New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-11-28
DIES FROM TORTURED
DAYS IN PARK SWAMP
Man Nearly LifeIess When
Found and Hospital Sur
qeOns Fail to Save Him.
HALF BURIED IN MARSH
Victims Face and Body Badly
Scratched, Giving Evidence
of Bitter Struggle to
Free Himself.

/ A man who may have been for DAYS
| fighting for life in the swamps 10 the
northeast Of Van Cortlandt -Park was
removed last evening 10 the Fordhan
Hospital. following the discovery by a
passersby of his unconscious form almost
submerged in the mud and water in the
woods near Jerome avenue. Ihe man.
who is still unidentified, died soon AFTER
his arrival at the hospital, without re-
gaining consciousness.
The person who led the police TO lheir
discovery and who escaped before theS
could get his name said he was Walking
along Jerome avenue about 5:5O last
evening and stepped into the woods near
the roadway TO get a drink at spring
which he knew was there. As he reached
the spring and stopped down to drink
ne said, he saw a strange OBJECT lyinB
i'm the rushes and water OF the swamp
few yards away.
The gloom. OF the woods made THIS oo-
iect 80 suggestive that the man watched
II for several minutes before he ventureu
closer examination. He managed to
creep near enough however, to see a
human body apparently sunk 10 the
shoulders In the mud and Icy water As
ne stood looking at the body the head
dropped forward on the breast, then
raise itself slightly and moved slowly
from side to side.
The discoyerer turned and ran for help
AS soon AZ he could get TO telephone ne
called the police and Patrolmen Mchi-
row. Ward. Dietzel, Gillespie and Ken
nedy, OF the Bronx station, came on the
scene.
IT was found that the ground over an
area Of five yards surrounding the BODY
was like quicksand. and it was necessary
10 extend a heavy plank out into the
morass before the officers could venture
any assistance.
Three OF the patrolmen worked theIr
way out on tho plank, when by the hght
of lanterns they managed TO maui IN"
unconscious man from the mud His hatr
and face were Caked with earth and the
skin had been torn from his hands as IN
his desperate efforts 10 fight his way up
out OF the ooze he had grasped at stumps
and roots about him.
As soon as the officers got 10 the road
way with their burden they summoned
There the patient, who was still breath
ing, was hurried into the operating room.
stripped OF his clothes and stimulants
were given He failed to respond 10 any
kind OF treatment and died at 40 o'clock.
Considerable mystery surrounds the
case owing 10 the dress and general ap-
pearance Of the swamp victim, II is be-
Iievsd that he was an engineer con-
nected with the work on the acqueduct
Although his body when found yesterday
was horribly emaciated. indicating, the
police believe. that he had been held .
prisoner for several days, his general
physique was that OF heavy and ex-
tremely powerful man about fifty years
old. His clothes were OF excellent quality
and the contour OF the face and head
showed that the man could not have been
a laboreT.
The only marks consisted Of groups of
tattoo marks on the arms, depicting an
American flag. crossed daggers and a
group OF stars. Below the stars on the
right forearm were the initials M D."
The man was found At n point about
five feet from path running through
the swamp. This path was much used by
employees at the aqueduct excavations,
and the police think the man may have
stumbled of into the mud and have be-
come caught In the slime before he could
recover his footing The body will he
held for Identification.