The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1869-03-03
More Of the MononxaheIa River Dis.
aRfer.
MoRGANTowN, WEST VA,
February 26, 1869.

iooiuaiy y SOj lCOO.
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
bero, last Friday night, returned this
evening. They assisted in the fruitless
search up to noon to-day, when a 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
q hope that the comnotion she would
make in the water would bring some of
the bodies to the surface, or some fur
ther 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 a number Of women and one or two
men upon both sides OF the river, near
the mouth of Dunkard creek about nine
O'Clock. The women were living near
the river edge, and upon the hill above.
There were no men in either house
where the cries were heard. The wo-
men were alarmed and could not deter
mine whether the cries came from the
river or from the shore. One woman
heard distinctly, "For Gods sake, helpp
Another living near the waters edge
heard the cries of two voices while they
evidently foated two or three hundred
yards. One was seemingly urging the
other, and the fainter voice of the two
was heard to exclaim, "Oh! let me rest
a amomentw
A lined kid glove was found in the
river, below Greensboro, recognized as
belonging to Williams, by his brother,
which bore evidence of the fearful
struggle for life in its 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. 1.-THE river at that point is
very rapid and dangerous. Three of
the men must have quickly perished,
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 skillful swim
mer, was evidently striving to save his
The water at the place and time of
the accident was not too high to have
permitted the unfortunate men wad-
lag out, but the current is so 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 sw winning ashore, even by
the most expert and powerful men, very
difficult, if not impossible. Mr.. Lar
wells name was Charley. not George, as
my letter stated yesterday. The river
is high and muddy, the current rapid,
and along the west shore the water is
so deep as to render the work of drag
ging very difficult. f.