The Vancouver Province, Thursday, January 15, 1953:

Skeletons Hint Murder of Girl, Boy

Stanley Park Scene of Find

Leaves, Coat Covered Bodies of Youngsters, 10 And 12

Murder is suspected by police after the skeletons of a boy and a girl - about 10 and 12 years of age - were found today buried under leaves and an oilskin coat in dense brush in Stanley Park.

Police said foul play was a definite factor as a hole was found in the head of one of the skeletons. Both skeletons were weather-worn.

Bones and remains of clothing were removed from the scene to the police crime laboratory at noon as other officers began a search of missing persons' records. The spot where the skeletons were found is 150 yards from the top of the hairpin bend on the main Park drive, 300 yards short of the junction with the Lion's Gate bridge road.

They were discovered by veteran Park Board forestry man, Albert Amos Tong, of 2510 Eaton.

He said:" I was working over there clearing the brush for tree planting. On Tuesday I walked over the spot and heard a loud crack as my foot went on a bundle of leaves.

"Too Busy"

I went back and told my friends: 'It looks like there is someone buried there.' But I did nothing about it as I was too busy.

"Then this morning I went over and raked at the leaves. I saw a skull with a boy's cap on it, so I went for the police, then helped them bring the rest of the bones to light."

It was easy to identify them as a boy and a girl, he said, because of the clothing. There were quite a few scraps left, together with the shoes.

Head to Foot

The skeletons were lying side by side, with head of one near the feet of the other. Over them was spread what was left of a black oilskin coat. This was covered with about six inches of leaves.

It was impossible to say whether the leaves had been placed there, or just fallen from the trees, said Mr. Tong.

He said the police estimated the children died between one and two years ago. "And they sounded pretty sure it was murder."

Police were puzzled as to how two children could vanish in the park without causing a widespread search. There has apparently been so such search recently.

Co-operation of all persons who may have heard of sudden disappearance or strange absence of children is being sought to aid identification efforts.

Until this morning Vancouver City Police had only one unsolved child murder. That came in October, 1947, when seven-year-old Roddy Moore was brutally murdered in a vacant lot near his home at 3174 East Eighth. Intensive investigation failed to bring a single strong lead in the case.