The Newtown bee., 1895-08-02
Affairs About Town.
DROWNING OF MATTHEW HEAVY.

DROWNING OF MATTHEW HEAVY. A SAD oCCURRENoE.-DRo IN THE
 PoHTATUCK STREAM NEAR THE BLACK
 BRIDGE, THE SCENE OF A LARGE NUM-
 BIER OF SIMILAR FATALITIES.
 Once again is chronicled ''Death from drowning" and the scene, near the place where at least 10 other people have met the same fate. This time the unfor tunatG person was Matthew Leavy, an honest-hearted man, 70 years of age, who had retired from active service and was comfortable on a snug little farm, the first place on the right on this same road on which the Black bridge is located, but beyond the bridge some distance, and up on the hill west of the lower Rubber shop.
 Matthew Leavy, although an elderly man, was an habitual early riser, and frequently left the house as soon as it was light enough to see. On Monday morning he rose up early as usual and left the house some time between and 4 o'clock. At 7 o'clock he had not return ed, and while hls home people thought it little strange, they had no apprehen- sion but that he was safe and sound at one of the neighbors, for he sometimes visited them, and had talked of it the day before. But when the hours passed by and he did not return they became anxious and his son Thomas made tour of the places he thought he would be H. able to visit, during the morning, but could find no trace of him.
 At noon the anxiety for his safety prompted his sons to instigate a vigorous search as to his whereabouts and the af- ternoon was spent by them anxiously looking for the father in every direction. Hope was nearly abandoned of finding him and it was getting to be after 5 o'clock in the afternoon when Thomas who was crossing what is known as the Black bridge down in the Glen, saw what he thought to be his fathers soft felt hat floating on the water just below the bridge. Closer inspection proved it tt be his fathers hat. At once, fearins what might have happened, he hastenet home to his mother. In the meantim, his other brother, Matthew Leavy, ii company with James Lester, procured al iron rake to drag the bottom of the pom at the place where the hat was found Tying rope to the rake MT Lester threy it out into the water, and commence drawing it to land. He felt that he ha caught something and carefully bringin
 the rake to the shore he found that h had a branch on the rake and on tn
 branch was the lifeless body of Matthe, Leavy, one end of the branch havin
 caught in his vest. It was about 5.3 o'clock when the body was found.
 It was singular circumstance that a
 the first trial he should have caught tn
 branch, for it was in 20 feet of water and the water is so black that you car 7 not see into it at all.
 How MT Leavy got into the water vii i never be known, but as he was man o comfortable circumstances, had pleas , ant home, and as far as is known ther Is no reason for supposing it was an, act of his. It is supposed that he was ol , his way to see Thomas Bradley who live in the Glen. Just across the Black bridg is steep and slippery path that is
 short cut up to where MT Bradley lives It is supposed that either in getting un der the railing or in climbing along tn steep bank at this place he lost his foot ing and fell down into the water. H
 was somewhat feeble and could not hay helped himself much, and might easil, have drowned, for the water is very dee l at this point.
 The medical examiner, ,Dr k. M. Smith was called and, upon examination, foun no bruises or signs of any violence upol the body and pronounced It case Q 3 death by drowning. MT Leavy bore
 good reputation as being a quiet an
 straightforward man. For 43 years h . was an employe of the Rubber company but seven years ago, being abundantl able, he retired from active labor t spend the rest of his days quietly on hi pleasant little farm.
 Beside his wife, six children surviv him as follows: James Leavy of Bridge port, Mrs Julia Bradley, wife of Judge o Probate M. J. Bradley, Matthew Leavy Thomas Leavy, Miss Lizzie Leavy O Bridgeport, and Miss Jennie Leavy.
 The funeral services were held iron the house at 10 o'clock and from S Roses church at II o'clock on Wednes day morning, Fasher Fox officiating, ant were very largely attended. The bearers were John Scanlon, Thomas, James anc John Lsavy, John Mulligan, and Thom