20 and complained Of pains and
was put to bed by ne. l waited on her
as q nurse.
Miss Swan died about ten days later
and was put into DIR. Grants trunk. he.
DIR. Grant, first saving the legs off at
the ankle SO that he might crush the
body into the trunk.
About 8 O'Clock that evening the
trunk was removed to 327 Eureka street
by an expressman and Willie Sack.
the doctor going out to 1877 Eureka
street on a car. He stayed there all
night, returning about II o'clock the
next morning, saying to me that be
could not bury the body. because people
were watching him.
aDr Grant raturuad tn Eureka street