Rensselaer Standard, Volume 1, Number 21, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 November 1879 — A Strange Mystery. [ARTICLE]

A Strange Mystery.

While wandering along the west bank o' the Alamo ditch yesterday morning, a little girl observed something which she took to be a dog on top of the water and lodged against a growth of vines that dipped the current. The child imparted the information of her disoovery to her mother, who soon appeared upon the scene ana discovered that the object was the body of a child. Without disturbing it, the woman at once took steps to inform the authorities, and Justice (Shields, accompanied by Constables Bader and Anfeerson, and the Express reporter, repaired at once to the locality. Dr. Chew, acting County Physician, was found awaiting the arrival of the officers when the place where the body was found was reached. The body lay, as stated, drifted against a growth of vines, the face downward, the back exposed and baked to a dark color by the sun, while the sides were covered with worms. After the jury, consisting of J. J. Dwer, Peter Ankerson, Peter Jonas, H. J. Huppertz, D. M. Alexander, and J. T. Reed, had been sworn, the body was carefully taken from the water aud laid upon the bank of the ditch and examined. The body was abont eighteen inches in length, and was that of a perfectly formed female child. It had evidently been destroyed immediately after its birth, the proof of this being unmistakable. It was observed, as the body was taken from the water, that the face, breast and legs were covered with something, which was thought to be mud, aud a bucket was sent for to obtain water to wash the body with. As soon as water was poured upon it, however, it was discovered that the supposed mud or filth was a coating of hair or fur, which, after being cleansed of the discoloring matter which it had gathered in the ditch, was found to be of a light gray or cream color. The furry excrescence on the cheeks and about the shoulders was fully a half-inch in length, and resembled much the fur or hair of a young woolly dog. Dr. Chew stated that it was not uncommon Jot children at their birth to be spotted with hair, ‘but he had never seen any instance similiar to this. The hair, the doctor remarked, was shed soon after birth. The body was so decomposed that it was impossible to tell positively what nationality or race the child belonged to. though it was thought to be the offspring of white parents. E zldently the child was thrown into the ditch by its father, or some one other than its motUer. It was probably regarded by its parents as a monstrosity—a “strange freak of nature” —because of its being covered with a coat of fur like Esau of old. No post-mortem examinatiou was had, as was necessary, to prove from the state of the child’s lungs whether it had been born still or alive.

The following verdict was rendered by the jury’of inquest, after hearing all the evidence it was possible to obtain: “We, the Jury, say that the said unknown child came to its death by drawing, at the hands of unknown parties, in the Alamo Ditch, in the city of San Antonio, near the railroad depot, on, or about, the 16th day of September, 1879. —[San Antonio j Tex.) Express.