Year: 1878

Eitl,or Under Ground or on the Stormy Sea
It's a Joke on Restell or Anthony Conn


stock--Gay Relatives Probatis0 the Wall.
IN. Y. Special april ~ Cincinnati Enquirer |


Rumors regarding the alleged death of
Madame Restell, published exclusively in the
E1press, created sensation. The matter
was eagerly canvassed, and opinion was di-
vided into two classes, namely, those whose
faith in the original suicide theory could not
be shaken and those who beievethe madame
he'd outwitted justice and escaped scot
free. The latter opinion was strength
ened by many of the facts and
the indecent haste with which the body
was disposed Of; the peculiar and unlikely
manner of the suicide, and the strangely
suspicious conduct of interested persons all
conspired to give credit to the belief that
Restell was on the tossing pillows, and not
under the turf at Tarrytown. The fact that
the first report, made from Restells house,
was that she died of apoplexy, and this re-
port was evidently after the body had been
| discovered in the bath-tub, and when any
one who saw it would have noticed the
| wounds on the neck, was freely commented
on; and the reticence of all who might be
supposed to know anything of the circum-
stances was regarded as singular by many





I in the matter.


To-day the question of Restell's death has
been the topic of conversation. The Er-
press says the house of Anthony Comstock,
in Brooklin, was beseigned all night by anx-
ious reporters, desiring to interview him.
He, however, was busy during the day, and
left early in the evening for Worcester,
Mass, where he had some business to attend
to. A reporter of the EGpress claims to
have had interviews with several of the
prominent persons connected with
the case. Coroner Waltman, in
| reply to inquiries, said he could
not possibly swear that the body that he
saw in the bath tub was Madame Restell's.
He was not familiar enough with her features
| to recognize the corpse as hers. Deputy
Coroner Cushman, in answer to the theory of
supposed substitution, said it is not probable
| the body could have been taken through the
| house without some member of the family
knowing it. Another thing: The throat
| would have to be cut in the bath-tub and
then the water would have to be turned on
to carry off the blood, and thus carry out
the theory of suicide. He could not pos
sibly swear that the body in the bath-tub
was that of Madame Restell.


Mr.. Comstock was interviewed before his
| departure. He said he feared some trickery
| about the matter all along, and gave notice
that he should have the Madame closely
| watched, as she would be putting up some
job to escape punishment. "It is very
| mysterious case, in whatever light you look
at it, and the indecent haste with which the
body was got under ground, the precautions
taken, and the manner in which her relatives
allowed the body to be baried-without any
reverence or any ceremony-are very sus-
picious. don't know what to think, and
won't commit myself to an opinion. It took
me quite while to realize that she had
done the deed; and now, as soon as have
done so, circumstances come up which put
me all at sea again.


Detective Britain said it never seemed to
him that she was a woman who could have
the courage to commit suicide. "How ri
diculous it seems, for woman who knew
medicine andf surgury thoroughly, to kill
herself in such a brutal manner. It is hardly
in accordance with what have seen of her
character. It would be a marvellous thing if
she had succeeded in deceiving every body
and escaping. The only way to settle it is
to exhume the BODY


Undertaken Merritt said he certainly could
not take oath that it was Restell, but at the
same time it was his opinion that it was. The
body did not appear to be that of pauper.


The limbs were soft and finely nodded, as if
she had lived we'll. Mr.. Merritt did not think
the funeral was carried out in strange man
nsr, any more than that Of her husband,
whom he buried six months ago.


/ Other interviews are given, but nothing
was ELECTED further than given above. Res
tells will was entered at the surrogate's s
office to-day. A strange fact in the appear
ance of the relatives and heirs was the entire
absence of mourning apparel. The ladies'
were gaily attired, and the presence of light