Sacramento daily record-union., 1888-11-08
WAS HE DROWNEDs
Tho Empty Boat in Which George w
Van Meter Went Ont

van meter went Out.
From the collection OF facts given below 1t
would appear almost certain that George W.
Van Meter was drowned in the Sacramento
river on Tuesday, about three miles below the
railroad bridge. On that evening two boys came
to the station house and informed Chief Lee
that they had found All empty boat floating in
the river. and had brought it to the bank near
the city prison. 1t contained a pair of oars, a
clean, white polka dot shirt, lady's rubber
gossamer. soiled and worn, and black Derby
hat with the name of G. W. Van Meter
stamped on the lining These articles were
taken TO the Chiefs Office, and officers were in
structed to find out. if possible. who the owner
was.
Yesterday morning the following letter was
received at this office:
November g. 1885
EDS RECORD UNION: 1 was up on the west
side OF sacramento river this afternoon hunting
and whea was about three miles above the
bridge and near the river, | heard some one
calling for help (as thoughi) SO [ ran to the
could see was a boat drifting down the river
near the east bank, and as l could see no one
any where l started back TO town, but lost my
way in the willows. and being stranger in this
country did not fiud nv way back till late in
the evening, and as have to leave Sacramento
on to-night's train 1 thought it my duty to let
you or some one know what | had heard and
seen, for l am of the opinion some one got
drowned. Respectfully, WM. a. Collins
The letter was shown to Chief Lee yesterday
morning, and tended 10 oispel the impression
that Van Meter had committed suicide. About
the same time yourg man named J. W. Irwin,
who resides with his mother in Washington,
came over and claimed the boat lie said that
the boat was hired on Tuesday morning by a
well dressed man about twenty-five or thirty
years of age, who said that he wanted it for
about two hours, to have a row on the river
The stranger wore black derby hat and car
ried bundle under his arm. He left his over
coat at Mrs. Twins house, and it was subse-
quently brought over and delivered to the
Chief of Police. Young Irwin says that the
gossamer was not in the boat when the stranger
took it, unless he had it in the bundle.
In the pocket of the coat was found number
of letters which no doubt establish the identity
of the young man who got the boat. One letter
was dated at Texas Nine Redding, shasta
county, October LIST, and signed by 4. G. Hart.
offering Van Meter employment and informing
him that arrangements would be made for
boarding himself ana wife. white envelope,
addressed Mrs Jennie Van Meter Napa, Cal,
with staIno affixed had no letter in it.
There was g. letter addressed to Dr. NJ. Z. Van
Meter. Red Bluff, stamped, but not sealed,
which read as follows:
" November 6, 1885.
az wrote you letter this morning, but for
got to tell you to send me all the tax receipts for
that property, as the man who bought it wants
them. Send them TO San Francisco.
Your brother, GEORGE w. VAN METER"
There was one letter from his wife, dated
Nspa. October g. 1888, and addressed TO him at
San Francisco, in which she begs him to send
for her and give her home OF her own. She
asks when he intends to leave San Francisco
and get work, and if he is going to sell his prop
erty.
There Is considerable mystery surrounding
the disappearance of this young man, and it Is
pose of leading the public TO believe that he had
been drowned.