The Evening Telegraph

EATEN BY RATS.

A Revolting Spectacle and a Mysterious Case.

A few days ago Matthew Sullivan, a resident of St. Louis, was locked up in a cell in the Center Police Station, charged with some light offense. While in the cell he died. The body was delivered to the friends of deceased, and when they viewed it they were shocked by its appearance. There were evidences of violence upon the head, and the face had been devoured by rats. An account of the affair is published in the St. Louis Times, as follows:-

At the instance of Mr. Sullivan, the son of the deceased, the remains, after having laid in the ground three days, was disinterred yesterday, brought into the undertaking establishment of John A. Smithers, No. 517 Fifth street, where a rigid post mortem examination was held upon them by a competent body of physicians consisting of Drs. O'Reilly, Prewitt, Barker, Scott, and Leet. On removing the coffin lid a scene was presented of the most revolting character. The flesh of the face, on both sides of the mouth, over the eyes and the bridge of the nose, had been entirely eaten away or torn and lacerated by vermin, as had been reported. A wound two and a half inches long was discoverable above the right eye, the corners of which seemed to have been eaten by rats, while the central and upper portions gave evidence of the infliction of a blow, either at the hands of some second person or from a fall. The right lower lip, and also a portion of the chin, were almost entirely eaten away. The indication of a blow about the head, already alluded to, induced a prosecution of the examination further, and the entire skull was removed and the brain laid bare. No evidences of the blow, as shown on the exterior, were discernible upon the interior of the skull. The brain was found to be slightly congested, and the vessels of that organ considerably engorged with blood, though not sufficiently, it was thought, to have produced death. The examination was then extended to the lungs and heart, and these organs were found to be in their natural state—giving no evidence of the presence of disease to have caused death. Here the examination was closed, and after consultation the physicians gave it as their opinion that no anatomical evidences had been discovered of violence sufficient to have been attended with fatal results. The universal opinion was expressed that the deceased had not died of apoplexy, as reported by the Coroner, and thus the whole matter is still left enveloped in the profoundest mystery.