Milford chronicle., 1891-07-24
Drowned at Benefits Pier.

William Hopkins, better known as
Fisher, was drowned in the Delaware
Bay near Benefits Pier, about twelve
miles from Milford, on Sunday last
There lies a mystery, apparently Hop
\ kius was a iuulatto lad about eighteen
! years of age and at the time OF his death
was living with Justus Lowery, who has
shanty at the pier and commands a
I fishing crew. On Saturday night last Mr..
| Lowerv came to Milford and left the boy
! in charge OF the place and to look after
the boats and seines, charging him par
ticularly not to take any of the boats out
into the bay nor to let anyone else do so.
| The next heard FROM the boy by his EN-
ployer was on Monday after his dead
body had been picked up on shore by
Daniel Watson and James Fisher about
ten o'clock Deputy Coroner Hill, Of
Kent county, empanelled jury and held
an inquest OH Tuesday morning. After
hearing the evidence of Daniel Watson,
who is supposed to be the last person
that saw him alive, which was on Sunday
morning. the jury rendered verdict Of
death from accidental drowning" Ac-
cordiug to Mr. Watson's evidence, he
saw the boy bailing water out Of the
Sunday morning. He then left the shore
and this was the last seen Of the boy alive.
When about a minutes walk from the
shore he met John Allen, Harry Heava-
low and George Salmous going toward
the bay. When this was known the jury
concluded to withhold the verdict until
these witnesses were heard, and they adj
iourned to meet in Squire Cullen's Office
on Wednesday afternoon at ? O'Clock.
This meeting was held behind locked
doors, and when a representative Of the
CHRONICLE applied for admission, he
was politely waved away by one of the
Jury. The evidence was obtained, how
ever, Notwithstanding this action, con-
trary to the usual custom, if not law The
first one of the trio called was John Al
len, who being sworn said, he in company
with his companions, reached the shore
between 9 and 10 O'Clock on Sunday
Morning last, and when he reached there
the boat was empty, the foot-board and |
spreet were gone. The boat was in about |
SIX feet of water They secured a small |
skiff and went to the boat, then towed it !
ashore and bailed the water out. As
they were coming III the oar struck some |
object but did not know what it was He
also told of meeting Mr. Watson near
he shore. Harry Heavalow and George
5almous we're then called and corrobor-
ited Aliens statement in every particu-
ar Salmous added, however, that the
water was not deep enough to drown any
body. That is the true facts Of the case
Is they now stand. There is some ques
ion as to how the boy could tall over
BOARD and drown in such shallow wafer, as
t is said to have been, i'll such short
ime as is testified by the witnesses. It
,ould not have been more than fifteen or
wenty minutes from the time that Wat
on saw him alive and well until the other
hree witnesses reached the boat only to
ind it empty and part ofitgone. These
hings might have been gone before the
,oat was taken from shore, but that does
lot explain the suddenness of the acct
lent. The verdict of the jury will have
o satisfy the doubtful minds as to whether
t was an accident or not. No signs of
oul play could be found on the body.
rhe remains were inferred in Levi (col-
red Cemetery on Tuesday.