Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-06-10
CAUGHT IN A SEINE.
Linus J. VOTERS Body Fonnd In the
Clear Fork.
The Ooroner's Jury Return the Verdict
Accidentally Drowned"

The search for The body of Linus J.
Walters who was drowned In the Clear
fork on Sunday was continued yes
terday morning. Mr.. J. w. wilkins
of this city and several others resumed
the search at an early hour, and after
procuring a seine, succeeded in find
ing the body about $50 yards below
where the accident occurred.
The testimony yesterday afternoon
before Justice Sam Furman SHOWS con-
clusively that the unfortunate young
mans death was the result of an acci-
dent. John Il. Lahane, who was the
bosom friend of the deceased, was Wis
IDLY affected while on the witness
stand. He spent several hours night
before last wadipg about in the river,
vainly searching for his dead friend,
and when the body was found shortly
after IL o'clock yesterday he tenderly
took 1t up in his arms, carried it out on
the bank and covered 1t with wilder
ness of green leaves to hide its ghastli-
ness.
Mr.. Wilkins deserves praise for his
energy in hunting for and finding the
body. No blame can be attached tC
| any WIG tliC rttu L LIZ
following is an abstract of the testi
mony before Justice Furman yesterday
, afternoon:
JOHN +. LAHANE
being sworn testified as follows: ~
knew the dect ased. He was twenty
three years old. l last saw him aliv,
about five minutes to four o'clock yes
terday afternoon. Five of us went dowr
to the river to battle. When we go
to the river and stripped of he re
marked that he could not swim. / said
why, Wolters, you told me last summe
you could swim" He laughed and sale
he could swim a little. Where l go
in water it was little over my knee
. about twenty yards down.. My broth
: er, Hoffman and Monarch followed
/. in short time. We swan about on
hundred and fifty yards down tn
river while Wolt.rs remained in thu
shallow part. Mr.. Monarch, brothe
and 1 got out on the bank to dive. Mr.
hoffman could not swim back agains
the strong current, and he wake,
back to where we entered the water
and as he walked back he cautione,
Wolters to keep in the shallow water
8 on the south bank of the river
y We looked and saw tn
If deceased swimming towards us
a We laughed and said, Wolters foole,
us badly about not swimming, but w
cautioned him to keep on the soutl
bank. l said, 'Wolters will also hel
II you.' He never answered. Shortl
T after, when about thirty feet from us
: he stopped. apparently treading water
and said, Boys, Pm tired threw bac
his head and went down. We sti
thought he was fooling US
but seeing he did ne
le come up, l dived in after him. Di
y not see any signs of him. When
y came up inquired If they saw hin
came to Fort Worth and informe
the officers of the occurrence. Woltel
had swum about fifty yards when b
ar sank. The deceased and / were fir
~ friends. had roolned with him 81,
~ teen months, and we were almost lik
10 brothers. ] saw his body shortly aft,
% it was found, about one o'clock to-da,
The body was found about $50 yar(
!, below where the accident occurre,
~ There were no bruises or marks
eo violence on his body. carried 1t out
water and covered it with leaves"
j. w. WILKINS
was sworn and testified: "Did ~
know deceased / went with thr
men to look for the body this mornin
We had boat and pole to feel arour
zee on the bottom with. / came with M
no Lahane and got Mr.. Flint's seine
III this city. We made a couple of dra
IN without success. Then We went abo
,m where he was drowned and cor
,ei menced to drag down the streal
lu We caught the body on Il
ny third drag, about half aft
OK u O'clock. No marks of violence we
rs on the body. was the first man w
touched the body after it was foun
The water was about ten feet de
where we found the body"
at S. ]. Monarch was sworn, and CT
ove roborated Mr.. Lahane's testimony.
IL, Thos. Hoffman testified: II W
alb about twenty five feet from him VIII
of he went down. / noticed he was n
using his feet while swimming. d
not see him sink or hear him say al
% thing before he sank"
nra Jerry Lahane testified in corrobo
ton of the other witnesses.
, The verdict of the coroner's ju
was to the effect that the deceased cal
to his death from accidental drownil
SUI Naxv Suudoy- CnbonI