Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1883-09-27
DROWNING mysTERY oLEARED.
Samuel stew nsOn's B0hy Found in
the Chrisf1ana River.

The Third streBt bridge drowning myF
terry waa cleared sbout 1870 Thursda
morning when meu who wers draggiD
the river came aoross ths body of Samue
Stevenson, the blind eolored man, righ
near Taird street bridge aud opposite TIN
railroad pier. The body, which WAS il
an advanced state of decomposition
| having r, maiued in the water since Sun
day morning, was removed al ouoe to TIL
mnrgue. Coroner Smith on being notified
viewed the remains and decided to boit
-he inquest in the evening.
The deceased was well known in tbi
city and was in the habit of travel
ing on boats between this city AM
Philadelphia, always carrying Bibl
with raised letters. When the boa
| would get we'll under way he would x
| in the cabin, read q chapter in the Bibl
| and take up collsction. He lived will
| his mother on Kirkwood street abov,
| Eighth, and was well taken care of. H.
was of very happy disposition, and hi
| friends deny the report that he com
mitted suicide.
Stevenson left his home at O'Clock OF
Sunday morning week, saying that he wa
| going to visit his sister, who lives across
| Third street bridge, near the yards OF til,
Kenebec Ice and Coal Company. Early
| in the evening his mother became alarmed
at his absense, and on sending over t.
his sisters found that he had not beer
there. Monday week sbe hsard that a mai
had been drowned at Third street tridge
and she at once said that il must be he,
son.
The finding of the body of Samuei
Stevenson the blind colored man who was
drowned at Third street bridge, and the
failure of the Coroner's jury Thursday
to agree upon q verdict, have tended to
raise quite breeze of excitement among
the colored population OF the eastern
part of the city where the deceased was
we'll known.
The Jury assembled at 7.30 o'clock last
evening and after viewing the body
heard the testimony of William Bareford,
George W. Kelley, David Hammond,
Officer White, Eliza. Mary and Matilda
Stevenson, mother and sisters of the
deceased, aud Thomas Lee, his brother
in-law.
The testimony of Mary and Matilda
Stevenson and George Kelly was very
conflicting and the jury, finding that il
was unable to come to au agreement, ad-
journed until Sunday afternoon at
O'Clock.
A JOURNAL reporter interviewed
all parties intert sted in the case Friday
morning. Kelly, the assistant bridge
tender was thoroughly questioned and
he sticks firmly to his first statement that
on Sunday morning week between 5 and
O'Clock while he was cleaning his
lamps near the south side Of
the bridge he saw the draw
move slightly and on looking
scIoss saw man at the other
end, climb down from the draw, which
was closed, on to the end pier and after
standing on the pier for few seconds,
jump out toward the middle abutment
and disappear. Owing to the uncertain
light he said it was impossible for him to
tell whether the man WAS white or black
but that he carried a cane.
Mrs Annie Lee and Mary Stevenson,
sisters of the deceased, living at the
yards of the Kennebec Ice Il Coal Com
pany, both state that they believe the
draw of the bridge was left little of
through Kelley's carelessnsss, and that
their brother walked off into the river.
They charge Kelley with drunken
ness, and believe that he was
intoxicated on Sunday morning.
Mrs. Les says that on Wednesday morn
ing week she went with her husband to
Third street bridge snd asked Kelley to
tell her how her brother was drowned
and that William Bareford who was sit
ting near by jumped up and said,
"George you hold your tongue within
your teeth aud I'll do the same"
A white woman who lives over Third
street bridge, and was on the draw at the
time, was seen by the reporter, and she
corroborates this statement. The sisters
further stated that Mr.. Bsreford when
asked about the affair by several
coored men, said to one of them, "ll
| you want to know, go ask the drowned
mani" and to another, 81 know nothing
about it, and care nothing about it,"
William Baretord, when interviewed,
said that the draw of the bridge was moi
off from the time he went to bed between
| l and O'Clock on Sunday morning until
| 4 80, when it was turned by Kelley tt
| allow Captain Sullivan's tug Meteor &c
| through It was not turned after A., 80 a. III
until after $50 a. m. to allow the steamer
Felton, to pass. He had the draw turned
for the reporter and just as soon as il
commenced to move the safety gate bsgar
to descend, making it seemingly
impossible to walk on the draw
or to tall into the water. Mr.. Bare
ford stated that the gate was in good
order on Sunday morning.
small boy who was driving COWS OIL
Saturday morning, said Stevenson wal
| just ahead OF him, when rear the bridge
and that he suddenly disappeared and h,
| don't know what become of him.
Mrs. Stevenson, mother of the deceased
told the reporter that she did not know
how to account for her sons death
that he was always clear headed, ant
had crossed the bridge many times BY
| himself, and that when he left home OF
| Sunday morning he was in excellen
frame of mind. She ridicules the ids,
that the deceased deliberately jumped
overheard and says that the draw wa
either turned off or there was foul play
The cOroner's jury reassembled a
the office of Undertaken Palmer Sunday
afternoon at 2 O'Clock. After hearing TIL,
testimony of William Faucet, watchmai
| st the Fourth street crossing OF th,
l., w. q d. TAilfuaui JUN w
Corcorap, watohman at the works o
the Diamond State Iron Company
William Kelley, father of George A
Kelley, the assistant bridgetenier
William and Timothy McGinley, Elizabeti
Scott, Charles Il. Sparks aed Smol
Wringle, the jury rendered verdict O
accidental drowning. Timothy McGinle,
tastitied that the draw of the bridge wa
| properly closed between the hours of
and o'clock on that morning, spl
another witness, that the deceased