Year: 1873




face or the water. and, as such sight
was Il dd No. pay pss1s s@aT
my dredge when william B. Ladlsm said. '5ohn,
rs,as here s q body pulled up my dredge ana De:
when got close enough to see the object plainly
said, at IS nothing but a pair OF pants" be-
pants and then discovered it was part OF carcass
"Great God John" said l., 'it is body, with moth
Ing but she hlp bones LETT" l then told Ludam to
tie piece OF string that was in the bow OF my
boat to the band OF the pants and secure 1t to the
boat; he then said he would toss up with me to see
ana told him to tow the body and would row
ahead and go for the Coroner; l told him to mind
the remains until returned IN about ten minutes ties
Coroner looked at the remains and went away to
get some men of a sailing boat that stood of rom
shore; when l returned with the last man saw
the Coroner taking


PIECE OF WATCH CHAIN
from iron tne pants OF the remalns saw something
small piece OF comb; 1t was Captain Clarke that
found the comb; when the body was found it was
ders being on the remains judged that It had not
been over water for more than twenty -four hours
these spiders crawl along the bottom of the bed OF
the bay and never swim unless taken up in dredges.
The Coroner


TOOK SOME PEATHERs FROM THE BODY;
the feathers were taken from between the person
and drawers; he picked several OF them of and
TOOK one lust to say | had done it; the feathers
from the wing OF chicken or turkey-that is, they
were not 1ne body feathers.


TO the Coroner-I took a slaty substance from
the body which thought to be tar 1t glistened and
broke, and looked ike the tar have repeatedly
taken from the hulls OF vessels


To Mr.. Platt-The ends OF the legs were decom
posed, the ieet being gone; the upper parts were
rather well preserved; noticed that they had
been mutated; the man had all the appearance of
having been foully dealt with in that respect; the
parts were well preserved and IN very firm con-
dition; am not doctor, but to the best of my
o few feathers were attached.


Here the chain was produced and recognized by
the witness. 1t Is small, thin cnain, OF Spanish
workmanship, and Is broken near tile end Near
the end, and at the break, there was a thread
which had evidently been used to couple the links
The witness did not see the thread when drst he
saw the chain.


TO juryman-I knew the pants to be of q black
or dark color; took them to be brOadcl0th, but
some one told me they were cashmere; at all
events they were sort of woollen goods and of a
Continued-The comb which Captain Clark
picked up was not a whole one; 1t was a small
piece, and to the best OF my knowledge it Was
The comb produced and recognized by witness.
II Is small piece OF comb, and In the paper in
which 1t was wrapped were five feathers that had
been taken from the body. 1t smelled most Offen-
sively.


MR.. LUDLAM's TESTIMONY.


Ludlam, the fisherman, who was In company
with Franklin when the body was found, was
next called He is an honest looking fellow, with
round laee bronzed almost black with the sum-
and has deep blue eyes, expressive OF an in
genuousness that could not fail to attract and pre-





In modest, straightforward manner. He said -
l was in boat near the witness who has just
now In charge OF the Coroner; when / saw the
thing noatng 1t Immediately struck me 1t was Ke-
the rest of his story was substantially the same
as that OF Franklin and was, except as corrObora-
ton, OF no Importance.


WILLIAM 5. KELsEY's TESTIMONY.


Mr.. William S. Kelsey, the youngest of the
brothers of Kelsey, was next called. The likeness
between him and Charles is something most ex-
mi
otherwise informed that the picture on the reward
circular was taken frOm him. The picture of
young in a Appearance William Kelsey % has long as
black hair, sharp nose, high jaw bones, is very
collected and was very particular about having his
exact words taken down by the Deputy Coroner.
have viewed the remains found In the bay, and
have recognized them as those OF my brother; this
recognition was caused Dy the tar and feathers
and the watch chain. which has been in the family
by him; the pants cannot recognize positively,
for the reason that they are worse for being in the
water, but it is my belief that the pants found are
those of my brother for they were black cloth and
cut tight, and fitted very well; on the 4th of No.
yember last, at noon noSnl saw my brother for the last
town to attend a democratic meeting, and was


TARRBD AND FEATHERED;


never saw my brother after that day. and none
OF the family have since heard OF him; this cham
(chatn banded to witness) is my brothers.; he had
often remarked that it was too small; have seen
him tie 1t together.


q DrOIQer
his watch with him. for have it In my pocket;
found it in his room on Tuesday morning, Novem-
Der 5, 1872; when got the watch II was besmeared
with tar; there was no part OF the chain In the
watch; will make correction; meant to say that
the hook and bar OF IL had been in the family for
twenty years; did not see Charles on the night OF
November a, but the pants found are like the ones
he used to wear when he went out in the evening;
my brother was not in the habit Of marking his
clothes; some feathers were found on his shirt that
was found at Lloyd Beach, and which was recog-
nized as belonging TO my brother; the feathers pro-
fIvlnnh do pInh fhn az
the shirt; chicken or turkey feathers would say;
there was blood on the shirt when we found it, and
we also found one boot.


MRS. SARAH wILLETrs' TESTIMONY.


Mrs. Sarah Willetts the sister of Kelsey, was the
next witness called. She is lady OF slight build,
and wore q veil all through her examination. She
was very nervous and seemed much excited and
embarrassed by the staring OF the vulgar herd that
had collected in the court room She was asked to
describe her brothers. property before 1t was shown
to ner she described it as mnuely as II she had 1t
in her hand; when she saw the chain she was
affected to tearsand made a motion with the hand
in which she held it towards her mouth, as though
she would have kissed 1t.


low


reside in the town Of Huntingdon about four or
five miles from where Charles Kelsey lived; he was
my brother; | saw him at Huntington about the
latter part of October last; cannot say the pre-
else date; when l saw him he had watch and
chain on he showed 1t to me AMI said as 1t was
similar to the one l wore and rather small
Tor gentleman he would give it to
was tied up with string; he tied it in my house
when he was visiting an ordinary piece OF spool
cotton coupled the chain at the break mad worn
for four years before Charles got it; the hook for
meIly belonged TO Walter X. Kelsey, deceased; he
did not give 1t to any one, but wore It; gave 1t
to Charles four years ago last Thanksgiving;
Charles purchased a watch and the chain to put on
the hook and bar; have never seen the chain since
last October am sure could identity II.


Here Mr.. Platt handed the witness chain in
paper, and asked II It was the chain. She
tremblingly opened the paper, and look Of disap-
pointment crossed her countenance and she cried
and said, "No; that Is not my brothers, Then
another paper was handed witness, which she
eagerly opened. Here the lady trembled violently,
and 1t was some moments before she could an
wer. Finally she lisped,


''IT Is HIS; IT Is HIS"


Continued-My brother Charles used to carry
comb; 1t was small piece OF black rubber or
gutta pcrcha.


The witness signed the deposition in delicate
Italian hand, although she trembled violently.


THE MYSTERIOUS WOMAN.


With Mrs. Wllletts there came into the court room
O lady OF ponderOus dimensions, elegantly dressed
and evidently person of refinement. She was self