Body of Bethany Man Found in Well, Hands Tied, Weight to Neck

The Princeton Post Wed, Mar 16, 1921 ·Page 5

(Continued from page 1)

From St. Joseph News-Press

Uphold Suicide Theory

Bethany, Mo., March 12-A careful investigation of the circumstances surrounding the death of Seth Stanley, whose body was found in a well here Thursday morning, failed to uncover any substantial indication that his death was due to other means than by his own hands.

It is true that members of Stanley's family and friends are of the opinion that suicide was not the cause death, but up to this time nothing of a definite nature has been developed that would substantiate their claims, except the unusual circumstances surrounding Stanley's death. The body was taken from a cistern in Stanley's marble works early Thursday morning. Around the dead man's neck was a rope which was tied with a slip knot, a sack of sand. Around his left wrist was twisted one end of a piece of wire and at the other end was a loop through which the right hand apparently had been drawn when the body was being taken from the cistern. If both wrists were tied with wire when Stanley's body was in the cistern, his hand would have been about a foot apart.

Some who have examined the wire and loops are of the opinion that the one which covered the right wrist was sufficiently large to permit the right handto have been thrust through it after the loop was made.

Abrasions on Face

There were a few abrasions on the face and head and these at first, were thought to have been the result of a blow or blows inflicted by some other person. However, physicians who have examined the body are certain that the bruises were sustained when the head and face came in contact with the wall of the cistern.

The noose about the neck had been drawn tight and an autopsy on the developed the fact that there was little water in the lungs.

Had death occurred before the body entered the water, the doctors say, there would have been no water in the lungs. But the rope tied tightly around the neck, considerable water in the lungs, would have indicated drowning.

No Evidence of Struggle

Rufus Beeks, a deputy sheriff, instituted a search for Stanley after the latter's family became alarmed when he did not return home Wednesday night. Beeks says there was no evidence of a struggle in the marble works and that the dirt floor showed no indication of the presence of more than one person. A nightwatchman stated that after he found the marble works door unlocked about 10:15 o'clock, Wednesday night, and that after he entered the building, someone called to him and he recognized the voice of Stanley. Stanley said, according to the nightwatchman, that everything was all right, and the other man left immediately.

Beeks says that he searched Stanley's pockets and found the dead man's watch had stopped running at 9:45 o'clock, apparently an hour before the nightwatchman talked to Stanley. Stanley's pocketbook contained money and a number of personal letters also were found on the body.

Financial difficulty might have been a suicide motive, although it was not known that Stanley was in a condition that would have caused unusual embarrassment. He was considered wealthy, although it was said that within a week of his death he discovered that, through poor collections he did not have sufficient funds with which to promptly meet his bills.