The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-08-16
HUSBAND DETAINED
IN DEATH MYSTERY
Wife's Body Found Wrapped
in Paper Near Path in
West New York.
WOMAN OFTEN MISSING
Spouse and His Brother.in-
law Held as Material
Witnesses.

What appeared at FIRST glance TO be a
bundle Of rubbish. lying half hidden
by weeds alongside a cross lots path
in West New York. N. j.. solved q minor
mystery for the local authorities yester-
day and left them puzziing over n vastly
bigger one.
In the bundle. expertiy wrapped in
heavy manila paper and trussed with
many loops Of coarse Irvine. was the
body Of a tiny woman who must have
been dead several days.
Since Monday the police had been cas-.
ually on the lookout for Mrs. Christine
ouarrell-easually. because her disap-
pearances from her home at 335 Twelfth
street. West New York. had become an
old story. When the bundle had been
opened and the body identified the West
New York missing person list became
blank. The woman. her husband said.
was Mrs QUARREL
Frank QUARREL, the husband. who was
held as material witness after he had
made the identification, Is employed by
the Michael Nagel Packing Company In
Jersey City and In West New York Is
factor in ward politics. Lately he has
been seeking nomination for Demo-
cratic committeeman.
Until QUARREL went TO the morgue
and identified a ring on the little
woman's hand as one he had given to
his wife, local correspondents for the
evening newspapers In New York had
been positive that the victim was
young. beautiful and richly dressed
Mrs. QUARREL was none OF these, but
that left the mystery no less.
Woman often Missing.
Every few months for a year past
QUARREL had notified the police she was
missing, and since she generally re-
turned home eventually of her own &C.
cord, no especial attention was paid to
the husband when he rang up the West
New York station Monday evening. Men
on patrol were instructed to be on the
lookout for Mrs. QUARREL and no fur
Their action was taken. Again on
Wednesday night QUARREL inquired for
news Of his wife. this time from a po-
liceman on post.
said. She's never been away this long
before. I haven't seen her since Satur-
day night"
About o'clock yesterday morning
Erasmus r. Carpenter. former coun-
Gilman OF the suburb. took the cross
lots shortcut between Hudson avenue and
Monroe place and came upon the bun
die OF rubbish" 1t lay within a few
feet Of the path. which connects two
streets lined with stable apartment
houses and which Is traversed daily by
several hundred persons.
Carpenter tore away bit Of the
paper and a few minutes later had
brought the police.
A canvass OF the neighborhood proved
fruitless. No one could be found who
could throw any light on how the body
came to DO where II was. a woman
told OF an automobile which on Monday
or Tuesday night had stopped In Monroe
place-directly in front Of the LOT. she
was sure. However. Capt. Gietsman
of the local police does not believe the
body could have lain by the path more
than a few hours.
Paper May Give >Clew.
For one thing. he pointed out. the
weeds did not entirely hide IL. and for
anothers there had been a terrific rain
In West New York Wednesday evening
ana tne paper Wrapping was as uTy
as finder.
The body was taken to an undertaker's
shop in West New York to await the
arrival OF County Physician Bert DAILY.
QUARREL got the undertaken on the tele-
phone at 2 o'clock in the afternoon and
asked for a description Of the body. Al
that time he refused to give his name,
saying he would call in person.
After Identifying the body QUARREL
slipped away. and several hours elapsed
before detectives found him. When
they brought him TO the station to be
questioned by Capt. Geitsman they
brought along John ONeill. his brother
in-law, who said he had come 20 West
New York from Pompton Lakes only the
night before. O'Neill is also detained.
Although neighbors were certain they
had heard Mrs. QUARREL in her fat Sun
day morning, the husband insisted he
had not seen her since Saturday night.
An autopsy was performed In Hoboker
late in the afternoon, but was not COM
pleted. So far as DR.. DAILY went. nc
wounds were found on the body. To-day
an examination OF the vital organs is to
be begun.