Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-01-30
SAD OCCURRENCE.
Drowning of j. b. Saunders, Cashier at
the Railroad Freight Office.

the Railroad Freight Office.
About O'Clock yesterday afternoon J. B.
Saunders, cashier at the railroad freight de-
pot, was drowned from the barge Hera,
lying at the San joaquin steamer landing,
between and o streets. He had few
minutes previously inquired at the COM
pany's office whether W. L. Pritchard had
recently purchased hay for his ranch up
river, and received affirmative answer.
He said he was sorry, as friend had for
warded carload of hay from Livermore to
his care, and he would like to sell it. Leav-
ing the office he sauntered down upon the
Hera, as If to take look at the river and
the surroundings. The Hera is living d.
rectly IN front of the landing. and the barge
Denbigh Castle below her, the bow of the
Denblgh coming up to the stern of the
Hera, but inside of her position, and rest
ing on the quarter of another barge, which
is lying against the leyee The position of
the three barges is such that there is
space between the Hera and the
inside barge wide enough to ac-
commodate the Denbigh Castle if she
was hauled up stream. When last seen on
the barge, Mr.. Saunders was standing on the
side OF the Hera nearest the shore, a short
distance from her stern, at the end of lot
OF dunnage (wooden frames, like sections
of portable fence, which are placed on
the deck beneath freight, especially grain.
TO Keep 1t from getting wet, and to allow
air to circulate beneath it,. A hawser led
from the stern of the barge up stream, to
the shore, and passed close to where he
stood. His position when last seen was
such as to make the belief reasonable that
in turning round or moving away he
tripped over the dunnage or the line. lost
his balance, and fell into the stream. Per
sons who were present caught sight of him
as he was descending into the water, or
heard the splash of his fall When he re-
appeared, and was being carried bv the
current down to the Denbigh Castle, forty
feet below, plank was thrown to him, but
he made no effort to reach it. though it
floated alongside of him, and in fact
did not seem to be making any
have any desire to be saved. He
was never able to swim, and it is quite
possible that he was so daZed that he had
no idea of what he should do, but most of
those who saw him believed from his con-
duct that 1t was case of deliberate suicide
He was carried beneath the Denbioh
Castle, and reappeared near her stern, be-
tween the barge and the shore A line was
thrown to him, but he was past reaching
for 1t. He fioated some little distance fur
ther down stream and then disappeared.
There are circumstances that strengthen
the belief that it was case OF sui
eide, such as the fact that at y N. yester-
DAY he took out an accident insurance
policy, in company for which Thomas
Fox is agent, in the sum of 5000; and
Just before going to the steamer landing he
settled up with Mr.. Vandenburgh, Secre-
tary OF Capitol Lodge. l. 0. o. F., of which
he was member for back dues, etc. Nr.
Saunders purchased some time since the
Melvin ranch, of 50 acres, lying back of
the old Harrigan race course. about
three miles from the city, but it is quite
heavily mortgaged to the Union Build
ing and Loan Association. He also owned
q piece of property in town, but owed
citizen about Sl,400. Still his property is
worth considerably more than his indebt-
edness. He had an insurance of $1,000 on
his life in the company which MANY of the
railroad employees belong to. On the sup.
position that he had committed suicide,
Freight Agent Stevens and Travelling Audi
tor Chappell, who happened to be in the
city, passing through, looked over his
books cursorily last night, but found moth
ing irregular. \ thorough examination
will be made. which will occupy two or
three days. Mr.. Saunders had been in the
employ OF the railroad company in this
city about fourteen years. He was very
competent man, quiet, steady, industrious
and reliable generally. His fellow-emploves
and all who knew him liked and respected
him, and universal regret was expressed at
bis untimely decease. He was one of the
last men that would be suspected of sui
cidal tendency, and his friends can hardly
believe that his death was not accidental.
He leaves a wife and four children. 1t was
customary for his son to bring him to the
office in buggy in the morning and return
FOR him in the evening, and last evening,
when it was ascertained that he had been
drowned, the little boy was waiting for
him. He was told that his father was de-
tanned on business and would not be able
to 80 home with him, ans; went back alone.
Subsequently, Messrs. Kelsey and Stanton
went out TO break the sad intelligence 10
Mrs Saunders.