PA PA - Bedford, 'Mr. Bones' WhtMale 30-35, 585UMPA, 30-06 rifle, gold dental wk, camping equip, Oct'58
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shadowangel
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Able to share any details?Yaya said:
Yaya
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Sure... The name of my book is "Murder In Mayberry". It is a compilation of 25 true murders that have occurred in my hometown of Mount Airy North Carolina (better known as Mayberry) spanning the years 1892 through 1970. The title of the book comes from the TV series "The Andy Griffith Show". Mount Airy was the inspiration for the fictional town of Mayberry featured in the TV series.shadowangel said:
The manuscript contains stories of bombings, axe murder, multiple homicides, infanticide, revenge killing, honor kills, etc.
It took five years to research and write... and at present seems to be taking quite a bit longer to get published... if ever.
Yaya
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Hi Mysteriew,mysteriew said:
Thats all mine had on it also, just an alphabet and the numbers. The key found with Mr. Bones is not really any more identifying either. It is a brass key stamped "Active 195 Avenue A" If you can think of anything else that this info might apply to PLEASE give me some help!
shadowangel
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Sounds extremely interesting...What are the chances of it getting published as they stand at this point?
Yaya
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As of right now... not so good. I sent queries to several big name publishers and got excellent feedback... but the same reason from all for turning me down. I do not hold a degree in journalism and have no experience in crime reporting or writing with a newspaper.shadowangel said:
One well-known editor did take time to write me and say he thought my writing was exceptional and he hoped I would someday find a good home for my book.
So I guess that is something to keep my dream alive.
concernedperson
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Yaya said:
Go girl, if all else fails publish it here. We will read it and it will be on the internet forever. Not that it makes you any money but hey, what's money? We are all poor but knowledgeable.
Yaya
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That is a most excellent suggestion! :dance: Why didn't I think of that? :doh:docwho3 said:
Yaya
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That's a thought... but I could really use the moneyconcernedperson said:
Who knows if something don't break before long you might be seeing it here.
I have thought about checking with Crime Library to see if they would like to run it as a serial. I think some of the cases I wrote about have great potential to be a movie of the week.
concernedperson
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Yaya said:That's a thought... but I could really use the money
Who knows if something don't break before long you might be seeing it here.
I have thought about checking with Crime Library to see if they would like to run it as a serial. I think some of the cases I wrote about have great potential to be a movie of the week.
Just keep writing like Steve Huff does. He is great as far as connecting the dots. Many of the unsolved crimes could be solved with people of dedication and resolve. Just to have these crimes in front of us does great good....for preventing future crimes and recognizing older crimes.
mysteriew
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Yaya said:That's a thought... but I could really use the money
Who knows if something don't break before long you might be seeing it here.
I have thought about checking with Crime Library to see if they would like to run it as a serial. I think some of the cases I wrote about have great potential to be a movie of the week.
If you could manage to get some self published, then you could set up a webpage and sell them. Another suggestion is to set up a webpage and sell it as a download. Then when you sold enough downloads, you could reinvest and do self publish.
Had another thought last night, hire someone with a degree to read your book and make a couple of minor changes. Then resubmit the book with you listed as author, and the person who edited it as editor. You will have satisfied their requirements and it will make it easier next time as you will then have been published.
shadowangel
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And you thought we only talked about cold cases!!!!!!!!!!!! :angel:
In looking through my copy of "Reading Poems: An Introduction to Critical Study" (one of three books found at the site), I found a poem by Robert Louis Stevenson written in 1887. It is number 19 in the book and quite possibly one which this unknown man had read.
Requiem
Under the wide and starry sky,
Dig the grave and let me lie.
Glad did I live and gladly die,
And I laid me down with a will.
This be the verse you grave for me:
"Here he lies where he longed to be;
Home is the sailor, home from sea,
And the hunter home from the hill."
Requiem
Under the wide and starry sky,
Dig the grave and let me lie.
