Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-24
Mrs. Vance Smith Vanished
MysteriousIy From Tappa-
hammock, Va, Wednesday.
BODY FOUND IN THICKET.
WAS BADLY MUTILATED
It's Condition Practically Bars
Analysis for Poison-No Signs
of Bullets Are Found.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
BOWLING GREEN, Va, February
24.-Positive identification of the mu-
tilated body of a woman found in q
thicket near the Washington Richmond
Highway as that Of Mrs. Vance Smith
lately of Tappahanock but formerly oil
Charlotte, N. c., was announced here
today by Justice Of the Peace G. F
Conway.
The Identification, made last night
by Younger Lumpkin of Tappahannock
and corroborated today by several other
acquaintance of Mrs. Smith, enabled
Caroline County authorities to narrow
their investigation to circumstances at
tending the woman's mysterious dis
appearance from TappahannocE
boarding house last Wednesday.
The woman, known generally in Tap
pahannock as Miss Marie Cleo Free
man." left the boarding house in COM
pany with man whose identity Is not
known, but who is thought to have
been a travelling salesman.
Found in Patch of Woods.
Nothing had been heard of her until
her nude body, mutilated by vultureS,
was found in a patch of pine woods
about q mile and a half from the main
highway, near boswell.
The gruesome find was made by Will
liam TriggS, colored. He notified the
authorities, who removed the corpse tc
the local morgue.
Lumpkin said he was sure the body
was that of Mrs. Smith because of a
burn on the right knee. He declared
Mrs. Smith received such a burn re-
Gently when she fell against a stove in
restaurant at Tappahanock, where
she was employed. Other Characters
tics confirmed this opinion, he pointed
out. These included two prominent
teeth at the front of the mouth, the
brown-black color of her hair, height,
weight and age.
George Lee, colored waiter at the res
taurant, also viewed the body today
and expressed certainty that the body
was that of Miss Freeman" alias Mrs.
Smith.
Finger Prints Taken.
Half dozen others have made the
same identification" Judge Conway
said. $50 We are satisfied there is no
doubt as to the woman's identity.
FingerprintS have been taken OF her
fingers for comparison with any prints
that may be found on articles belong
ing to Mrs. Smith at Tappahanock. We
have not heard the findings, If any, of
the flngerprint expert"
Judge Conway said the body will be
buried here sometime tomorrow. The
condition of the body precludes en-
balming. and it will be necessary to
I,anf AI,n [.,y1 I.k1 -
morrow, 1t was stated.
Identification Of the body eliminated
from consideration two other possible
clues" At first it was thought the
woman bore a slight resemblance to
Mrs. Clara Lizer, former resident of the
county who left for Baltimore last
November. Washington police also had
suggested that the body might b. that
Of Phoebe Stader of Railway, N. j.,
whose nude corpse was driven south
from Railway last week by man for
whom police have laid a nationwide
dragnet. Both suggestions have been
rejected definitely for reasons in addi-
ton to the contrary Identification.
No Bullet Holes Found.
Scratches and mud on the face OF
the body indicated it had been dragged
by the feet for some distance before
being dropped face downward, on the
dirt and pine needles of a secluded
lane. Scattered near the corpse were
several pages OF a Washington news
paper.
The torn condition of the torso left
little hope for ascertaining the direct
cause Of death. There appeared to be
no bullet holes in the skull or elsewhere
Most Of the vital organs are gone, sc
that chemical analysis to determine II
poison was employed are virtually i'm
practicable.
No vestige Of clothing or other items
that might lend clue to what appears
TO have been most brutal murder has
been found.
DR.. John Brcaddus. one of the physi-
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