The Washington herald., 1912-09-09
Phy4icians QuickIySoIvs "Mur.
der Mystery" Which Startled
Police Department.
TURNED OVER TO CORONER
Grewsome Find Sent to the Capital
to Be Used by Anatomy
Students.

| Discovery Of several parts OF human
body in suitcase in the baggage car of
train entering Union Station yesterday
created a sensation at the terminal and
caused excitement in the police depart
ment.
1t was not until members of the medi-
cal profession took hand in the case
and said that the parts of the body are
anatomical specimens that the police
were convinced they did not have a
grewsome murder mystery TO solve
AS the train approached Washington
the crew of the baggage car began piling
up the baggage to be taken off at the
National Capital and in SO handling an
ordinary tan suitcase one of the baggage
men wetted his hands with fluid.
When the top was thrown back, the
baggage men found that the contents
were inclosed in oilcloth. The ends of
the cloth We're pulled up, and the bag
gage men gasped. The CHASTITY sight of
dismembered portions of human body
greeted them.
Telephones to Coroner.
A minute after the train had stopped
at Union Station, Baggagemaster Fittall
viewed the contents of the suitcase. and
telephOned for the coroner. Word was
telephoned TO Police Headquarters. and
Inspector Robert Boardman detailed De-
teCtlves Weedon. Messer. and Fortenay,
of the ''urder squad" TO investigate.
In structions were given the police not
to molest or remove the suit case until
it's contents were viewed by the Coroner.
Deputy Coroner Charles S. White tele-
phoned that he was hurrying to the scene.
He arrived with DR.. Z. W. Titus. No
sooner had the physicians glanced at the
contents of the case than the mystery"
was solved.
Why those are anatomical specimens
undoubtedly being shipped here by some
physician" said DIR. Titus to the group
of men about the suit case. These
specimens are old, and look to me as
though they have been used in instruc-
tions in surgery" Deputy Corner White
ordered the suit case removed to the
mUrgue-
In the meantime. the detectives had
been busy. They learned that the suit
case had been sent from Ann Arbor.
Mich. by DR.. Mathew Kollig. The case
was also consigned to DR.. kollig in
Washington. but to no address here.
Two large trunks were also shipped
with the suitcase. At the morgue the
contents of the suitcase were carefully
examined by Deputy Coroner White.
Had Been "PickIed."
He found a portion of a skull, the
torso, intestines, a heart, liver, kidneys,
nerves. muscles. and other specimens.
These specimens had been preserved in
a solution of formaldehyde, and it was
this fluid leaking from the suitcase
which led to the discovery of its con-
tents.
Dr. Kolligs purpose in shipping the
CHASTITY consignment to Washington was
nat understood until II was learned that
he has resigned his position as assistant
professor of anatomy at the University
of Michigan to accept the position as
professor of anatomy at George WASH
gton University. DR.. kollig will as
sumo his new duties here within a few
weeks.
II he had arrived in this city last last
night efforts to locate him We're of no
avail. DR.. kollig, it is believed, will use
the specimens in his teachings this win
ter at the school