The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1869-03-04
Moro of the MOnongaheIa River Dis
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MoRaANTowN, WEST. VA, |
February 25, 1869. !

MoRGAEToWNI WEST Az
February 25, 1869. J
Editors of the Register:
The majority of our citizens who went
to search for the bodies of the five men
who were lost between here and Green's
boro, last Friday night, returned this
evening. They assisted in the fruitless
search up to noon to-day, when snow
storm caused the temporary abandon
ment of the work. The steamer Elisha
Bennett was run up and down the river
where the search was being made, with
n hope that the connection she would
make in the water would bring some of
the bodies to the surface, or some fur
Their evidence to clear the mystery that
fear will ever surround this most ter
rible destruction of life, but the effort
proved OF no avail. This morning the
brothers of williams and Hervey and
two of Towers, reached the scene of the
disaster to aid in the search. They will
offer reward for the recovery of the
bodies tomorrow.
The following additional facts have
been learned. They were seen passing
down the river, about two miles above
the mouth of Dunkard creek, between
eight and nine o'clock. The cries OF
distress and appeals for help were heard
by number of women and one or two
men upon both sides of the river, near
the mouth of Duukard creek about
near the river edge, and upon the hill
above. There were noa men in either
house where the cries were heard. The
women were alarmed and could not
determine whether the cries came from
the river or from the shore. One wo-
man heard distinctly, "FOr Gods sake,
help!" Another living near the waters
edge heard the cries of two voices
while they evidently floated two or
three hundred yards. One was SEEM
ingly urging the other, and the fainter
voice OF the two was heard to eXclaim,
"Oh! let me rest a moment!'
A lined kid glove was found in TIE
river, below Greensboro. recognized as
belonging to Williams, by his brother,
which bore evidence of the fearful
struggle for life in itG torn, worn and
stained appearance. The various links
of evidence establishes almost beyond
controversy the following facts That
the skiff capsized by running upon a
large projecting Snag, located in the
channel, upon Dunkard Ripple, below
the mouth of Dunkard creek and near
ly opposite the residence of Hon. John
L. Dawson. THE river at that point is
very rapid and dangerous.l Three OF
the men must have quickly persisted,
as but two voices were heard by any
| one. The two men whose cries were
heard were Williams and Towers, from
the description of the tones, and the
! former, who was most SkillIul swim
mer, was evidently striving to save his
father.in law.
The water at the place and time ofthe
accident was not too high to have per.
mitted the unfortunate men wading
out, but the current is 80 strong that
no mortal could have accomplished the
feat. They were all wearing heavy
overcoats and otherwise bundled up to
protect them from the cold night air, SO
as to render swimming ashore, even by
the most expert and powerful men,
Larwelps name was Charley, not
George, as my letter stated yesterday.
The river is high and muddy, the cur
rent rapid, and along the west shore the
water is so deep as to render the work
of dragging very difficult. Z. S.