The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1892-09-01
A HORRIBLE FIND.
THE DEAD BODY OF DENNIS BRADLEY
DISCOVERED SUNDAY MORNING

Lying in the Water of the East Creek Un'
der the O, Q. & 8. Railroad Bridge-His
Head Cut From the Forehead to the
Back Of the Neck-petails Of the Sad
Ending ofa Railroad Workman.
Too much bad whiskey is very apt to
be fraught with bad effects. The sad res
suits of over indulgence are caricatured
almost daily in the finding of dead bodies
floating down streams, lying across rail-
way tracks and otherwise. A parallel case
TO many hundreds is that which came to
light Sunday morning through the dis
covery Of the dead body OF Dennis Bradley
railroad laborer, lying face downward
in the water under railroad bridge In
the east end OF town. horrible cash was
cut in the scalp from the forehead, over
the head and down almost to the neck.
No other wounds or injuries were visible.
An open pocket knife lay within few
feet Of the corpse in the water. The body
lay within perhaps foot OF the shore in
only few inches of water. The head
rested between two large stones while the
trunk and legs were partially bent as
though the man had fallen headhrst from
the bridge above and struck the stones
below.
Such, apparently, was the fate of poor
Bradley. The demised workman for a
number of years past has been employed
on the c, c. & S. railway in the work of
grading and general work. During the
last thirteen or more years past he has
made his home with Dave Stewart, a co-
laborer, residing on Warner avenue, near
the C. c. & S. track. Dennis came to this
country from Ireland some twenty years
ago. Although it is not definitely known
ust what age he attained at the time of
the accident, it is surmised by Mr.. Stewart
that he had passed his forty-fifth year.
He came directly to Canton and entered
c. c. & S. railway. Little of his earthly
career is known by the Stewards with
whom he still lived up to Saturday night.
Saturday evening Bradley came home
from his work, and after partaking of
some supper he requested Mrs. Stewart to
which to purchase pair Of
shoes. The lAndiady handed him a
dollar and told him to return to her the
change, IL any there be, after buying them.
He started up town, bought the shoes, and
returned to the Stewart home a short time
thereafter. He entered the house, placed
the package containing the foot-gear OH
the floor and picked up a newspaper
seemingly to read it. Mrs. Stewart was
In the room at the time, and as he ap-
peared buried in the paper she left to do
some work outside. A few minutes after
ward when she again entered the man
was gone. This was about seven o'clock.
As the hour for retiring grew nigh Brad
ley failed to put in an appearance, and
upon locking the house for the night one
of her sons informed the mother that
Dennis had failed to return home. Sus-
pecting that the man had filled up with
liquor and was thus belated in his travel
home ward Mrs. Stewart told her boy TO
keep the front door unlocked for the man.
All night long he remained away.
About half past six o'clock Sunday
morning Mike Wiedman, an employe on
the railroad was making his way east
wardly along the track over the bridge
met with Mr.. Stewart who was on the
same errand. The two men passed each
other just west of the bridge. When
Wiedman reached the eastern end of the
wooden structure across the creek he went
down the enbankment few feet to drink
from spring sizzling forth on the banks
OF the stream. AS he was about to stoop
over he turned his head sideways and
made the horrible discovery of the body
lying in the water only few feet away.
Recognizing the working garb of the man
as that of Bradley and knowing his resi-
dence with the Stewart family he quickly
sprang up the bank and called and whistled
TO Mr.. Stewart who was already several
hundred feet away, but who thereupon
returned and viewed the ghastIy find.
BY this time Joseph O'Brien, John Gill
and the Stewart boy, who were preparing
to go to work, hearing the noise, came
up. Together the five men went down the
sides of the track and the body was
lifted from its watery resting place and
laid on the bank. Stewart called at police
headquarters for assistance to find Coro-
ner Openhimer, and that official accom-
panied by Officer Brisbin went down to
the place and reviewed the remains.
After the body had been taken out of the
water sometime, Brisbin discovered the
open knife belonging to bradley lying
few feet from where the corps lay, with
were few, but a watch filled with water
found on his person indicated that the
works stopped their progress at few
minutes past twelve o'clock. The
we're then taken to McCrea's
establishment from whence
they were taken to the residence of Mr..
Thomas Kinney, section boss, at Al Young
street, from which place the funeral cor
tege wound its way to the English Cath.
ole church, and afterwards the body was
inferred in the church cemetery, Rev. Nc
CURE officiating.
II appears from statements Of those who
were. acquainted with Bradley that he
almost continually INDUCED in liquor,
spending all OF his earnings that way.
just how he happened to meet death In
the awful way in which he did can hardly
be explained. 1t Is probable that while |
his way across the bridge,
the darkness, he sighted the night |
yard shifter coming along toward him,
and in an epdeavor TO get out OF the way,
stepped aside and off the |
bridge into the water, striking his head ON |
The sharp stones below. II il thought he |
an attack from tramps, and In |
order to defend himself he had opened the |
olado OF his knife and while |
Walking carried ID along. Neither |
II the large stones in the water /
below inlicate the least blood spot; their /
ops wers high and dry above the water.
rhe mush worn cloth hat lay several feet /
listant from the body. Asnobody known
appears to have seen the fatal occurrence
10 cause for his fall from the bridge can be
veil advanced. Numerous witnesses have
,een Bubpoened by the coroner and an /
INQUEST will probably be held this after
Ioon in that officials Office,
Mr.. Bradley a number Of times stated to
he Stewards that he had two brothers
amed John and Frank, and sister
AIMED Annie, now married 70 q sea cap