The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-05-18
FLOATED TO THE SURFACE.
Body of the Missing "BOw. Wow
Jack" Found in the Bay.
The Three Longshoremen Held en- Suspicion
Of Murder Released and Rearrested-0nly
Cireumstantial Evidence.

There is no longer any uncertainty about
the fate of John O'Connor, the waterfront
rOunder, known as "Bow-wow jack" who
disappeared on Sunday. tile Stu inst. He
died from drowning, aud after his body re-
NAMED under the waters of the bay for nine
days it foated to the surface and was re-
covered.
AT o'clock yesterday morning Chief
Crowley ordered the release from the City
Prison of j. Hewlett, Charles Hansen and
Phil Hayes. the lOngshoremen who were
held on suspicion Of having pushed O'COn-
nor overheard. The detectives engaged In
investigating the mysterious disappearance
had been unable TO throw any light pom
the affair. For thar reason the Chief de-
cided 10 liberate the accused. holding that
there was no evidence TO connect them with
0ConnOr's disappearance,
Two hours after the trio marched out of
the prison information reached the MOrgue
that 0COnnor's body had been found and
was lying upon JacksOn-street wharf. Half
an hour later it Ieposed on a slab at the
MOTgue
THE BODY FOUND.
The body was discovered by Gus VIII
lams a longshOTeman. He saw the corpse
floating between Washington and Jackson
street wharyes, and In few minutes a
crowd collected. BOatmen went cut and
tOwed the body ashore. When the remains
were lifted 10 the wharf they were Qui ky
identified as those of the missing Bow
wow Jack" The body was in a fair
state Of preservation, and of the clothing
only the hat was missing. A nickel was
the only article found in the pockets Of the
clothing. There were no marks of violence
upon the body, and an autopsy showed that
death was caused by submersiOn.
0Conn0r was % years Old, a native Of
ireland, and lived In little room on Oregon
street. Although a partial 0utcast. he had
many friends along the front. They believe
he was murdered, but ii is more than prob
able that he fell into the bay from Jack
SOn-StTeet wharf while intoxicated. He
was a good swimmer. but entirely helpless
when drunk. While in that state lie is
known to have fallen overheard several
times, but was always discovered in time
to be rescued.
THE SUSPECTS REARRESTED.
When Chief Crowley heard Of the fading
of O'COnnOr's body he caused Hayes, Ham
sen aud Hewlett to again be taken into Gus
tOdy They repeat their denials Of having
thrown Jack overheard. The only evil
dence against them is that they were carous-
ing with OConnor on the afternoon he dis
appeared.
Unless more evidence against the men
than we have at the present time can be
found" said one Of the Investigating off,
GERS. they cannot be convicted. There Is no
direct evidence that they pushed 0'COnnoT
overheard. The only circumstantial evil
deuce is this; He was last seen in the CON-
Dany Of the three accused men near where
the body was found. The men were said to
be enemies Of O'COunOr, and had fought
with him the night before he disappeared.
Hayes was the first to give the information
that O'ConnOr was drowned. and afterward
denied that he knew anything about 1t.
These facts make up a case of circumstau-
tial evidence. Something more definite is
required, however. to fasten the crime Of
murder upOu the accused "