New Britain herald., 1924-10-28
ANOTHER BATTLING MURDER IN JERSEY
Body of Blonde, Bohbed-Haired
 Woman Found at Oxford
HIDDEN IN AN OLD MINE
Victim, Who Was About 70 Years old, Had Evidently Been Shot To Death fin Bed and Remains Brought To Deserted Spot. ,.


 Brought To Deserted Spot.
 Oxford, N. J., Oct. 2s.--Frank
 Thomas, of Rocky Run. nine
 miles from here. was taken to
 the Warren county jail at Bel
 videre. today, to be held without
 bail as material witness in
 connection with the murder of
 his wife, Grace. whose almost
 naked body was found with a
 bullet wound in one cheek and
 another above the heart, in an
 abandoned iron mine hole in the
 woods which adjoin this town
 early today. ..
 Oxford, N. l., Oct. 2S.-The body of blonde bobbed haired woman found slain early today in an aban- doned iron mine hole near here has been identified as that of Mrs. Grace Thomas of Rocky Run, near Glen Gardner. Frank Thomas, her hus- band, who established the woman's identity after having been brought here by state police told the officers that when he went home on Sunday night he found the place deserted , and his wife gone. |
 Closely Questioned
 Thomas also told the state police, who took him behind closed doors for a long questioning. that his wife had not been living with him re- gently. He added that when he came home Sunday night to find that his wife had been there he found two windows broken out, the house In disorder. and bedding and other furnishings upset, some of which was missing.
 : Thomas, who is about 40 years of age, said that he had been away all day Sunday visiting his father. This afternoon the police were still ques- tioning him in their efforts to estah- fish the identity of the woman's slayer. The body. with bullet wounds in the right cheek and over the heart 1 wa sfound in an old iron mine hole near here today by Mrs. Matthew Mooney, who notified the state po- lice.
 Probably Shot In Bed
 A blood-stained bed sheet bearing | q bullet hole was also found in one of three burlap bags which. filled | with the woman's personal belong ings,, had been thrown into the hole on top of the body. The woman was clothed only in underwear, which with the bloodstained bed sheet indicated she had been shot in bed, County Physician Cummings declared.
 A small testament in which was written name, was found in one of the burlap bags, and was taken possession of by state police pending an investigation. They refused to divulge the name in the volume.
 Questioning of many persons in this small town who came to the scene, failed to establish the iden- tity of the murder victim and the conviction was expressed that she had been killed and afterward brought to the mine hole in an auto mobile from some other town.
 Belongings Also Found One of the burlap bags bore the name of Lance Bros. of Glen Gard ner, N. J., where the firm conducts ! feed store; while two others had he names of feed stores in Asbury and Ludlow, N. J. In three bags were found three women's hats, necklaces, clothing, yarn, embroid- cry and other belongings which in- Heated that after the woman had 1een killed her possessions were hur- 'iedly put together and thrown out with the body.
 Dead About Two Days County Physician Cummings said 'he had been dead about two days. Mrs, Mooney declared that her welve-year- r-old son. Matthew, Jr, old of seeing a body in the mine lole, last night when he came home ate. She said that because of the ateness of the hour and the belief hat the body might have been mistaken due to the darkness that he Sid not then investigate. This S orenoon she vent with her son to he mine and at once reported her discovery to County Physician and the state police.
 Warren County Prosecutor Smith nd Coroner Fisher came here this oon to perform an autopsy on the ., unidentified body while state po- |, ce set up a statewide search for V he murderer. " A signet ring, without initials, was " ound on the wedding-ring finger u nd one or two gold teeth in front a' erved as further clues for pursu- le lg identification, The condition of al he woman's clothing which was al ound in the burlap bags indicated ec nat she had been woman of VI loderate means.