A SHOCKING DISCOVERY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 439, 22 October 1908, Page 4

A SHOCKING DISCOVERY.

Body in a Lift Weil

Young Dentist’s Death.

Sydney, October 7

The body of Lisle Capper (23), a dentist, lately residing at “ Euranbah,” Ocean Street, Woollarah, was found at the bottom of the lift well at the Commercial Chambers, at Bathurst Street, yesterday morning. It was at first thought owing to the position of the body, and the fact that it was partly covered with a bag, that the young man had been murdered, but subsequent investigations proved that there is no reasonable ground for such a supposition. At the same time the exact manner in which Capper met his death is likely to remain a mystery. Deceased took the decree of Bachelor of Dental Surgery at the Sydney University a year ago, and The dental rooms at Commercial Chambers were closed at noon on Saturday, and Capper was seen by the students, and appeared to be in perfect health, and elated at the prospect of securing a practice. He was let into the building on Sunday morning, it is presumed to pack up some instruments, and was not seen again until discovered dead at 9.45 yesterday morning. The discovery was made by the lift boy, who had taken several loads of passengers, to the upper floors, and then discovered that the lift was not in good working order. During its progress it bumped in an unusual manner, and the electric bell refused to operate. The be y looked under; e. h the lift to ascertain the cause ot the trouble, and found that the bell-wires had been torn away. A ladder below was knocked out of position, and, glancing into the bottom of the well, the lad saw what he took to be the body of a woman. He immediately informed the caretaker, who went to the spot and found Capper’s body covered to the hips with a cornsack. Rigor mortis had set in, indicating that death had taken place some hours previously. There was a horrible gash in the forehead, and a number of bruises about the face and head.

The lift was left suspended between the first and second floors when the chambers were closed on Saturday, and one theory is that deceased leaned out from the first floor in order to catch the operating rope and utilise the lift to reach the ground floor, but in doing so over-balanced.