Evening journal., 1917-12-15
Welsh KISSES
WOMAN 5 Corpse
BEFORE BURIAL
Man Accused as Mrs. Hayes
Slayer Has Silent Mo-
ment With Friend
BROTHER OF VICTIM
REFUSES HIS HAND

Trembling and with tears in his eyes
while he stroked with his right hand
the brown hair Of Mrs. Dewitt ,iaves,
who was found dead with her ~ = 3
slashed in her bedroom at No. Qi5 ship
ley street on Wednesday m0rning,
Thomas j. Welsh, aged i6 years, under
arrest on a charge OF numbering the
woman, gazed upon the dead body while
it lay in the oflce Of Coroner Spring
this morning. Welsh had asked Ser
geant Green, Of the detective squad, 10
allow him TO see the body before 10
was buried and his request was
granted.
Walking between sergeants Green and
king. Welsh was taken from his cell
which has faced the morgue, where the
body has been since Wednesday, 20 the
morgue promptly at A o'clock The
prisoner. who is gray, showed plainly
The effect Of his confinement and worri-
ment over the charge against him.
Arriving at the morgue, Welsh was
ushered into the reception room with
out any ceremony and walking 10 the
side of the caskel In which Mrs. Hayes
lay me gazed a minute at the hsneured
face, black with the bruises alleged 10
have been inflicted by him before be
slashed her throat. Then, trembling as
If stricken with ague. Welsh moved
closer 20 the casket and brushed the
hair Of the dead woman twice. This
done. he stopped and kissed the fore
head of the dead woman.
Not q sound was heard IN the Inorgue
and Welsh, on raising his head. Razed
into the eyes Of James Reitzman. Of
Trenton, \. j., a brother Of the dead
woman. Welsh walked around the foot
Of the casket and offered his right hand
TO the brother Of the slain woman.
The eyes Of the brother Of the dead
woman stared hard az Welshs face
and he did not accept the profiered
hand. Welsh mumbled something
which, 10 those few present. sounded
like Alright Jimmy" Welsh then
shook the hand Of Deputy Coroner Nc
Crery and a woman attendant who had
laid out the body of the dead woman
Nothing further was said. Welsh was
taken back 10 his cell
on the way back ne asked Sergeant
Green 10 see that the clothes owned by
the woman be given 10 her brother:
shortly after arriving in his cell. the
dead wagon Of the c0rOner's Office drew
up IN front Of the morgue and with
uniformed police and attendants Of the
m0rgue in charge. the body of tho dead
Woman was placed 5he wagon. ne
tcrmcnt was private al I,lveryiew cemc-
terry.
The body of the slain woman reposed
in q silver grey casket with silver
trimmings and on the plate was the
name, sophia L. Hayes" The casket
was trimmed I'm white silk and the body
uf the dead woman was aiiired in "a
white crepe de chine White satin
slippers were on the feet and on a I'm
ger Of the left hand was the wedding
ring given the woman at the time Of
her marriage here on July 6, 1901, TO
Dewitt Hayes an actor, of ohio.
The records of the Board of Health
office shows that the woman and
Hayes We're married here by the Rev.
John W. Fryer on the date mentioned.
The woman Was then but 2i years Of
age. while Hayes. who is now thought
20 be dead. according TO the brother OF
the dead woman, was but - years Of
age
Welsh will be given hearing in Niu-
nicipal Court on Tuesday morning, on
a charge Of murder, and while be pro-
fesses not 10 remember the incidents
leading up 10 the murder, the authori-
ties say hc Is shamming.