The sun., 1919-10-06
MAN SLAIN, ROBBED
ANDLEFT IN BRONX
Body Discovered in Isolated
Spot, Apparently Placed
There by Motorists.
HAD FOUGHT AsSAILANTS
Laundry Mark 22X Is Chief
Clue to- Identity, Outer At
tire Having Been Removed.

While seeking mushrooms in a vacant
lot near Leggett avenue and Truxton
street, The Bronx, early yesterday morn
ing three Italians chanced to discover
the body of man whose station in life
had apparently been a good one, and
| who had been murdered sometime during
the preceding night, stripped of his
outer clothing and thrown in among
some tall weeds, presumably by party
Of automobilists. -''
A linen handkerchief which had been
forced down the victims throat ac-
| counted for his death, which was due to
suffocation. Bruises covering his head
and shoulders told of a severe beating
that he had received, and knife slash
in the palm of his right hand indicated
that he had bsttled fiercely with his
assailants
The body lay about ten feet from the
sidewalks edge. and tramped down
weeds and grass showed that 1t had been
but newly dragged to its place of repose.
The white underwear, the black hosiery.
lavender garters, white sport shirt and
soft rundown collar were. all of very
good material. A golf cap covered with
blood stains was found near by.
One of BrOnx's LOneliest spots.
The spot where the discovery was
made is in what is known. as the Oak
Point Station section Of The Bronx and
Is In the neighborhood of the yards of
the New York Central and New York.
New Haven and Hartford railroads. 1t
is lonely place and there are no build
ings in the immediate vicinity of the
nlara ha l,an
Anthony Podesta of IA Downing street,
who with two companions discovered the
body, hastened to call Patrolpan Will
lam Nastar OF the Simpson street police
station, who in turn notified acting Capt.
Andrew Wines in charge of the detec-
tive bureau of The Bronx. Tie detec-
tives appeared to waste a great deal OF
| energy in trying to keep the affair away
| from the newspapermen.
1t was upon the performance of an
autopsy at the Fordham morgue by Dr.
John Riegelman. medical examiner for
the Bronx, that the handkerchief was
discovered in the dead mans throat
DR.. Riegelman said that it had been
forced down great distance, which
made 1t appear as il q stick or some
instrument had been used to push It,
He was of the opinion that It might have
been used in an effort to prevent the
Nlctinn Irofr making any outcry.
Probably Slain Elsewhere.
Assistant District Attorney Albert
Cohen Of the Bronx was assigned to the
case, and it was~his theory that the
| man had been murdered in some other
part of the city and his body conveyed
| to the lonely spot in an automobile DR..
Riegelman said that life had left the
body about FIVE hours before its dis
covery.
At late hour last night the body
had not been identified. although three
| discoveries had been made which It was
thought might aid in this matter. on
the mans left foot there were only four
toes. One had been amputated. His
shirt bore the trademark Crest" and
his white soft collar a laundry mark
pax"
The man apparently was about 35
years of age, feet 4 inches in height,
about 100 pounds in weight, with dark
hair and eyes. clean shaven, and with
soft hands and well kept finger nails.
The finding OF this body gives the
Bronx detectives their third murder
mystery in two weeks. AS far as could
be learned last night they had made no
progress on the two others.