Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1917-12-06
FIND BOY WITH THROAT
MARKED DEAD I'M CELLAR
Continued from First Page.


was placed about a hook on the rafter.
The rope was removed to the coroner's
Office by Deputy Coroner Mcureary. The
distance between the floor OF the cellar
and the floor above is only i've feet.
The two boys after arriving at the
Mullin home separated, according to Mrs.
Mullin, Francis going 10 the second
floor while Harry, who was the older,
went TO the cellar to get the comic sup
plements Of the Sunday papers, that had
been stored there. II was when Francis
had started 10 leave the house that tho
body Of Harry was found. Mrs. Mullin
told Francis that his brother had gone
into the cellar. When Francis reached
the cellar, he thought the older boy was
trying 90 play a Joke on him by kneel-
ing on the floor, and he started TO poke
Harry IN the ribs and under the arm.
Receiving no response, he called Mrs.
Mulln. who found the boy lifeless.
Or. ]. Paul Lukens was summoned and
removed the body to the first floor. DR..
d J. McCOlley also was called. Both ply
sicians. according TO the parents Of the
child, said that death was due to heart
disease.
In sepaiins Of the affair this morn
ing. Mrs. Mullln said:
"The rope which was used had been
hanging in the cellar ever since ! moved
there about six weeks ago. The cellar
was the one place that I had not nut in
order. shortly after Harry went to the
cellcr yesterday afternoon ] went to the
landing and noticed that he had lighted
the gas ict 10 look at the comic papers,
aud had q mind TO ten him that II was
still light. The cellar is low or shall
loyv. and while ] eau stand up IN it. my
father OF mother would have TO stoop
II they should go into it. When Fran
els called me and | went to the cellar,
Harry was on his knees With his head
thrown back
Mrs. Walker. mother Of the boy. was
10 town shopping at the time, and she
was shocked when on arriving home
she was told Of the death Of her son.
when Dr. McColley, who arrived at
tho Niulln home shortly after the body
was found, today was asked what caus-
ed the child's death, he referred re-
porters to the coroner's Office and re-
fused 10 discuss the statements made
by the Walker family that he had said
death was due to heart disease.
Deputy Coroner McCrery who invest
gated the case, said: The cellar is
about 1--WE feet deep ard the rope found
hanging there measured about ~
feet long, being an ordinary clothes
line with a knot on one end TO prevent
q from being unraveled. The childs
neck showed plainly where the rope
had been placed and the knot evidently
had been under the left car the flesh
being marked plainly there"
When asked how the boy could have
hanged himself without moose being
lin the rope. Mr. McCrery said: He
could have given the rope ono twist
about his neck 10 experience the sem
sations Of hanging and the weight Of
/ the body could have frightened up on
the knot, thus strangling him His
struggles could have loosened 1t. and
that he struggled IS evident nv an eN-
animation Of his neck"
Chief Of Police Black said that while
the case had been reported TO him as
an accident, he had ordered a fun In.
vestigatlon OF It from all angles.
Some persons pointed out today that
notwithstanding the surmse Of tn
authorities that death was caused bS
the lad himself while experimenting
with the rope about his neck, there is
another theory that should be given
weight. II Is that when little Harry
went into the cellar 20 get the comic
supplements he might have encounter
ed a burglar secreted there awaiting
an opportunity 10 get upstairs unoh-
served, who might have strangled the
boy to prevent him making an outcry
The funeral OF the dead boy viii take
place on Monday morning from the
home Of his parents.