The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1942-03-19
Inquest Not
Completed in
Torch
Result of Autopsy
Awaited

Manchester, Mich, Mar. 10 -
Pending completion OF an autopsy,
which may take as long as a week,
a coroner's inquest into the death
Of oryille Wurster. whose charred
body was found in an open field
near Manchester, was in recess
today.
Latest developments In the probe
disclosed that death may have
been caused by asphyxiation. rath-
err than from burns as first be-
heyed. DR.. Robert J. Parsons,
University Of Michigan patholcgist
and criminologist who is conduct
ing the autopsy. said he found
traces OF smoke in the lungs.
The belief that Wurster may
have been the victim OF foul play.
as two kerosene cans were found
near his body, was still being con
sidered, although the autopsy
showed no signs OF violence.
Meanwhile. authorities took sam
Piles OF dirt found beneath the I'm
gernails OF the dead man to com
pare with dirt found in a trench
where Wursters street clothes
were found buried.
Murder or suicide, a motive Is
missing up to now Sheriff john
Osborn said.
Wursters burned body was dis
covered Tuesday morning in
lonely woods more than a mile
from the heart OF town. The dis
coyery came almost exactly year
after the body OF Miss Hazel
Briggs. OF Detroit, was found,
charred almost beyond recognition,
in a rubbish dump on the other
side OF the village.
The similarity of the two deaths
has caused Mayor R. B. Haeussler
and others to fear that one person
was responsible tor both killings.
The Briggs mystery has never been
solved.
Every women in the village is
afraid TO go on the street now"
Haeussler said. Windows are
bolted and doors locked. Everyone
is afraid. We've got TO get an
explanation for Orvilles death.
II county officers don't do It, Wen
post a reward here and conduct an
investigation OF our own"
Friends and relatives testified at
an inquest yesterday and without
exception stated that Wurster had
no enemies, had no fears and anx-
tiles and was not likely to commit
suicide.
Mrs. Dora Wurster, his mother,
told county officers she thought
her sou was "well.liked by every
one he knew. She said he was
an active chureh-worker president
Of his church Mems Brotherhood.
and that Rev. H. S. Van Rsgue OF
the Emanuel Evangelical Church
was his most intimate conhdant.
Rev. Van Rague, called to testify
at special inquest in the Man
chester jury rooms. said he had
known Nurster for some Il years,
and that during that whole time
he was ambitious. hopeful, and 1T
no time moody Or depressed.
Just last Thursday at our
Brotherhood meeting he was plan
ming activities far in advance. try.
ing to improve the organization.
He was extremely ambitious al.
ways looking ahead, and wasn't the
sort OF person who would tend 10
give up and take his own life Rev.
Van Rague asserted.
Ermine Wurster of Saginaw
brother of Orville. told officers
I'm positive my brother didn't
commit suicide. He had no wor
ries and Just wasn't the kind OF
person who would do that"
Prosecutor George Mesder call
ed the inquest and heard the fol.
lowing testimony.
Deputy Sheriff Raymond Roy re-
ported that Wurster's burned body
was discovered at 1890 a. m.
g. vnDHn M a.rtr ~