The record-union., 1891-05-23
DROWNED In THE RIVER.
Young Alfred Parsons Believed to be
Dead.
He Attended the Moonlight Excursion
and Has Not Been Seen Since
Fell Overheard.

Recollections of the jolly time that was
had on the Young Mems Institutes
moonlight excursion on the river
Wednesday evening will be forever
marred by the fact that an unfortunate
accident happened just after the boat ar
rived on the return trip.
1t is believed that the victim of the
accident was young Alfred Parsons, son
Of James Parsons, the tailor.
Young Parsons was among the excur-
slonists, and was one of tie iolliest
aboard. On the return trip, it appears. he
wearied of dancing and merry-making,
and-the evening being balmy and pleas
ant-laid down at the bow of the boat
outside of the railing and fell asleep. a.
number of his friends saw him there, but
not thinking that he was in any danger
of falling overheard paid no attention to
him.
PARSONS MISSING.
When the boat arrived. everybody
was IN hurry to get home, and in the
rush young Parsons friends forgot to
arouse him. In fact, they forgot all about
him, and probably supposed that he had
taken care of himself
When the young man did not put in an
appearance at his home that night his
parents were not particularly alarmed as
they supposed that the boat had arrived
late and that he had probably stopped
down town. But when he did not come
home all of the next day nor Thursday
night they began to get anxious and
make inquiries for him.
Nobody had seen him, and what added
to the relatives anxiety, nobody even
knew what had become of him,
SAW HIM FALL.
Yesterday. however, young man
named George Bronner, who was one of
the barkeepers on the excursion steamer,
called on Mr.. Parsons and told him that
he had seen a young man, who was
dressed the same as young Parsons fall
from the steamer into the river that
night. 1t was about half an hour after
all the excursionists had left the boat
when Bronner happened out on the deck
and saw the young man cropping about in
the dark as II trying to get over the rail-
ing and on to the deck proper. Bronner
called out to him, but he either did not
hear him or else paid no attention. The
next instant Bronner saw him stumble
and fall headlong off the boat into the
river river He fell through the open space
between the barge (which had been
lashed to the steamer for dancing) and
the steamer.
Bronner called for help, but the deck
hands thought he was joking and would
not heed his calls. He then ran to the
side of the steamer in the hope that he
might throw rope over to the young
man, but could see no signs of him.
DISTRACTED RELATIVES.
The parents and relatives of young
Parsons, particularly the aged father.
were nearly beside themselves with grief
yesterday and last night. The father en-
gagged several boatmen last evening to
grapple the river for the remains of his
boy. They worked up to late hour. but
did not succeed in finding the body, it
probably having been carried down the
river by the current. A black Derby hat,
such as the young man wore, was found,
however, by some fishermen. The search
will be resumed to-day
THE ONLY WITNESS.
George Bronner, the young man who
saw Parsons go overheard, was inter
viewed by a RECORD UNION reporter last
night at his place of employment, corner
of Fifteenth and L streets.
Every body had left the boat he said.
except we barkeepers and the deck
hands. We were packing up and were
about ready to leave, when went upstairs
into the cabin for something and hap
pened to go out on the hurricane deck.
l noticed man out on the bow of the
boat, who seemed to be trying to get over
the rall1ng-he being on the outside of
it at the time. / was afraid that he would
fall overheard, and called out to him to
wait and would come and help him. but
/ don't think he heard me- | stood there
and watched him for q few seconds. and
saw him stumble and fall. He pitched
headforemost into the river between the
steamer and the barge. I ran down
stairs as quickly as 1 could and informed
the deckhands of what had happened,
but they only laughed at me, and said /
had been drinking too much of nv own
liquor. L tried to convince them that I
was serious, but they would not believe
me. They said that
EVERYBODY HAD LEFT
The boat, and guessed that / had imag-
ined what / saw. could do nothing and so
as to avoid chatting, said nothing more
about 1t. The next day, however, I got
TO thinking the matter over, and remem-
bered that Parsons was dressed as was
the man / saw go overheard, / made in
qulrles around town for Parsons, and
when l could find no one who knew
where he was, or had seen him, | con-
Guided to report it to Parsons father"
James Parsons, the father, when seen
by reporter last night, said there was
no doubt that the young man who had
fallen overheard was his son. The de-
scription given by Bronner fitted Alfred
exactly, and besides the fact that the
young man had not been seen was con-
vincing.
Alfred Parsons is twenty-four years of
age, and was born in this city.