Daily Republican., 1882-03-27
THE DkOWNING CASE.
Tho Inquest ON she Body Of John
q. Emmis-A Verdict OF Acc ,aem-
tai Drowning,

q. Emmis-A Verdict of Acc
tai Drowning,
In compliance with tho wish of the
relatives of John Q. Emmis, who was
drowned last Wednesday night in the
Christiana creek, the Coroner decided
10 hold an inquest Cn the remains last
Saturday evening, and summoned the
following jury l.. w. Palmer, John
Nichols, j. NJ. Stewart, Ralph Mccall,
Ellis M. Garrett and William r. Long.
The jury met at the Morgue on Ship
ley street at Z O'clock, and organized
by selecting l.. w. Palmer as foreman
and William Il. Long secretary. The
mains were viewed, and carefully
examined about the head and face by
the jurors, without finding any marks,
that would lead to suspicion of toul
play.
The first witness examined was Cap
tain John ENNIS, who upon being
sworn testified that Halliday, the col
ored man, and young Emmis left the
sloop about = O'Clock wednesday after.
noon in yawl boat to go ashore.
Before they left he charged them to
besure and come back before the tide
went down, but did not see or hear
anything OF them lutil about 9 o'clock
that night, when he heard them talk
ing on tne shore, but could not get to
them to render any assistance, as there
was no boat On the sloop. Heard them
talking for some time, and then every
thing was quiet. Halliday and John
wele good friends; do not think that
Jtull lliIu a MI nj l. n, M n. hn InI
been on the sluop four trips; the wit
ness seemed 10 think that the Colored
man was droH ned as well as his son,
and SAID thai he believed if careful
search was made in tho vicinity OF the
tramway, has bJdy would be found.
Louis Hanson who is employed on
| the sloop was sworn and besides cOrro.
borating the testimony of the Captain,
stated Lhat when they heard the voices
on the shore Cne Captain told him TO
| look Tor ,he boat, and a.lso be read J
10 throw them |. line aB il was possible
they had been drinhinE, and might fail
overheard. He had watched Tor about
three quarters OF all hour and fading
that they ulI net come, went down Ill
the cabin.
Went ashore the next day at the
tramway And saw the body, whicE he
recognized as thas of John ENNIS.
| The last witness was W. q. jones,
who tessltied that he is a foreman for
the National Dredging Company and
as he came ashore near the tramWay
about noon last Thursday, he saw a
yawl boat lying in the mud, aud upon
looking around, he discovered the dead
body of a man a short distance OIL he
went to where some colored men were
working, and got one Of them to 20 with
him, and examine the boat in which
they found Two coats and part of a
bottle Of whiskey; he then showed the
cclored man the mans body, and told
him to get line, with which they
made it fast the witness went ana IN
formed Captain Frank Cotton OF his
CHASTITY find, and they seut word TO the
Coroner. " hen he came back Captain
Enmis and Hasson were there, and
identified the body. Mr.. Jones said
that he thought That the men must have
been drinking and thai when they found
they could not got their boat of, En-
mis- had climbed on the tramway and
fallen in.
The jury after hearing the evidence
rendered verdict, that John &. En lnis
was accidentally drowned in the Chris
tiana creek.
| 1t will be remembered that the Coro-
ner gave certificate of accidental
drowning on last Thursday afternoon,
but alter that the mother of the untor
tunate young man, had what Sh,
considered remarkable dream, anO
it was that which induced the relation,
to demand the inquest. Mrs. ENNIS
says that she dreamed that john came
to her, and said "Oh mother what
have suffered, but it is all over now
and I'll tell you how it happened. jim
(the colored NAM and | had somt
words about getting the boat Oft, and
he became angry and pushed inc down
and held me in the mud until | wa,
dead. You will find the marks of his
hand on my face" The mother Went
the next morning and examined the
face ut the corpse, and thought thai
she discovered some bruises, hence the
demand for the inquest.
\ man went from this city Saturday
III rniug to Halliday's residence near
. lester, too SEQ il he had been home
o1t his wife knew nothing about him
and az soon as she heard of the sad Oc
curronce came to this city to try and
get some tidings Of him. The genera
opinion now is, that he shared the fat,
of his companion, and that before many J
days his body will be found.
Ennis funeral took place yesterday
afternoon, from the residence of hi'
parents No. 22S Shipley street. Th'
services were conducted by Rev. Char
les Hill of Asbury NJ. 4 Church, whC
spoke in feeling manner of the sat
and sudden bereavement. The remains
were inferred at the Wilmington ant
Brandywine Cemetery.