Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1883-05-27
TRIPLE TRAGEDY.
Three Lives Smothered 0st by the
water.
ASad Drowning Case Which Throws Mar
tins Ferry Into MOurning-ful Par
tieuIars Of the Tragedy and
Attendant Circumstances.


Martins Ferry was sgain thrown into
fever heat Of excitement yesterday oy tae
drowning OF three persons and the narrow
sscsps of the fourth. The sad accident
occurred about 10 O'Clock A. N. at the Union
glass works landing. The alarm was given
and the news spread like Wild fire. Men,
women and children fiocked 10 the scene
from ell parts Of the city, from the work
shop, the stores and from the streets.
Business was almost entirely suspended
and within twenty-five minutes after the
alarm was sounded, fully five hundred per-
sons were present. During the morning
Willis Young, hostler at Geo. Weber &
Cos livery stable, bad been engaged in
washing vehicles at the wharf named. He
was assisted by four small boys Charley
Snodgrass. George rolbert, Harry Coss and
Findlsy Snodgrsss. They had finished
washing several rigs" and at the hour men
toned returned with barouche. Entering
the water. one of the boys, Findley Snod-
grass, very small and only six years old, re-
fused to go and jumped out on the shore.
Shortly after entering the rig upset, hay
ing run over a pile OF pig metal, and was
carried down the swift stream, driver,
horses, assistants and all. As the vehicle
went down the occupants began crying for
help, at the same time making an effort to
get to shore. Their screams attracted the at
tention Of the employees Of the glass works
and other persons. One of these, Sam Gar
rett, q machinist in the works, procured
skitf and noticing Co.'S left for his rescue.
He succeeded in picking him up as he was
going down the third or fourth time. This
was near the ferry landing, quite distance
below. He rowed in ashore where the boy
was given a good rubbing and soon resus'
eitated. He was carried to his home tak-
Ing very freely about the &C :ident und
his escape and making such remarks as II
thought / was a goner, etc. Noticing
another body in the eddy near by, Eugene
Rider and John Crooks procured a skin
after much difficulty and went to where
the body was last seen, but on
arriving at the spot the body could
not be found. Grab hooks were
obtained and within FIVE minutes the body
was found. II proved TO be that of young
SnodgrsSs, who was of course insenSible.
II was taken ashore and strenuous efforts
made TO restore life, but without success.
The dragging was resumed and soon reiu-
forced by several skis, together with Geo.
Weissein. Those engaged in the search
worked hard. but their effort was una
yailing. About l. o'clock the horses
were noticed passing the Nail City glass
house at Bridgeport, and brought ashore
by the koehnline brothers. To their sur
prise it was discovered that the body OF
Young, the, hOstler, was with them, having
the lines around his legs and wrists. Two
small cuts were noticed on Ioung's lore.
head. His employer, George Webber, who
knfwpan Marlin
Ferry and Wheeling, was returning when
the discovery was made, and was almost
heart stricken on learning the neys-his
first knowledge OF the sad aitaic. The
body of Tolbert had not been found till
last evening. II is supposed that it was
carried on down the river and will be
picked up miles below.
The relatives of the unfortunates cried pit
eCusly, and their homes were the scenes OF
much sadness.
As above stated, only one life was saved
Co.'S, aged s years son of Abraham COss
residing on Second street. The drowned
consist OF three persons, as follows:
Willis Young, col0red, aged 40 years.
Charley SnodgrasS, aged 10 years.
George Talbert, aged l. years.
Young has been employed at the stable
OF We bber Il Co. for five years. He is sim
gle and his parents reside in Virginia. lie
was good hearted, industrious, cOhOred
man, well liked by everybody. He board
ell with Weber in the Second ward.
Charley SnodgrasS was the son OF Perry
snodgrass, an hard working man, cooper
by trade, residing on Second street, Second
ward. He was bright boy and had many
admirers. He worked in the Union Flint
Glass Works He was a brother of the boy
Findley Snodgrass, who refused to 60 in
the sick. His mother has been sick for
some months, AM is almost heart broken
George Taloert also worked in the Union
Glass Works and was good, industrious
boy. H. resided with his mother, a poor
widow lady residing on Third street, in the
Third Ward, the SAINT ward as SnodgraSs
and Young lived and worked.
The funerals of the bodies recovered,
Young and Snodgrass, both take place to-
day from their homes. Young will be
buried by the COlored odd Fellows, of
which order he was q member. tie will be
inferred at o'clock. The funeral of Snod-
grass will take place at = o'clock, Rev. f.,
K. Jones, pastor If the NJ. T.. Church, otfi
ciating. Both bodies will be deposited in
the Walnut Grove cemetery.
The sad accident was the theme OF con-
verSation during the entire day. People
gathered in groups all over town discussing
il, and those afflicted have the entire SYM
patty of the community.
This makes four persons drowned at this
wharf during the past year-sll while wash
ing vehicles, too. One year ago the young
German employed by l.. Alderman, the
butcher, was drowned here this way, and
two years ago John B. Hall narrowly es-
capped wstery grave while washing the
buggy of his uncle, ThOs Johns. BY this
accident the horse was drowned. All &C.
Cured the same way.
The barouche was a tirst.clsSS one and
the team a valuable one-a pair of elegant
bays, and as good horses as could be found
anywhere.
No blame cant be attached to any person.
The boys have been warned against visit
ing the stable by their parents and the
nM ners, but still they came and the above
is the result.