Glad did I live and gladly die,
And I laid me down with a will.
This be the verse you grave for me:
"Here he lies where he longed to be;
Home is the sailor, home from sea,
And the hunter home from the hill."
Yaya
Esse Quam Videri
After this post from docwho3 I thought I would send a few emails out and ask for help identifying the key. I'm sure the Penn. State Troopers have already tried this but... it can't hurt.docwho3 said:
I talked with a group of key collectors and they feel they would need a picture of the key to help with the ID.
I am hoping to get a picture of the key from the Penn. State Trooper G
I will post it here as soon as I get it... IF I get it
Wish me luck.
PS. Thank You for all the comments and ideas about my book. :angel: I really do appreciate the input. But I think it is best we not discuss it here on this thread anymore. You know... keep to the subject of Mr. Bones. Maybe there will be an occasion for me to share more with you in some other type thread.
Some answers from LE...
I got an interesting e-mail today from the Pennsylvania State Police investigator assigned to this cold case. I spoke with him by telephone and then sent him an e-mail containing many of the questions posed in this thread. In the interest of brevity, I include below only the questions to which he provided answers. Here is his response:
Thank you for your interest in this case. Most if not all the questions, you listed below have been looked at by different investigators over the years. Unfortunately, none of the leads provided identification. Regulations and time do not permit me to address all your questions however; I have made some comments below. After talking with you and reviewed the case I found some items that can be followed up. Military deserters were checked in 1958 without success. I plan to make another attempt at this. Thank you again for your suggestions.
The Body:
Q - What about the state of the remains? Reports indicate skeletal, but that the skeleton was mostly complete.
A - Very little flesh remained, most of the skeleton was recovered from the area.
Q - How was the body situated (face down or up, sitting, etc)?
A - The remains were scattered over a 40 foot area
It would be nice to know more accurately when this man died.
Q - How did police determine that it was between six months and two years prior?
A - The time of death is sometime during the spring of 1958. The estimated time of six months to two years was listed to generate as many leads as possible.
Q - Why does the Doenetwork posting now state only "in the 1950's?"
A - The source of information used by Doenetwork appears to be a news article from the Post Gazette
The Rifle and Ammunition:
Q - What was the make, model, and serial number of the rifle?
A - Model 721A
Q - To whom was the rifle sold in 1939? Was the origional owner ever located and questioned?
A - Dead end lead
Q - Was it in a condition to be fired when found or was it completely rusted?
A - Rusted
Q - Was it in military configuration - Or had it been sporterized/modified?
A - Not military
Comments on the books...
A- The Books: Research on the books was conducted by the FBI, which indicated the person with higher education, serious student of poetry, a teacher or graduate student in literature or related subject
Questions regarding The Brass Key (stamped "Active 195 Ave A"):
Q - Is this a door key?, a padlock key?, a mailbox key?
Q - Were thare any other markings on the key? Was it on a ring or chain?
Q - What make or pattern is it? (eg: a Cole, Dexter, Chicago, Schlage, Master, Quikset, etc.?)
Q - Is it an origional key, or a copy made on another company's blank?
Q - Is this a continuous stamping, that is all related, or is it stamped in several places, perhaps with different size numerals/letters?
Q - "Active" may be the name of the locksmith who made the key, or could be the name of a company that it was made for.
Q - "195" could be an address, and if so, is probably the address of the key maker. It could simply be a key code.
