CRUEA, William - Fountain County INGenWeb Project

William Cruea, a fisherman made a grewsome (sic) find Saturday afternoon in the underbrush along the banks of Bell's Pond, a short distance south of the Big Four rr bridge at Covington and just across the line in Vermillion County.  Cruea noticed what he thought was the form of a man lying on the ground near the bank of the pond and when he investigated he found the decayed body of an old soldier. He returned to town and notified Sheriff Kerr and a part of men and boys went back to the pond to investigate Cruea's find. The man had evidently been dead for several months as the flesh had all decayed from the bones but his clothing was in a fairly good state of preservation and the buttons and other marks showed that the unfortunate man had been a member of the Danville Soldier's Home.   The remains were removed to the undertaker's and the Coroner made every effort to learn the identity of the man but aside from the buttons on his clothes, his shoes and cap there was nothing to make his identity positive. The remains were buried Monday in a cemetery near Perrysville.  It is the opinion of those who viewed the clothing and bones that the man had been dead for two months or more. His head and cap were found two or three feet from the body. Ther were no marks of violence as could be noticed to show that the man had been fouly dealt with but it is a mystery how his body came to be in this low, marshy, lonesome place.

Source: Covington Republican April 15, 1910 p7

William Cruea and Wilbur Young who were searching for fish bait in the knee brush and morass just north of the Bell Pond on the Dunlap farm across the river from this point in Vermillion County were horrified about 4:30 o'clock Saturday evening when they stumbled upon the decayed remains of a human being half buried in the mud and mire among the knee brush and grass which skirts the pond on the north.  An examination showed the body to be that of a middle aged man, about 5' 10" high, dressed in the garb of an old soldier such as is worn at the Danville Soldier's Home.  The body lay with head to the East, square upon the badk ,legs straightened out with feet close together and with arms extended at the side, the skull having been entirely bared of flesh and gently rolled over on one side, the rotted cap laying about 18" to the side of the body, . The body had lain so long undisturbed that the flesh was entirely gone only  the skeleton being held in place by the rotted garb of soldier clothes. Upon the feet were a pair of what had been number 9, congress shoes, little worn and purchased of the Schatz Shoe Co at Danville, the factory No showing though so marred by water that it could not be made out. When placed there the body had on a cotton undershirt and drawers, the regulation wool shirt, blue cap, blouse and pants of the Soldier's Home, the brass buttons showing the soldier's monogram and the initials DVS. In the pockets were found a decayed horn pocket comb and a morocco bill book which had contained a Government frank envelope, the microscope revealing what appeared to be the name of A. Hoffman.  But decay had so thoroughly done its work that no marks of identity could be made out.  The boys notified the Marshal of this city and after communicating with the Vermilion County coroner, brought the remains to this city early Sunday morning and they were prepared for burial as best could be done in their decayed state by Kerr & Son, undertakers and an inquest held by the Deputy Coroner of Vermillion county who ordered burial to be made Monday in the Hicks cemetery at Perrysville. The verdict of the Coroner was that the body was that of an unknown old soldier who came to his death in an unknown manner many months before.  Every indication points to the body have been placed in this out of the way place and that he must have come to his death by foul play.  The fact that he had on new shoes, was well clad, that no papers, money or any marks to identify him were found and that the body was found in the position it was and hidden in this unfrequented spot would indicate that it had been robbed and carried there to conceal the crime, Who the old soldier was we will possibly never be known.  – thanks to D. Stonebraker for this mystery – wish we could git r solved