Mystery Cloaks Woman’s Death

NORWOOD A 62-year-old woman was found dead in her bed this morning, a nylon stocking wrapped around her neck. Police said the fully clad body of Mrs. Goldie Fine was discovered about 8 a.m. in her home at 16 Lewis av., South Norwood.

Medical Examiner Dr, Joseph King performed an autopsy and said that death was due to asphyxiation as the result of a ligature caused by two nylon stockings knotted around her neck. He did not elaborate.

Mr. Fine and her husband, Hyman, operate a cleaning establishment known as Lourde’s Cleaners in the Cobb’s corner section of Canton, The Fine’s moved to South Norwood about 13 months ago, according to neighbors.

Police said the husband left home about 6 a.m. to go to the shop. Shortly before 8 a.m. he sent an employee, James Rhodes, to pick up Goldie and Lillian Martowska, who lives upstairs in the Fine’s two-family dwelling. Lillian also works in the cleaning establishment, Rhodes told police he found all the doors to the Fine apartment locked. He talked with Lillian, who was ready to go to work, and together they discovered a key to the Fine’s apartment on the ring which contained the car keys.

They opened the door and found Mrs. Fine sprawled diagonally across the bed, a stocking around her neck. They called police who immediately notified state and Boston authorities. Dr. Joseph King of Needham, medical examiner, was sent to the scene. State Police chemist Arthur McBey also arrived at the Fine house.

If it is established that Mrs. Fine was garroted, she will be the 12th strangling victim since June, 1962.

Dr George W. Curtiss, pathologist attached to the Harvard school of Legal Medicine, will conduct an autopsy at the May funeral home on Nichols st.

Norwood Police Chief James Murphy said Mrs. Fine had been in poor health, afflicted with psoriasis and cataracts, and was scheduled to enter a hospital for surgery in a few days.

Mrs. Fine was the mother of a son, Melvin, 39, of Mitchell rd., Sharon, who worked with his parents at the cleaning shop, and twin 31-year-old daughters, Mrs. Ruth Fast of Lynn and Mrs. Jean Rubenstein of Beverly.

Three officers from the Boston homicide bureau, Lt Jerome McCallum, Sgt. Det John Barry and Det William McCarthy were called in to determine if there is any similarity between Mrs. Fine’s death and the 11 unsolved stranglings in eastern Massachusetts, eight of them in Boston.

13 Apr 1964, Mon The Boston Globe (Boston, Massachusetts)