The Lamar register., 1892-04-23
AS OTHERS SEE US.
- Arkansas Valley
s. SuAGSSgnS e 3 OF
lea missing and sup
Z posed to be Dead
t in the Ditch.
An Accident that cost at least
one Life, if not two.
The coronor's jury and Searching
Parties still looking for
Further Evidence.

A. Fl. Harmon, an old Prowers county
farmer, was found dead on the banks Of
the Amity canal, yesterday afternoon
The report was brought in at about five
o'clock. Coroner Woodcock Immediately
summoned jury consisting Of S. H.
Coxhead, Silas Martin, T. L. Denny, G.
A. Watson, H. I. Henry and W. G. Nc
Curry. These, in company with Deputy
District Attorney Butler and the writer,
repaired to the scene, starting at six
o'clock yesterday evening. -
The body was found within twenty \
feet of the Amity canal, two miles west
of Koen's Hardscrabble ranch house, and
very near the Bent county line. John
De Lea's wagon was found in the ditch,
upset.
Harmon, John De Lea and Daniel
McHugh, who all live northwest of La
mar, were in town on Thursday and left
for home at about four o'clock in the af-
ternoon. They are reported to have been
under the influence of liquor when they
left.
F. B. Koen and F. E. Irwin, who hap
pened near the scene Of the disaster,
discovered the body and found the wagon
in the ditch. The horses were still fast
ened to the wagon. Mr.. Koen remained
to free them, while the others left for
town to report to the coroner.
The accident is supposed to have oc-
cured at about o'clock Thursday even
ing. McHugh, who succeeded in getting
out of the water, reached Koen's house
at about half past eight, and reported
that he had fallen out of wagon into
the ditch, near the ditch bridge just
north of the ranch. In fact they were
nearly two miles from the bridge when
the accident occurred. They did not
cross the bridge, but continued on the
south side until fence crossing the
ditch made return necessary, but it
seems they persisted in going ahead and
must have urged the horses over the
bank. The bank was about five feet
high and there was almost three feet of
water in the ditch. The wagon was up
set, turning everything under it save the
unfortunate occupants.
Harmon's clothes were wet and muddy
when found. This fact and tracks over
the bank, to where his body was found,
indicated that he crawled out OF the
water, and that after he got nearly over
the bank, he fell, in his stupor, and there
died from chill and exposure, or from in
ternal injuries that he may have received.
A purse with twenty five cents, a watch
and bottle of whiskey partly empty,
was found on his person. The watch
had stopped at 1890.
John De Lea has not been found. The
supposition is that he was drowned, and
that the swift current of the canal
washed his body down stream, or that
he got out and perished in the attempt
to find shelter. W. c. McCurry and G.
A. Watson were at his home last night
and Mrs. De Lea had heard nothing
from him. The water will be turned out
of the ditch to-day, and strict search wiH
be made.
The dead man, A. H. Harmon, was
member of Kit Carson Post, G. A. R.,
man of about sixty years of age. He
was widower and lived alone about
eight miles mort west of Lamar. He was
man of more than average intelligence,
of unquestioned integrity but miser-
able slave to whiskey. His sister from
Arizona, a widow about seventy years Of
age, stopped off here last Sunday to visit
him, and is now at his house.
John De Lea lives, or lived about fif-
teen miles northwest of Lamar in Bent
county. His family consists of his wife
wife and two boys. He is an old soldier
and about fifty years of age. ,,
The coroner's jury has not yet COM
pleted its inquest as they are waiting for
witnesses and the report OF the search
ing party that started out this morning
to look for John De Lea.
LATER.-3. P. NJ. Word has just been
received that the body of John DeLea
has been found in the canal, about 200
feet below the place where the accident
occurred. -