Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1895-05-23
MAN AND HORSE DROWNED.

A Fatal Drive Taken by John McKeown
of Sewark-He Drove Down to Orange
Street Wharf Friday Night and into the
Christiana-Mun and Horse Drowned
Tho Formers BODY Not Recovered.
About midnight Friday night Policeman
kelleher saw a team consisting of u horse
and buggy, which was being driven by
John Mckeown of Newark, plunge head
long into the Christiana at Orange street
wharf. The team was recovered about 0
o'clock Saturday morning near French
street wharf.
John MuAIanus, William 7. Green and
James +. Devlin were graphing on the
bottom, when the graphing irons detected
the presence OF the team. The tug Taurus
was summoned and towed the horse and
carriage to Shipley street wharf. where
they were removed from the water. The
carriage was taken in charge by some one
unknown to the men who found it, and
the horse was taken out in the afternoon by
A. ID. VandevGr.
MCkeown h9d worked for d. G. Sterling.
the proprietor of the Washington Hotel
stables at Newark for the past three
months, and at $50 o clock Friday night he
left that town with one of Sterling's teams
and came To Wilmington to see his mother
who resides here.
ltis thought that he drank pretty heavily
while in the city and that he was i'll a
stupor when his team went overheard.
Policeman Lucas saw him in the carriage
driving past Fourth and Pine streets early
i'll the evening. The officer says he had
his feet up on the dashboard and thut the
horse was moving leisurely along. The
man. however, did not appear to be very
drunk. and seemed to he awake, A short
time afterward Lucas saw the team stand,
ing in front of a saloon at Front and
Market streets, and he thought McKeowu
must be in the place drinking, as he proba.
bly, was.
AT about 1l.40 o'clock Patrolman Kel-
lehcr saw McKeown and his team moving
| leisurely along Second street near Orange.
| When the latter street was reached the
team turned down toward Front The
officer suspected that the man was under
the influence of liquor, and he followed.
| The policeman saw the carriage still going
| on down Orange street toward the railroad,
| and as a train was approaching he hastened
to catch 1t. The train came laundering
along just before the team reached the
crossing, and the team crossed the track
after the train had passed, The horse
started TO run, probably being frightened
by the tram. The officer also started tc
run, knowing what danger awaited the
vehicle and occupant ii they did not stoT
before the wharf was reached.
The officer failed to reach the wharf in
time and the whole thing plunged in the
water within his hearing. He could no
distinguish very plainly, but in all instant
after the splash was heard he was on thG
wharf and could see nothing, but coulC
hear bubbles. He at once notified the sta
ton of the occurrence and search wa'
instituted Immediately.
II is thought likely that McKeown
struck his head on something when h,
went over, and was probably in dying
T..
This is only surmise, however, and moth
ing definite is known about him. Th'
search was continued all night, but with
out result.
When the horse and carriage were fount
Saturday the vehicle was lying on tn
bottom and had evidently been rollinl
over in its course down from Orange stree
TO French. The dashboard of the. bugg.
was broken off and the shafts and tol
were badly wrecked.
The animal was valued at about $500 b.
the owner, 1t was a dapplc gray and wa
one OF a pair which were capable OF grea
speed. The buggy was worth Sl75 whel
new.
Orange street wharf is solid masonr,
and there is no protection from the water
consequently when the team reached
there was no obstruction and it went righ
over
The square from the railroad to th
wharf is long one and at night is prett
dark, and it is quite likely that the drivei
even if he was awake, WAS so bewildere
that he did not know where he was
1t is said that The railroad gates were Il
at the time, as it is customary not to clos
them at night, there being no business o
the wharf after dark.
Mckeown's were found about 3 o'cloc
Saturday afternoon at the bottom of til
Christiana. by William r. Green, job
, McManus and William Campbell. The
came across the body short distance b
low the wharf.
9 An inquest was held by Deputy Coront
Chandler, the verdict being as follows:
Rssoipfd, That the deceased, John B. NJ
koOwn, came to his death on the night Of Nj
g lith, 1895, by accidentally driving over Il
4 wharf at Orange street on the Chrisliana ere,
{ and drowning.
!. The unfortunate mans body was r
S moved to the home of his mother, Seveni
a and Church streets. The funeral toe
S place Monday morning at Old Swed
v cemetery.