MYSTERIOUS DISCOVERY.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1359, 22 September 1883, Page 4

MYSTERIOUS DISCOVERY.

A mysterious discovery was recently made in the scrub near Druitt Town, New South Wales. According to the poliee report, a man named James Smith was walking through the scrub in company with his wife when they came across the dead body of a female. They immediately reported the matter at the Concord police station, and a sergeant was despatched in company with Smith to where the body, which was almost a skeleton, was lying. Alongside the body was found a bottle which had apparently contained beer, and also a lady’s wickerwork basket, containing a number of articles of wearing apparel. In the basket was also found a marriage certificate, w’herein it was stated that William Estret Brown, mariner and widower, was married to Lydia Morena Ward, by the Rev. John Dunmore Lang, in September, 1872, in the presence of Richard Saley and Ellen Saley. A number of letters and pawn tickets, in the name of Lydia Brown, were also found in the basket, together with several newspapers. The remains were much decayed, and it is thought must have been lying where they were found for several months. The deceased was dressed in a grey lustre dress, and had on a black straw hat with feather and buckle; she also had a large leathern belt around the waist. After the place had been fully examined, the Body was removed to the South Sydney morgue. Up to the present time the whole affair seems to be shrouded in mystery, and beyond the marriage certificate there are no traces of identification.