The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1885-05-11
SUSPENSE ENDED.
Finding of the Bodies Of Fred v. R0g.
ers and Gilbert l.. Parker---Cir-
cumstances of the Recovery.

WHICH answered. the uescfiptiou Vi rIcu
V. Rogers, drowned In company with Gil
bert L. Parker in the Mississippi on the
night of April 9th, but at the hour of 60
ing TO press the identity of the body had
not been established.
u was about 10 o'clock. Saturday fores
noon when message came to the central
telephone station in Davenport from
Montpelier. fifteen miles below that city,
that body had been found near there
which was believed TO be that of one of
the lost young men. The operator who
received the message communicated the
news to intimate friends of the deceased
idstead of their fathers, that iden>
LITIGATION might be certain be-
fore hopes were raised; so Glen
ent Putnam and Leon Allen. mem
bers of the canoe club, were informed of
1t. They left for Montpelier Immediately,
arriving there at 2 o'clock, and made their
way to the river side, where the body was
in charge of Sylvester Mounts, a rivers
man, who had discovered it,
Both the young men recognized it at
once as Ferd. Rogers. They could have
identified it by the features, which had
been wonde rfully preserved, even If the
clothing, the Rutgers college society
badge on the lapel of the vest, and the
watch and chain had not been with it.
Mr.. Mounts had been engaged three
weeks in searching for the bodies At
$50 Saturday morning he rowed down
the channel from Buffalo, and skirted
along the shore of big island, and on the
shore of the island not far from its head.
and opposite little island which it sepa
rated from it by but about twenty yards,
he discovered the body on the shore
with the feet in a drift. where the wind
and waves had carried it.
Mr. Mounts conveyed the body to
Montpelier, and word was telephoned to
Davenport, as stated. In the evening
Coroner Austin, of Muscatine county, ar
rived, summoned jury, who returned a
verdict of death by accidental drown
ing" The body was placed in casket
and brought to Davenport, where it was
delivered to the stricken father and other
relatives of the deceased. The young mans
gold watch was still on his person, and
on opening it. it was found that it had
stopped at exactly 7:30 o'clock, showing
that the accident occurred not later than
fifteen minutes from the time the young
men were last seen on the shore at Rock
ingham.
The funeral services of young Rogers
were held at the residence of Hon. J. N .
Rogers in Davenport, yesterday after
noon. The remains will be taken to War
wick, Orange county, New York, for in
terment, near the mother, who died
about twenty years ago.
At o'clock Saturday evening Chief
Kessler, of Davenport received a tele-
gram from the city marshal at Fl Madi-
SOD, stating body had been found float
ing near the town, clad in dark clothing,
with check neck tie, u silver watch and
rubber chain, and letters in a pocket ad-
dressed to G. L.. Parker. Knowing that
the father of the deceased had gone to
Montpelier in hope of gaining tidings OF
the body of his son, as that of his COM
panion had been recovered there; the
chief boarded the train for the southwest
which was just leaving. and, fortunately,
met Mr.. Parker in the depot at Montpe-
lier. He told him his mission, gave him
the telegram, and Mr.. Parker went on
with the train to Fl. Madison.
To the GOODNESS of the water is gener-
ally attributed the concealment of the
bodies until now. Another reason, how'
ever, is that the bodies were held beneath
the water by substances which gathered
upon them, and that but for the furiou:
winds of Friday and the day before, which
stirred the water up. the bodies would
never have been found. When discovered
they were fully 1870 miles apart.
Mr.. Parker reached Fit. Madison Sun,
day morning, identified the body as that
of his son, and arrived at the G., B. & @
depot in this city with the remains al
10:45 this morning. Mr.. Parker was mel
at the depot here by his son, ]. NJ Parker
and by Mersrs. Allen, Lafferty, Katz
Putnam and Hammatt, of the Irawaddi
canoe club, who took charge of the body
and conducted it to Davenport.
The body was found by boatmar
Saturday morning. and the members O
the Fl. Madison canoe club believing il
to be that of Parker, took it in charge
until Mr.. Parker's arrival The funera
services will probably be held at Mr..
Parker's house in Davenport tomorrow
morning.
The story of the distressing affair
which caused the untimely death of thu
two estimable young men, is too deepl!
| imnrpssed unon the minds of all to neet
repetition here, and now that the bodie
have been recovered, it is something o
relief to know that the mourning par
ents will have the privilege, melanchol!
as it is, of administering the last deel
tokens; with their own hands TO commi
the bodies to their final resting place.
A Uivnree