In the fall of 1923, a woman's savagely beaten body was found under the portico of the deserted Hussey Mansion at Center Avenue and Cypress Street, adjacent to the Homeopathic Hospital in Pittsburgh. Underneath her body was found an envelope with the "hand of death", consisting of the playing cards an ace, a deuce, a tray of diamonds and the five of spades.
The woman's body was discovered by Alexander McGonigle when he was walking across the property.