Q - What cities have an "Avenue A"? (Manhatten, NY - Bayone, NJ - Chicago east side - probably more)
Answers:
A - The key is a duplicate copied onto an Unger blank, cut by Active Locksmith, 195 Avenue A, New York City, NY
A - Keys of this type are used on some Segal 5-pin tumbler cylinder door locks, primarily mortised locks, night latches and deadbolt locks
A - No indications of heavy use or wear from key ring
I got an interesting e-mail today from the Pennsylvania State Police investigator assigned to this cold case. I spoke with him by telephone and then sent him an e-mail containing many of the questions posed in this thread. In the interest of brevity, I include below only the questions to which he provided answers. Here is his response:
Thank you for your interest in this case. Most if not all the questions, you listed below have been looked at by different investigators over the years. Unfortunately, none of the leads provided identification. Regulations and time do not permit me to address all your questions however; I have made some comments below. After talking with you and reviewed the case I found some items that can be followed up. Military deserters were checked in 1958 without success. I plan to make another attempt at this. Thank you again for your suggestions.
The Body:
Q - What about the state of the remains? Reports indicate skeletal, but that the skeleton was mostly complete.
A - Very little flesh remained, most of the skeleton was recovered from the area.
Q - How was the body situated (face down or up, sitting, etc)?
A - The remains were scattered over a 40 foot area
It would be nice to know more accurately when this man died.
Q - How did police determine that it was between six months and two years prior?
A - The time of death is sometime during the spring of 1958. The estimated time of six months to two years was listed to generate as many leads as possible.
Q - Why does the Doenetwork posting now state only "in the 1950's?"
A - The source of information used by Doenetwork appears to be a news article from the Post Gazette
The Rifle and Ammunition:
Q - What was the make, model, and serial number of the rifle?
A - Model 721A
Q - To whom was the rifle sold in 1939? Was the origional owner ever located and questioned?
A - Dead end lead
Q - Was it in a condition to be fired when found or was it completely rusted?
A - Rusted
Q - Was it in military configuration - Or had it been sporterized/modified?
A - Not military
Comments on the books...
A- The Books: Research on the books was conducted by the FBI, which indicated the person with higher education, serious student of poetry, a teacher or graduate student in literature or related subject
Questions regarding The Brass Key (stamped "Active 195 Ave A"):
Q - Is this a door key?, a padlock key?, a mailbox key?
Q - Were thare any other markings on the key? Was it on a ring or chain?
Q - What make or pattern is it? (eg: a Cole, Dexter, Chicago, Schlage, Master, Quikset, etc.?)
Q - Is it an origional key, or a copy made on another company's blank?
Q - Is this a continuous stamping, that is all related, or is it stamped in several places, perhaps with different size numerals/letters?
Q - "Active" may be the name of the locksmith who made the key, or could be the name of a company that it was made for.
Q - "195" could be an address, and if so, is probably the address of the key maker. It could simply be a key code.
Q - What cities have an "Avenue A"? (Manhatten, NY - Bayone, NJ - Chicago east side - probably more)
Answers:
A - The key is a duplicate copied onto an Unger blank, cut by Active Locksmith, 195 Avenue A, New York City, NY
A - Keys of this type are used on some Segal 5-pin tumbler cylinder door locks, primarily mortised locks, night latches and deadbolt locks
A - No indications of heavy use or wear from key ring
Yaya
Esse Quam Videri
Thank You RichardRichard said:
This is extremely helpful and makes a phone call to Penn State Troopers unnecessary.
The recent comments and answers from the lead investigator are very helpful, and interesting.
The only firearms company that made a model 721A was Remington Arms Company of Ilion, NY. It was a bolt action rifle chambered for the 30-06 Springfield cartridge (probably explaining the misinterpretation by the press that is was a Springfield rifle). This rife normally could hold four rounds in the magazine, had a 24 inch barrel, and weighed 7 and a quarter pounds.
The Remington 721A was made between 1948 and 1962 inclusive. So it could hardly have been sold in 1939 as reported on the Doenetwork. It may have been traced to a store in Fort Wayne, Indiana - but not any earlier than 1948.
The estimate of a Spring 1958 death and the man's age estimate of 30 to 35 years would compute a birth year range of 1923 to 1928 (give or take a few years). Perhaps someone who can scan missing persons sites using that range of birth years, and missing year of around 1958 might be able to come up with some possiblities.
