The evening times., 1896-08-12
VERDICT m Mz| nQUBf
jury uhabk % Say nsw she Silverie
was Dfta1xuRed. taxuRd
FIRES ssi+ersts xrsesss Tessasssa Thai
There Was No Reason why He
Should KIN Himself.

Coroner Hafnmett today held an inquest
countnRt OF the national free silver commit
tee and theosOphist, which was found floating
tn the river Monday morning.
The jury came to the conclusiod that
the man came TO his death by drowning.
though whether 1t was accidental or sui
cidal they were unable to determine. They
were incfned to believe It was accidental.
The inquest was In many respects AZ
novel as was the Jury's verdict.
The dead man was represented by free
silver friends from the west-whoIe- -souled
men, who did not care to have their
companion called u suicide, though they
made him out to be an expen need
drinker.
Dr. 6lazebrook, who performed the au-
topsy yesterday, said thst . careful ex-
amiaatiep revealed no evidences o vio-
lence.
An internal investigation showed that
death must have resulted from Drowning.
The deputy coroner estimated that the
body had been in the water ahoaf TIN ee
days. There were evidences OF alcohol
in all OF the vital organs.
Frank Bransieil, = fweise-year-old boy
Of No. 2805 o street, and A. L. Grimes OF
No. 1908 o street, a river man, .old Of
the recovery OF The body.
Mr. Grimes said ne has had much cx-
perience with recovering floaters, and the
shoes heing Off the body was an indica-
ton that It was suicide. Suicides are
given to such freakish conduct.
Detective Frank Burrows OF Georgetown
said he had recovered or seen recovered
nearly 100 bodies. A notable feature Of
suicides is that they will pull their shoes
OFF before drowning themselves,
In Plies case his coat and vest were sut-
toned tightly about him, but his shoes
were left behind, This case. said Mr.
Burrows. was very similar to others he had
seen.
"Oh. Mr.. Pile wis big-hearted Western
man. interposed Mr.. A 8. Carrutbers. OF
the Silver Knight, one Of the friends of the
deceased. He was not OF the breed that
commits suicide.
Another witness was Mr.. George j.
Mallory OF the Land OFFICE. He had read
an account of the case in The Evening
Times, he said, and came forward to re-
late that he saw Mr.. Pile in q Capital
Traction Company car bound for George
6 and o'clock. He knew it was Pile be-
cause he saw him the evening before On
the train back from Fails Church, Va,
here MI hal attended q barbecue.
At this point the friends OF Mr.. Pile
again called attention to the fact that
he was not the man to commit suicide
He had bright prospects before him, said
Mr.. Carrutbers. There was the posi-
biiity OF the siIverites taking the reins Of
the government. His career was all bright
and hopeful ahead
Mr.. WedderburD said he was of the
opinion that Mr. Pile began drinking
again and accidentally fell into the river.
That was all of the testimony and a few
minutes later the jury brought in the ver-
dict given above.
To cast another shot against the posi-
BILE balwark of suicide, Mr.. A. J. Weddcr-
burn, also OF the silver headqua rters, call
ed attention to the fact that on Tuesday,
the day OF the barbecue, Pile was very
drunk He and Mr. wedderburn, the lat
ter said, were very drunk that day. Both
sobered mp by evening, because there was
nothing to drink at the barbecue.
The body has been removed to Lees
underta king establishment. A brother
OF Mr. Pile telegraphed the police that he
could not afford to care for the remains.
The silver people will take charge OF the
burial.