Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-02-12
MURDER MOST FOUL
Pier Waterman Killed and His
Body Dismembered.
ATTEMPT AT MCINERATI0N
Crisfeld, Nd, the Scene of Mys-
ferrous Crime.
TORSO FOUND IN THE RIVER
Evidence That Fire Had Been Start
ed With Purpose of Consum-
ing the Remains.
attempt AT incarceration
TORSO FOUND IN THE RIVER


Norfolk Railroad Company. was found
yesterday in the river after a search that
lasted all of Thursday night. The fact
has been fully established that Collins
was murdered and that the railroad shed
was fired In order to hide the crime. DIR.
c. e. Collins, who made an examination
shortly after the body was taken from the
river, and who then said that there was
evidence that the man was murdered. but
not enough to allow him to SO state under
oath to the coroner. made a further and
more complete examination yesterday
afternoon and says he is positively as
sured that Collins was murdered, ..,at his
limbs were chopped off previously to the
fire with an AK or some similar instru-
ment and that his head, which so far has
not been discovered and his arms prob
ably received similar treatment.
Placed in Barrel of Tar
After the murder. he says, he is fully
convinced the body was either placed in
barrel of tar, of which there were sew
eral in the freighthouse, or was covered
with tar In the expectation that when the
freighthouse was burned the body would
be entirely consumed. His theory is
strengthened by the fact that several of
Collins charred bones were found In
pool Of tar.
When the coroner's jury adjourned yes
terday the members were satisfied that
Collins was murdered. but there was no
direct evidence to bear out this fact. This
second examination by DIR. Collins has
removed any doubt as to how the aged
night Waterman came to his death, and
fully justifies the suspicious that have
been entertained since the tragedy.
The body was recovered by Capt.
George S. TuIl, after he had been drag
ging the waters in the immediate vicin-
Deciding that the body was not beyond
the pier, Capt. Tuli changed his place
and started to grapple with oyster tongs
directly beneath where the Office was.
After about a half hour he was rewarded
by bringing to the surface the charred
trunk of the body. After the finding
of the corpse the news spread over the
VILLAGE like wildfire, and in less than five
minutes the majority of the population
Of Cristield was on the scene The torso
was placed on the pier, where coroner
jury viewed 1t, after which 1t was wrap
ped in white cloth and taken to an I'M
dertaking establishment and was prepared
for burial.
due to unknown causes. but probable
foul play by some person or persons un-
known to the jury.
Evidence Of Murder.
Prior to the viewing Of the body by the
jury Post-mortem Physician G. T. Simon
son examined the remains, and his re-
port was in accord with that of the find
ing of the jury. The examination showed
that Collins could not have been burned
to death, for had the fire assumed such
proportions as to envelop the pier in
few minutes the aged Waterman could
have escaped either by the way of the
railroad tracks or the driveway. or could
have gotten aboard one of the oyster
vessels. fleet of which was lying within
jumping distance Of the pier.
What strengthens the suspicious of foul
play In the minds of the citizens of this
place is the fact that Wednesday night
three negroes, supposed to be oyster
dredgers, stopped at the pier and made
inquiries from the night Waterman as to
what time the Baltimore steamer left
Upon being told that there was no steam
er sailing. that being due to the ground
ing of the B.. C. and A. steamer Eastern
Shore. they used vile language. according
to several persons, and expressed their
dissatisfaction. not only with the railway
company, but with Waterman Collins
They were then ordered off the pier, that
being about $50 o'clock, and as they
were leaving muttered some unintelligtble
threat, and again stopped as they were
nearing the end of the structure. This
caused Collins to go after them again.
Reasons for Suspecting Negroes.
They left and. it is believed, secreted
themselves in some dark place nearby
and later In the night, when they thought
1t would be safe to attack Collins I'M
awares or to catch him mapping they
returned to the pier and executed their
crime. This is. of course. only a suppo-
sition OH the part of the majority of the
residents of Cristield, but, nevertheless
they seem to have some foundation for
their SuppositiOns.
From the condition of the body when
brought to the surface no doubt exists In
the minds of the residents here that one
OF the most brutal murders ever perpe-
trated in this county lies behind the death
of Collins. and that arson was committed
In efforts to hide the crime and throw the
authorities off the track. That Collins
did not die in the fire was shown from
the fact that had this occurred his re-
volver, which he always carried. as we'll
as the metal clock which he registered
his rounds with every hour, would have
surely remained, but as it was a thrugh
search failed to find these articles. To the
rear OF the pier a part of pocketbook,
several coins OF small denomination and a
bunch Of keys were found, as was a piece
or clothing believed to have been part
of his vest. which was torn in the strug-
gle with his assailant or assailants. The
theory is that. shortly after 80 o'clock,
while Collins was making his rounds,
OF the pier. he was attacked from the
rear. his revolver being taken from him
and his skull cracked. The body is then
believed to have been dragged to the
office on the pier, tarred, and the place
fired.
Use of Oil Disclosed.
An investigation today by Pennsylvania
railroad detectives revealed that oil had
been poured over the pier and it was
then touched off. This Is believed to be
the case on account Of number of heavy
timbers, 12x12 inches. known as stills,
burning In half. while many lighter tim
bers were only charred. On Sunday last,
1t was said, Collins and number OF
persons waiting for the steamer were
laughing and joking on the pier. and
some one remarked that it was time for
the pier to burn, in order that new
structure would be erected. Collins
laughingly passed the remark off as
joke, and said that maybe he would be
In the fire. His words came true.
An investigation started by State Fire
Marshal Ewell resulted in finding that the
fire originated in the southwest corner of
as had at first been supposed. Fire Mar
shall Ewell and Headquarters Detective
Thomas Burns of Baltimore arrived yes
terday morning on the steamer POGO
moke, and as soon as the first signs of
dawn appeared started an inyestisa-
ton.
The larger part of the day was con-
sumed in holding court and examining
witnesses. At late hour nothing definite
had occurred, and Marshal Ewell said
he would continue his investigation.