The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-01-31
Died IN A LONELY Place
Patrick Kennehan's Body Found in
the Leggett's Creek.
SLID FROM THE ROADWAY
Was Unable TO Help Himself and Died
tWhile Partially lmmerscd d in the Icy
Water of the Crcck-Inqucst Will
BE Held Tonight.

Partly submerged in the waters of
Leggetts creek, about a mile above the
city line and a little below Chinchilla,
the dead body of Patrick Kennahan,
middle-aged widower, with three
children, boarding with his sister
Mrs. Munley, on West Market street,
was discovered at daybreak yesterday
morning by two farmers of Wallsville,
on their way to Scranton with loads of
produce.
At the point where the body was
found the stream flows twelve feet be-
low the roadway of the Abingdon turn
pike. There is q bend in the road and
teamsters driving along could easily
distinguish the body in the water The
stream is about a foot deep and is
covered with a thin sheet of ice. The
position of the body as it lay would
Indicate that Kennahan had fallen feet
foremost from the roadway above. He
was a cripple, and wore a wooden leg,
which went under the ice and left the
upper part of the body exposed and
resting on its right side. The head
was supported by the right arm, and
all the circumstances led to believe
that Kennahan had slid down into the
stream while helpless, and died from
exposure. Skirting the roadway to
protect travellers from stumbling down
the eimbankment is an inch and a
half wire rope drawn lineally along
three feet above The ground. On the
wire We're bloodstains, and these con-
vcyed the impression that foul play
I,s, - Ia hir1tr ~. I. hn n N =
death. This was whispered through
the North End and crowds of curiousi-
ty-seekers thronged to the lonesome
spot.
The Coroner Takes Charge.
The two farmers, ON arriving at the
North End police station, conveyed the
news, and Patrolman Johler was de-
tailed to go to the scene. He remained
in charge of the body, which still lay
as It had been found, until Coroner
Kelley arrived at o'clock and empan-
eled the following jury: George E.
Atherton, Patrolman John j. Johler,
John Finnegan, Edward Neary, James
Kelley, and John II. Moran.
The body was drawn out of the creek
and the clothes were frozen stiff Cor
oner Kelley made a complete examina-
ton of the corpse, but could find no in
dications of violence to warrant the as
sumption that the man had been mur-
dered.
Kennahan was employed in Storrs'
shaft, No. 3, which was idle Tuesday.
He spent the day in drinking and about
7.30 that evening he left what is known
as the Temperance House in the COM
pany of a friend named Richard War
ren. This resort is only short way
from where the body was found. John
Y. Boyce, proprietor of the Chinchilla
hotel. said he saw two men standing in
the roadway late Tuesday night, but he
was not sure if Kennahan was one of
them.
Warren claims that when they left
the Temperance House and after they
had walked a short distance away Ken
nahan asked him to return for more
drink. Warren left his company and
then went home. There are other wit
nesses whom the coroner will subpoena,
and the inquest was adjourned until
this evening at the Office of Alderman
Roberts.
Theory as 20 His Death.
From all the testimony heard the
general impression is that Kennahan
became too drunk to take care of him
self and wandered along the road until
he fell and slid down the bank feet fore
most into the creek, from which he
could not assist himself out of and
there died from the cold.
One witness said he saw Kennahan
sitting by the road side closely by where
he fell down the bank. The funeral
will be held tomorrow afternoon.