The Livonia Gazette
Livonia, Livingston County, New York.
Thursday, May 9, 1940
Peeping Into The Local Past
Transcribed from files of "The Livonia Gazette".
by Florence A. Alvord
Was It Murder?
Livonia Gazette - August 29, 1879
That the farm of Richard Blake of this town was the scene of a dark tragedy at no very remote period is almost conclusively proven by what was found on the premises last Wednesday afternoon. Now the simple finding of any detached part of a human skeleton is not, under ordinary circumstances, a matter calculated to create comment, much less excitement; but that this is no ordinary case is apparent, as we shall show as briefly and with as little comment as possible.
Let us state on the outset that the Gazette is very far from being sensational; but it must present the local news without color or bias. It believes that the people should know these things, and it is from a desire to keep the public informed as to what has transpired in this locality that we give place to this article in our already crowded columns.
On this farm of Mr. Blake, as is well known, there is a fine bed of sand, which is much sought after, and which is designated as Mt. Pleasant. On Wednesday last, Mr. L. C. Partridge, ex-school commissioner of this county, was on the place loading his wagon with sand. He had chosen a spot that is rarely visited and was busy at work, when his shovel struck something hard, and slipped off. He tried again, this time getting the shovel well under, and to his horror upturned a human skull, with its eyeless sockets and fleshless jaws. The bones rattled in the hollow shell, for the blow of the shovel had displaced some of the teeth, and as he raised it from the sand the ghastly thing seemed too horrible to touch. He immediately made his dreadful discovery known to a few and gave the skull to Mr. Blake, who brought it to this office, where it can now be seen.
An examination was made, and by the shape of the chin and the forehead, the delicate ridges still observable across the forehead, and the general shape of the head, it was apparent it was that of a young woman. What thoughts this fact occasions! Who was she? What was she? That a young woman has been murdered, and her body buried at night in this lonely sandpit, is the one solution to the mystery of Blake's farm. No one knows how many times the name of the lost one has been called from the deserted home, nor how often those who loved her had made vain search in the hope, at least, of finding her resting place. We hear of far-off mysteries, of crimes committed in crowded cities, with a feeling of sadness, and are thankful that the veil is not lifted and that in reality we know! little of them; but here is the true story of a tragedy, the plot of which was carried out almost in front of our very eyes by actors, perhaps, who lived in our midst, a story clothed with a pathos only equaled by the sympathy which the simple telling excites a story, too, with a moral, which seems best to be hidden for the present, to be revealed, perhaps, when it will be better heeded. But we should be on our guard lest sentimentality usurp our judgment, and allow us to forget that some- thing is due those who were of kin.
If possible, the perpetrator should be found and brought to justice, though it looks like a long and almost hopeless task. Mr. Blake has lived on this same farm for over seventy years, and he says that within that time no burial has taken place there in open day. This skull is sound, and it is evident from its appearance that it had remained beneath the ground but a few years.
The balance of the skeleton is doubtless near the same spot, but the finding of the grinning head was enough for Mr. Partridge at the time, though further search will be made soon. The burial must have taken place in the night, and unless there was villainy connected with the deed why should that hour and such a place be chosen? There are as many theories offered as there are persons acquainted with the facts; but the Gazette has none, and is content to await developments, which cannot be long forthcoming. We perhaps owe an apology to our readers for not devoting greater space to and giving further details of the case; but the fact is, we knew nothing about it ourselves, until the evening of the day the discovery was made. As a consequence the article was hurriedly written and put in type, leaving little time for speculation and even less for careful investigation. However, should any new facts be brought to light previous to our next publication day, an extra will be issued from this office announcing what they are.
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The Livonia Gazette
Livonia, Livingston County, New York.
Thursday, May 9, 1940
Peeping Into The Local Past
Transcribed from files of "The Livonia Gazette".
by Florence A. Alvord
Was It Murder?
Livonia Gazette - August 29, 1879
That the farm of Richard Blake of this town was the scene of a dark tragedy at no very remote period is almost conclusively proven by what was found on the premises last Wednesday afternoon. Now the simple finding of any detached part of a human skeleton is not, under ordinary circumstances, a matter calculated to create comment, much less excitement; but that this is no ordinary case is apparent, as we shall show as briefly and with as little comment as possible.
Let us state on the outset that the Gazette is very far from being sensational; but it must present the local news without color or bias. It believes that the people should know these things, and it is from a desire to keep the public informed as to what has transpired in this locality that we give place to this article in our already crowded columns.
On this farm of Mr. Blake, as is well known, there is a fine bed of sand, which is much sought after, and which is designated as Mt. Pleasant. On Wednesday last, Mr. L. C. Partridge, ex-school commissioner of this county, was on the place loading his wagon with sand. He had chosen a spot that is rarely visited and was busy at work, when his shovel struck something hard, and slipped off. He tried again, this time getting the shovel well under, and to his horror upturned a human skull, with its eyeless sockets and fleshless jaws. The bones rattled in the hollow shell, for the blow of the shovel had displaced some of the teeth, and as he raised it from the sand the ghastly thing seemed too horrible to touch. He immediately made his dreadful discovery known to a few and gave the skull to Mr. Blake, who brought it to this office, where it can now be seen.
An examination was made, and by the shape of the chin and the forehead, the delicate ridges still observable across the forehead, and the general shape of the head, it was apparent it was that of a young woman. What thoughts this fact occasions! Who was she? What was she? That a young woman has been murdered, and her body buried at night in this lonely sandpit, is the one solution to the mystery of Blake's farm. No one knows how many times the name of the lost one has been called from the deserted home, nor how often those who loved her had made vain search in the hope, at least, of finding her resting place. We hear of far-off mysteries, of crimes committed in crowded cities, with a feeling of sadness, and are thankful that the veil is not lifted and that in reality we know! little of them; but here is the true story of a tragedy, the plot of which was carried out almost in front of our very eyes by actors, perhaps, who lived in our midst, a story clothed with a pathos only equaled by the sympathy which the simple telling excites a story, too, with a moral, which seems best to be hidden for the present, to be revealed, perhaps, when it will be better heeded. But we should be on our guard lest sentimentality usurp our judgment, and allow us to forget that some- thing is due those who were of kin.
If possible, the perpetrator should be found and brought to justice, though it looks like a long and almost hopeless task. Mr. Blake has lived on this same farm for over seventy years, and he says that within that time no burial has taken place there in open day. This skull is sound, and it is evident from its appearance that it had remained beneath the ground but a few years.
The balance of the skeleton is doubtless near the same spot, but the finding of the grinning head was enough for Mr. Partridge at the time, though further search will be made soon. The burial must have taken place in the night, and unless there was villainy connected with the deed why should that hour and such a place be chosen? There are as many theories offered as there are persons acquainted with the facts; but the Gazette has none, and is content to await developments, which cannot be long forthcoming. We perhaps owe an apology to our readers for not devoting greater space to and giving further details of the case; but the fact is, we knew nothing about it ourselves, until the evening of the day the discovery was made. As a consequence the article was hurriedly written and put in type, leaving little time for speculation and even less for careful investigation. However, should any new facts be brought to light previous to our next publication day, an extra will be issued from this office announcing what they are.
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