A bit ago I did a search on bodies found in the sewers. Here is one of my finds of a headless corpse wearing bicycle shoes and a belt, 1897.
A Headless Corpse Found
Chicago, 1897 – The headless corpse found in the catch basin of a sewer at Dunning may be that of J.J. Barstow, a young mining student, who mysteriously disappeared two years ago.
He attended the Michigan school of mines at Houghton for two years, where he was noted for his devotion to bicycling.
The last heard of him was in July or August of 1895, when he announced that he was about to start from Chicago on a bicycle trip to Grand Haven.
When he left on his trip he had considerable money.
Nothing was ever heard of him afterward.
The authorities will empty the basin in an effort to find the head of the dead man if it is in the place. It is hoped additional evidence may be discovered to bear out the slight clues already possessed in the bicycle shoes and belt found on the corpse.
Source: The Mena weekly star. (Mena, Ark.), 31 March 1897.
