New-York tribune., 1920-10-23
Body With Manila Fiber
Bound About the Neck
Is Revealed i'm Woods
at West New Brighton
Scene Indicates
She Died Fighting
String of Pearls Bearing
Fingerprints Gives Clew:
Victim Was About 25

yard long cord Of coarse manila
fiber and string of imitation pearls
formed the chief clew possessed by
Staten Island authorities in their in
vestigation of a murder discovered late
yesterday afternoon. In clump of
woods near Oakland and Forest ave-
nues, West New Brighton, about 5000
feet from the nearest roadway, the
body of a woman was found by two
hunters. She had been strangled to
death.
Examination of the ground indicated
that the woman fought her assailant
Brush was broken, the grass was
heavily trodden and hundreds Of foot
prints were visible.
The body lay face upward. Tightly
drawn about the neck was the manila
rope, evidently of foreign make, which
mad been tied in hangman's knot and
twisted under the right ear.
Both of the woman's hands were
tightly clenched, which indicated, the
authorities said. that she had been
strangled to death. They added that
in cases of hanging a victims hands
are always clenched.
The woman wore a tailored dress
No other jewels than the string of
imitation pearls, broken and scattered
about the grass, were found. These,
though not genuine, are said to be ex-
pensive
Medical Examiner Mord, of West
New Brighton, expressed the opinion
that the woman had been dead for not
more than forty-eight hours. Search
was begun Immediately for her muir
derer
The pearls were found to have clear
finger prints, different in every re-
spect from those of the woman, and
working on this clew score Of de-
tectives were sent out.
Suicide Theory Dispelled
A first opinion that the woman had
committed suicide by hanging herself
from a nearby tree was dispelled when
was left attached to any tree limb
near at hand. The end of the rope
about the victims neck was found to
be cleanly cut, and not broken.
The spot is half mile from the
nearest house and is almost on top
Of hill overlooking New York Bay
and Staten Island Sound. Few per-
sons pass through the vicinity.
The woman was believed to be about
| twenty-five years old. She was five
feet five inches tall and weighed about
l25 pounds. She had long golden han,
blue eyes and olive complexion.
She was dressed in an imported blue
serge dress, trimmed with black and
skirt, white muslin petticoat trimmed
under-vest, pink silk bloomers trim
ped with the same quality lace, black
silk lace stockings trimmed at tine
top with pink ribbons, and brown OK
ford shoes we'll worn. Nearby lay her
hat of black and white corduroy, trim
med with paradise plumes and black
streamers.
Garments Hand Made
No marks of identification were found
on the clothing, which led to the be-
lief that the garments were hand made.
Most of it was new.
The police announced that no woman
answering the description had been re-
ported as missing on Staten Island.
District Attorney Norton, who reache d
the scene shortly after the body was
found, issued statement in which he
expressed the opinion that the woman
had been lured to the spot, probably
Wednesday afternoon.
at was evident he said, "she put
up such a fight that her assailant was
compelled to strike her unconscious
and then strangled her,
Shortly before noon Edward Snyder
of 236 Pelton Avenue, and Raymond
Scheisse. of Is Sheridan Street. both
of West New Brighton, with their dogs
started on a hunting trip. AS they
approached Bement and Oakland Ave
nues the dogs suddenly barked and
dartcd away. The two men hurried to
the spot where the body was found.
An autopsy will be performed to-
daV