The Brass Key seems to be a door key made in New York City, NY. This makes the NY link mentioned in earlier posts much stronger. I would think it more likely that a key company would have marked keys made for a business, apartment complex, or university than for an individual.
The FBI assessment that he was a serious graduate student or professor of English or a related field. That and the fact that all three of his books were published in New York, with one written by two New York College professors, would seem to indicate that the key to this man's identity might be found by checking out New York Colleges for the school year 1957-58 (or earlier).
The two schools which I would check first would be the Maxwell Graduate School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University, and the State University of New York Teachers College at Cortland, NY. Those are the schools where the "Reading Poems..." book authors taught, and it is very likely that the book was used at both schools as a text book. Other New York schools which received shipments of the three books in the mid 1950's could also be checked for students in their 30's who dropped out, graduated, or disappeared around 1957-58.
All this probably indicates that he was coming from New York, heading west in the Spring of 1958. The fact that he was found near the Westbound lanes of the highway reststop might also indicate a westerly direction. Could he have been heading home? To a relatives? To his next college?
The only firearms company that made a model 721A was Remington Arms Company of Ilion, NY. It was a bolt action rifle chambered for the 30-06 Springfield cartridge (probably explaining the misinterpretation by the press that is was a Springfield rifle). This rife normally could hold four rounds in the magazine, had a 24 inch barrel, and weighed 7 and a quarter pounds.
The Remington 721A was made between 1948 and 1962 inclusive. So it could hardly have been sold in 1939 as reported on the Doenetwork. It may have been traced to a store in Fort Wayne, Indiana - but not any earlier than 1948.
The estimate of a Spring 1958 death and the man's age estimate of 30 to 35 years would compute a birth year range of 1923 to 1928 (give or take a few years). Perhaps someone who can scan missing persons sites using that range of birth years, and missing year of around 1958 might be able to come up with some possiblities.
The Brass Key seems to be a door key made in New York City, NY. This makes the NY link mentioned in earlier posts much stronger. I would think it more likely that a key company would have marked keys made for a business, apartment complex, or university than for an individual.
The FBI assessment that he was a serious graduate student or professor of English or a related field. That and the fact that all three of his books were published in New York, with one written by two New York College professors, would seem to indicate that the key to this man's identity might be found by checking out New York Colleges for the school year 1957-58 (or earlier).
The two schools which I would check first would be the Maxwell Graduate School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University, and the State University of New York Teachers College at Cortland, NY. Those are the schools where the "Reading Poems..." book authors taught, and it is very likely that the book was used at both schools as a text book. Other New York schools which received shipments of the three books in the mid 1950's could also be checked for students in their 30's who dropped out, graduated, or disappeared around 1957-58.
All this probably indicates that he was coming from New York, heading west in the Spring of 1958. The fact that he was found near the Westbound lanes of the highway reststop might also indicate a westerly direction. Could he have been heading home? To a relatives? To his next college?
shadowangel
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Baruch College, part of the City University of New York, is only a matter of blocks from the location where the key was made. They are both on the lower east side of Manhattan. Baruch is primarily a business college, but the Weissman School of Arts and Sciences offers master programs in poetry, writing, journalism, playwriting, etc.
CUNY is composed of several schools, among them City College, which in the '30s to '50s was known for its over-the top political radicalism.
CUNY is composed of several schools, among them City College, which in the '30s to '50s was known for its over-the top political radicalism.
I wonder if the college libraries or alumni associations, or offices might have student directories, faculty rosters, or course catalogs and book lists from that era? Do they have college newsapapers or year books on file?shadowangel said:
shadowangel
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I would certainly assume so. Some schools seem to pride themselves on their student record keeping. Possibly our mystery man was on spring break and decided to see some country-side? There still seems to be a strong tie to IL due to the contact lenses...Could he have been on his way home? School wasn't working out like he hoped?