Norfolk City Virginia USGenWeb Archives Obituaries.....Unknown, Children (2) October 10, 1882
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Robert Woolfitt http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00034.html#0008401 September 20, 2025, 1:21 pm

Norfolk Virginian October 12, 1882
BODIES FOUND

MURDERS SHROUDED IN MYSTERY

The Appearance of the Bodies, One Bearing the Resemblance to a Mummy-Information 
Lodged at Stationhouse and an Inquest Held. The Verdict of the Jury.

For some days past the large three-story brickhouse No. 57 Main Street, 
Southside, has been in proxes (process) of demolition to allow of the erection 
of a new and more commodious building. At a late hour Tuesday evening, two 
colored men employed in tearing down the present structure had occasion to go to 
the attic of the house and thence to the “cuddy” between the attic and the roof, 
and opening out by a trap door upon the latter. When they reached the cuddy, 
they were horrified to see, in the dim light of the cuddy, lying upon the floor 
the bodies of two dead infants. One was that of a child which had apparently not 
been dead over six months and resembled a mummy, the skin being tightly drawn 
and all traces of decomposition past. The other corpse was scarcely more than a 
skeleton; it seemed to have been that of a child larger than the one already 
mentioned, and to have been dead for a considerably longer period. Both bodies 
were almost nude, the clothes which covered them having been entirely eaten off 
by rats, mice and other vermin. Near the bodies and partly enveloping them lay 
several articles of female apparel, a nightdress, underwear, bed clothing and a 
lot of rubbish, all more or less stained with blood. Around the neck of the body 
resembling a mummy was tied very tightly a strip of calico, which seemed to have 
formed part of a dress, and with which the infant had evidently been strangled 
to death. The dead children had, to all appearances, been the offspring of white 
parents and the circumstances of the discovery of the corpses gave rise to a 
great deal of speculation and numerous conjectures.

Some newspapers were found in a room beneath, or near the cuddy and a scrap of 
paper, apparently the direction on a newspaper, which had been torn off, the 
name was only partially decipherable, the first four letters being “John-.” The 
initials could not be made out, and the latter part of the name was missing. It 
is hardly probable, however, that these articles were in any way connected with 
the tragedy. Underneath where the bodies lay, and on the ceiling of the room 
immediately below, were distinctly seen marks made by the decomposition of the 
corpses. On one of the latter was found a piece of stone weighing three or four 
pounds, apparently of soapstone, while on the other was laying a heavy piece of 
red sandstone.

The colored men who made the shocking discovery lodged the information at police 
headquarters early yesterday, and by direction of City Coroner Dr. John M. Galt, 
High Constable Lowery summoned a jury of inquest, composed of Messrs. T. B. 
Anderson, R. Q. Drummond, S. P. Moore, William E. Thompson, R. W. B. Happer and 
Samuel Hodges.

The proprietor and proprietress of the boardinghouse, (in which capacity the 
bodies had been tenanted) were both examined, but were not able to furnish any 
clew (clue) as to the person or persons implicated in the crime.

Several other witnesses were also examined, but without result.

In the case of the infant which had seemingly died most recently, a verdict was 
rendered that the deceased came to its death from strangulation, but when, or at 
whose hands, the jury could not determine. In the case of the other, the verdict 
was that the child came to its death from external violence. The city coroner 
states that in his opinion the bodies had been lying where they were at least 
three years and perhaps longer.

The remains were carried to the stationhouse and interred from there.

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