Daily Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1876-1884, 1883-08-15
THE SEA GIVES UP IT'S DEAD !
How Man Drowned Himself for
$1,000 and Didn't Get His Money
Some Ways That were DARK and
Tricks that were Vain.

$1,000 and Didn't Get His Money
Some Ways That were DARK and
Tricks that were Vain.
In August, 1882, an account was pub
lished in the HERALD OF the supposed
drowning of man named Robert
PROXY, at Santa Monica Canon. while
bathing in the surf in the evening, in
company with Isaiah Zeron. They went
in in darkness, leaving their clothing on
the shore with B. Boden.
The men Boden and Zeron, on their
return to Los Angeles, made affidavits,
Of which the following are extracts;
BoDEN's AFFIDAVIT.
On August 2Sth the deceased, Robert
PROXY, a young man named Zeron and
myself went to Santa Monica to look at
the place and battle; never went in
bathing with Mr.. PROXY, as l could not
swim; we stopped at the tent kept on
the beach by Mrs. Witherow; Mr..
PROXY went m bathing every day; on
Angus. 80, 1882, between Sand O'Clock
P. NJ, | was on the beach near the
clothes Of Mr.. PROXY and those of Mr..
Zeron; Mr.. PROXY went into the water
ahead of Mr.. Zeron; cautioned them
not to go out too far as the water
was rough; Mr.. PROXY said he could
swim to the buoy and back, and swan
out ahead Of Mr.. Zeron; heard Mr..
PROXY cry out for help; Mr.. PROXY and
Zeron were alone in the water; the
breakers were so high / did not see
Mr.. PROXY after his cries for help; Mr..
Zeron soon swan in said he could not
find Mr.. PROXY, and Zeron hurried off
for help; l remained with the clothes;
have never since seen the body of Mr..
PROXY or heard Of any one who claims
to have seen it. There are devil-fish--
one was caught recently at that spot
forty feet long-snd o great many shark
in the bay at Santa Monica; the ocean is
there so even in its shore as to form very
little of bay; the kelp was four or five
feet thick and very extensive at the
place where Mr.. PROXY was lost; per-
sons are frequently drowned by getting
it tangled around their feet; Just after
August Both the amount of the kelp
prevented bathing
zERoN's AFFIDAVIT.
Isaiah Zeron. being first duly sworn,
duly deposes and says: My name is
Isaiah Zeron; my age is hirty-five years;
| was born in Osnaburg, Canada =;
came to Los Angeles in August, 1882;
August 28th went to Santa Monica, q
seaside resort in Los Angeles county; l
had met Robert PROXY while in San
Francisco and the next day after reach
ing Los Angeles; wespoke together each
time and several times afterwards; on
August 2sth, 1882, Mr.. PROXY, Mr.. B.
Boden and myself went to Santa Monica
together; we stopped at private board
ing house kept by Mrs. Witherow in
tent on the beach; went in bathing
alone first time; later in the day of the
28th Of August Mr.. Robert PROXY went
into bathing together with me; again on
the 10Th OF August We two went into
bathing together for third time; Robert
PROXY and myself went into bathing
together between eight and nine
O'Clock on the evening of the
Both Of August, 1882; Mr.. B. Bo-
den was on the beach by our clothes, but
did not go in bathing; Mr.. PROXY swan
out some distance; l was nearer shore.
| heard him cry for help. and started out
to where he was, but was dashed I'M
der by the breakers; the swell was roll
ing very high; / at first saw him beyond
the breakers, then lost sight Of him;
could hear him calling out after lost
sight OF him. swan out as far as l
dared 60, but do not think was out as
far as he was at the time he was
drowned; could find nothing Of him;
then hastened to the Old Santa Monica
Canon, and tried to get boat and help;
they did not have boat, but Mendel
Meyer, and fifteen or twenty other men,
came down and assisted in searching the
shore; the tide was coming in (rising) at
the time Mr.. PROXY was drowned. The
next day, August 3lst, Indian Pete, and
Others, Owed and searched as thoroughly
as practicable for the body for miles up
and down the beach; /, with others,
searched for the body, but without sue
cess. l have not seen, nor have heard
of any one who claims to have seen, the
body Of Robert PROXY since he sank in
the Pacific Ocean. between eight and
nine o'clock Pm. Of August 80, 1882. /
know that the person who sank crying
for help, and who was lost at that time,
was Robert PROXY.
His clothing lay on the beach and was
returned to Mrs. PROXY, who lived in
East Los Anoe,as and who ;dsnt;f.d
81. - -s ~
..e s""'' anu "ssaie' iepor'er Vi sAe
HERALD tnat ne TOOK no other suit with
him, and hence she concluded he was
dead.
a. a. u.u.s - ...n,.:.
=" '"o s''o's'n Vi 'neso anuavi's sue
attempted to collect OF the knights OF
Honor $1,000, and of the Legion of
Honor * ono more for the berst;t aua
a,.,
no' nus'anu ~ 'ase ~ uea'n' from eacn
company. These affidavits were so un-
reasonable that the societies, both Of
which ware in Taxas refnsed n nav .ha
-. r-' Wv
oiai'h. NO" ~ turns ou' tha' IL. was
pnt-up job, as will be seen by the fol-
lowing letter written by the drowned
ma, h;m.s,f from, wh;ch -. n;vs ~
- -, 81,
TRACTS taken from the lexas was
Pointer Of August 4, 1888.
,vrrr, or .,onv
- SOL
Ell MONTE, Los Angeles Co., CAL,
July 27,-.
Mr.. scRuoes-Dear Sir; Oh. that
could AZ of old. call YOU brotheri Oh
nv God. forgive me. but INV friends
never will! o, | have done so bad--left
NV dear little family. and I am satisfied
now, without a cause. Oh, / have de.
ceived them and INV friends. and sinned