Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-05-04

Captain of Detectives Tate and his men
are awaiting the outcome Of the autopsy
upon the body Of s-year-od Richard
Meekins. which DR.. William s. wadsworth,
Coroner's physician, Is making at the
Morgue this afternoon. The detectives
declare that the postmortem examination
may make IL certain beyond all doubt
that the boy was strangled: and, If this
supposition Is made absolute, they will set
afoot their best endeavors to run down
his slayer. The complete result OF Doctor
Wadsworth's labors will he embodied in
report to Coroner Knight, who is work.
ing with the police in their investigation
of the mystery in the boys death.
Should the autopsy disclose evidence Of
foul play prior to the placing of the body
in the gully near 72d street and Powers
lane. where II was found yesterday after
noon, the detectives promise there will be
no laxity in their efforts TO apprehend the
slayer. They admit that there still re-
mains a possibility that death was caused
by drowning. and hope the condition Of the
body permits final settlement of the doubt
TIML1N DOUBTS NOTES.
George Timlin. one Of the detectives
who has been most energetic in the case
declares he lacks faith In the value of
the notes received at the Meekins home
2249 South 61st street. since November
90 last, when Richard disappeared These
letters, however will be turned over to
a handwriting expert for examination.
They will also submit them to George
Quintard Horwitz, a prominent attorney
whose son was threatened similarly by an
anonymous letter-writer shortly after the
Meel<ins boy left home.
BOYS FATHER ILL
Luke Meeklns. father of Richard. was
unable to go to the Morgue today He
is i'll as the result of the experience he
underwent yesterday when he was called
upon to identify the little, body after it's
recovery. Mrs Annie Meekins, the
mother, is almost a physical wreck in
consequence of her ordeal. She appeared
dazed she sat in the Coroner's office
today after returning from the Morgue,
She had not seen the body. but her father
and Thomas j. Meekins, OF 1921 Yocum
street, also one of the boys grand
fathers, saw and identified 1t.
Il have no motive of revenge in hop
inc that the man who stole Richard will
be arrested " said Mrs Meekins, but |
do hope the police will get him for the
sake Of Mrs Kraft, Mrs, McCarrick and
other mothers whose children have been
kidnapped and murdered
Haggard. weeping and trembling in her
grief and agitation, Mrs. Meekins made
the tolsome trip today from her homo to
the Morgue. The melancholy satisfaction
of receiving back the body of her little son,
Richard, though dead, buoyed up the sor-
rowing mother, as she set out with James
Holt her father, for the city's deadhouse,
on Wood street.
On the way she paused at City Hall
where, with Deputy Coroner George Row
land, she went over in detail the crcum-
stances which have made her life a
lonely, unbroken vigil of uncertainty and
apprehension since the disappearance Of
Richard on the afternoon of November 20.
Mrs. MeekIns was not compelled to
gaze upon the time-wasted body of her
of the case spared her that ordeal. The
formal Identification made by Luke
Meekins, the father, was deemed sutti-
cient, Mrs. Meekins was allowed 10 view
the clothing and other articles found upon
the body when il was revealed in the
swampy island in Mingo creek.
THAT WAS NOT RICHARDS"
The handkerchief which was taken from
the neck Of the corpse especially interested
her. That was not Richards" she de-
clared. "He did not have a handkerchief
when he went away. 1t does not belong to
any one in our house.
1T belongs to the man who carried him
off. and who, l believe, killed him. 1
am glad TO have him back again, even
in this shape, and l feel that my prayers
have been answered. l never ceased TO
pray that he would be restored, and even
If he is dead | am consoled by the
thought that / have him back
II am convinced that the man who
wrote those letters 10 me killed my child"
declared Mrs. Meekins to Deputy Coroner
George Rowland this morning THE
address on the envelope OF the letter dated
January 26 was in Richards handwriting.
Besides no one but person who had been
conversing with my boy after his disap-
pearance could possibly have known some
or the things described in that letter 1
turned the envelope over TO the police
along with the diagram il contained.
Richard never could have told the writer
of the places described in that drawing.
He never was in the neighborhood of the
creek and had never been so far away
from home He was timid and would
have been afraid TO wander there. for Il
was growing dark at the hour he disap-
peared.
Mrs. Meekins hopes TO be able to receive
the body OF her child In time 10 permit the
funeral to be held tomorrow afternoon.