The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-08-04
WENTDOWNIN THE SURF
THE DROWNING OF P. sTOVALL
HENRY AT TYBEE BEACH.


The Body Washed Up on the Beach at
North End Early Yesterday Morning.
The Supposirion of Foul Play Set
Aside by the Facts-The Coroners
InvestIzation-The story OF the
| Drowning.
The body Of P. Stovan Henry Of Augusta
was found on Tybee North beach near the
photographic station between and D
o'clock yesterday morning.
Henry aud a party Of friends, Frank
! Robbie. William Goode, Charles Blount,
| W. Southall and Thomas ShArkey, came
down from Augusta Sunday for day IS sport
at the seashore. They had dinner at Lanes
Beach house, and topped it off with beer.
Then the party decided to take bath.
They went into the surf together, but
were soon separated in the crowd of baUhers
In about an hour Goode, Robbie, Blouut,
Soutball and Sharkey left the water, and
after dressing themselves, looked around for
Henry, whom they supposed had come out
ahead Of them. He was nowhere around,
aud his companions made up their minds
that he was still enjoying q swim, and
were not concerned.
mISNEO b1 hlo COMfANlONS.
A half hour passed and they began to get
anxious and went down on the beach to
see if he was among the bathers
He wasn't there and they made inquiries
None Of the bathers had seen any one an
swering Henry's description. The young
mems excursion tickets compelled their re-
turn to the city on the 4:53 o'clock train.
They told Proprietor Lane and the police of
the disappearance of Henry and inquiry
was made until all the bathers were out
Of the water. The real search for Henry
began about 10 o'clock when the police and
a number of citizens began patrol OF the
beach from the Hotel Tybee to the old
wharf
THE BODY FOUND.
When the searchers were about to give
up hope of finding Henry some Of them
came upon the body lying face downward,
half buried In the sand. Blood was running
out of the left ear, the hair was matted with
blood, and the forehead and nose we're
skinned.
Every one jumped at the conclusion that
there had been foul play, and the fact Of
Henry's companions leaving the island
without waiting to find out what had be-
come of him added confidence to the theory.
The body was taken to police headquarters
aud message sent to Coroner Dixon. All
sorts of rumors were set afloat IN the city
about Henry's death, and these lost nothing
in their travels. Some had it that two
wounds we're found in the back Of the head,
one as il made by knife and the other by
g blunt instrument Others had heard that
the entire back part of the skull was crushed
ia.
These rumors were not alone confined to
the city but Fybee residents had them as
well. When Coroner Dixon arrived he was
met by the stories Of q cruel murder, and
some Of the police informed him that there
were two holes in the drowned mans head.
THE OoRoNER's INVESTIGATION.
The coroner examined the body carefully
and announced that there were no bruises
or cuts other than those made by It's beating
on the leach with the tide. and proved this
to the spectators by washing away the
blood and showing the skull. After care
full investigation he decided an inquest un-
necessary and sent the body TO his under
| taking rooms on the noon train.
Word OF the drowning was telegraphed
| to Augusta and shortly after Henry's
mother telegraphed Coroner Dixon to have
the body prepared for burial and shipped TO
Augusta, which was done last night.
The theory advanced by many people IS
that Henry attempted to swim 10 the wreck
of the fishing schooner, which lies on the
point, ami thes he was drowned in the at
tempt. SWIMMING TO the wreck has been
a favorite amusement with bathers at ~
bee for some time. Sunday before last two
young mea performed the feat and boat
had TO be sentlout to bring them baos
Henry was young man five feet nine
inches in hight. weighing about 40 pounds.
! he was what would be termed a good looking
blonde, with light hair and sandy nous
| taChe,