The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-08-13
CHARLES wILLEY,s TRAGIC DEATH.
Why his Friends Wanted 10 Have the INQUEST
Into hi. Drowning Reopened.


Mr.. George W. Peterson of So East Fourth
street. near relative of Charles Wiley. the
young printer who was drowned near Fort Loo
on June 80. says that he and the other relations
OF the drowned man propose to have the inquest
reopened. on the ground that it was not prop
erly conducted. He AYERS that Charles Wiley.
who was % years OF age. and secretary of the
Atlas Bowling Club Of New York. went with the
excursion OF the club on June 80. The steamer
John +. Garlick had been chartered for the oc-
casion, and, though her certificate permitted
her to carry not more than twenty persons. be-
tween forty and fifty were crowded on board.
She should. too. have had seventy-lve life pre-
servers. but Mr.. Peterson says that at the
critical minute not one could be found to be
thrown TO the drowning man.
The excursionists enjoyed themselves for
some time near Fort Lee. and started for homo
between and o'clock in the evening. Mr..
Wiley. his friend says. was n tot Al abstinence
man. and WAS perfectly sober. II was, there
fore imposs ible 10 suppose that any Indulgence
on his part could have occasionpd the catas-
trophe which soon occurred. Twenty minutes
after the boat had started on her return
Willey's overheard" Amid the wild conus ion
which followed, says Mr.. Peterson. several OF
the passengers, locke for life preservers. tut
found none. The drowning man soon sank
and the search made for him was unsuccessful
The landlady OF n hotel near the river says she
saw two arms flung upward from the water.
but they disappeared immediately. Three days
afterward a man named samuel Barholi found
the body at Gutenberg near Weehawken.
rope So feet long and \ Of au inch thick was
tied around the right wrist. and there were two
wounds on the head. In the pockets were a
handsome gold witch. that had stopped at
fifteen minutes before g. heavy chain. and
tl7ls in money. There were valuable studs in
the shirt.
According to Mr.. Petersons statement the
club claimed that when Wiley fell overheard
there ought to have been s75 Of its money in his
pocket. II offered. says Mr.. Peterson 800 re-.
ward for the recovery OF the body. but aterwnrd
refused TO pay IL. the President telling Mr.. Bar
holt that he might 10 10 IL, and tell the elder
Mr.. Wiley to 20 there too and find out how his
son had fallen overheard. Twelve Jurors. Mr..
Peterson adds. viewed the body. but only eight
attended the inquest and when they retired to
consider their verdict, their room was crowd
ed with members OF the Atlas Bowling Club
The greater part Of Mr. Peterson's story is
fatty contradicted by Coroner b. ~ Crane OF
Hoboken. The scalp wounds. he says, may
have been made In ftty ways. hut assure d ~
The testimony showed conrlusively how the
rope got y. ound the wrist. The young man was
approaching "A y ri with the probable intention
OF startling her hy slapplng her on the shout
der. and lie lnchutiouSly placed his foot upon n
fender which rolled from under him and pre-
cipltated him into the water. As he feline seized
n thin rope which WAS hanging over the side.
The rope broke and doubtless in his SUISSE
wrist rs II was aiterward found. II is not true.
the Coroner says. that any one was in the room
with the jurors alter they hnd retired and an
inquest with eight jurors Is as valid rs one with
twelve. Ii will be impossible. be alleges. Tor the
relatives of the dead man to have the inquest
reopened. as the verdict was entirely justified
by the testimony. II was shown. however. that
the boat. although licensed TO carry only twenty
passengers. had nearly iilty on board ana n
suit for damages may therefore be brought
against her owners.