The New York herald., 1921-11-23
GIRLS Legs FOUND
AT Van CORTLANDT
Discovery in Pool Linked
to Mystery Of Torso in
Long Island City.
Thrown NEAR SUBWAY
Decomposition Is Slight,
but Limbs Are Wrapped
in Oct. 20 Paper.
CASE DEVELOPED OCT. %
Yonkers Man Chances to See
White Package in Lot
Crossed by Creek.
CASE DEVELOPED OCT. %

The legs of a woman, severed at the
knee, were found last night beside a
pool Of water in an uncutivatcd part
of Van Cortlandt Park, at Broadway
@nd 240th street. The police began an
investigation at once, Capt Arthur
Carey, commanding the Homicide
Squad taking charge of the detectives.
1t was believed at first that the legs
presented new murder mystery, but
Capt. Carey, after examining them
with DR.. Carl Kennard, Chief Medical
Examiner of The Bronx, said they
probably were part of the missing
portions of the body of the woman
found on October % near Rawson
street and Queens Boulevard, Long
Island City
Capt Carey said he would work on
the theory that the legs found at Van
Cortlandt Park We're hacked from the
thighs to make disposal Of the rest OF
the body less hazardous to the mur-
derer. He did not explain how he
could make partial identification of
the lower legs when the thighs, the
connecting link between the parts
found last night and the torso, head
and arms now at the Morgue, are still
10 be found.
Sees Legs by Chance.
From the police Of the Kingsbridge
station it was learned the legs were dis
covered by Walter Johnson of 1877 Stan
ley avenue, Yonkers. johnson, on his
way home from work, was restlessly
Walking UP and doNn the sidewalk in
broadway between 240th and 241st
streets when lie happened to step to
the edge of the embanlSment that slopes
down ten feet into the lot at that point.
At the foot of the embankment the
ground levels out and stretches east
toward the park proper and the Put
nam division of the New York Central.
But about twenty-five feet east of
Broadway small stream known as Tib-
bets Creek expands into a shallow pool
aud crosses the big lot in winding fash
ion.
A white spot on the bank OF this
stream caught Johnsons attention and
he went down the emoaukment to in
Nestigatc. 1t appeared to be bundle
of sticks at the first glance, but when
he kicked it and felt it give he decided
10 pull away part Of the covering. A
foot was revealed as the paper was torn
away.
without further delay. Johnson ran
back TO the street and called Policeman
Thomas Moore. Moore called Detective
Arthur G.. Johnson, who was passing.
and the three men went down the en-
bsnkucnt and completed the exalui-
nation that johnson had begun. The
legs. encased in cheap Isle stockings and
wrapped in a newspaper. were removed
TO the lSingsbridge police station and
Captain Carey was called.
decomposition slight.
DR.. kennard after q brief examina-
tion. said one thing that stood in the
way Of an Identification of the legs as
those belonging to the body found q
month ago wss the fact that they were
not d1conposed. There was only @
slight indca ton OF decomposition. DR..
Kennard said. too, however. that the
murderer might have preserved these
parts OF the body with ice and waited
until the excitement attending the find
ing of the upper part Of the body had
blown over
The torso which never has been iden-
sized was found on October %. The
newspaper used 20 wrap up the legs
found last night was a morning paper of
October 90. This discovery was accept
ed as en- indication at least that the
woman whose legs were contained in It
lost her life pTobs bly, about the same
time as did the woman whose torso was
found month ago.
The detectives found several pieces OF
heavy brown twinc had been used 10 tie
the legs together, This. with the news
paper and the stockings. both Of which
had been cut when the limbs were sew
cred. form the only means OF identifying
the legs.
Capt Carey and the detectives were
particularly niystifed by the fact that
tho spot whore the legs were found is
within sight Of the thousands OF per
sons who change from the subway 10
the surface cars there daily They could
not understand why the bundle was not
found before last night and assumed
from the tact il was not noticed that It
was not there long
They believe it may have been thrown
Into tho lot from the window OF a sub
way train. At that point the subway
operates on an elevated structure, and
they said II would be an easy task to
drop a package to the spot where the
legs were discoyered
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AyEvry rnrAr ron <,~sr~n,