The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-06-06
WAS HE DROWNED?
A Mysterious Disappearance on
Lake Washington.
ETHER ACCIDENT on SUICIDE.
4. r. c1spo sesrss for Eass ss.ffie IN .
Rovpoas-A rev Minutes Later
the Empty Bess Il Found.

local salesman LOT y. -
,rlesor Of me Northwestern nsre<f5.
iec,tea AZ wslIa waIix. Ma drowned -
Lake Washington yesterday at.efi"o1
While crossing from IesaHT sAn'sHs 20
rs roubaa, was picked 10 By Capt
Anderson OF the steamer Quicsstep ~
point = little more than half way hIo''.
Yssisr way to what Is usaAay 80
r..st seattle point. II was right soc -.
sse oar. we're In the locks and IN. h~'-
ais xsre IN the boat, as n they hsd sssa
Sr.svn "A rarrfa1!y. In the bottom OF she
boat which Was almost ehsfsg
from water. was C7spp's ssienei INC ~.
fls cushion on which the rover 49, 49,.
he left Joisnson's boathouse haa $40 oset
back into the boat s -.
Not : sogl tina. could BE- discovered az
80 vtv.,rals. search iaxt evening saw
clam fall from the boat into the ~a,ss.
but there are many witnesses as 70 isas
yox.nz away from the boatbohss' VI
t.,s,eaxs In the strength Of the VINO, ara
soms Of the passengers on the Auac sssep'
after the empty boat had neeh p,s~s" ~.
remarked that they thought tneS ~ ~
seen Cizpp standing VI. -.
vn,,~h water they wer. afraid ne wosla
~ct pisched into the take. The man sao
~tvee the latest positive infoFnsatae,
sho,,, Ciauo Il G. T. Lenons- engineer .,
she steamer Reef. which runs from les
Ter way 10 Renton. When ne vas TN
ming into tho Yesier way COCK nc
CIapp making bis way across Nne i"n'
south. a little 20 the west. ana apP.a.s1
a. be carrying the oarsman up the Ia~s.
~ eractly 40 O'clock the Reel started
na~k for Rerton About three nlhpAss
sft,r the start Lenont looked out ana
saw ciapp rowing In a fabofious mahhsi'
Al 80 o eioek Lenont saw the 2uess.sp
picking up the empty ro~noas
~nans ana Cant. Anderson OF the Quiess-
ser say thai they do not think IT poas.-
hIe that Clapp reached the East seAiiis
rosnt aud that the boat erifted away
from shore. ..,.
The wind was blowing from the south.
= trffe perhaps. by west il tht soat
had ever reached the shore II could DOT
have drifscd across the lake toward iss
prevented IL. The boat would have foi-
hwcd the east eide of the lake instead
Of coming out nearly TO the center OF "
Edgar remnant ciapp was young man
Of - ccllest reputation lie had lived IN
Seattle about eixbt years ana Al one ,ifns
was connected with the Prcss-Times. lie
Hved at the Florence house on Madison
street. kept by r. }. Kehoa- Ills resnisr
occupation was az salesman for Inc
Northwestern Nursery. of Waia Walia
Recently he had visited Everett. snahosa-
fsb. Hartford, Granite Falls and 3uaaita
en- the east shore Of Lake Warrington.
His plans for yesterday afternoon took him
across Lake Washington 10 East Seattle.
whore he had several calls 70 make
About o'clock he said goodhy 10 Miss
Names. n young Lady with whom he mas
been keeping company. and hsr brother.
He took the yesier way car and was soon
Ct Johnson's boa, house. lie asked AIR.
johnson what he would charge him for
boat TO East Seattle. Mr.. Johnson said .
cents an nour was the regular rate ciapp
said thar ne had several visits to make
and would be gone the entire afternoon.
johnson then agreed 10 let him have TIE
boat for ~ cents. ciapp agreed TO this.
and when johnson asked him ~ he want
ID -good chunk ~ a boat he replied
that he wanted one that rosed easily. He
was given No. r. II Is Il feet long. ard
has a beam of u inches. In every way tina
boat IL frs,-clasa w. e. Rogers. who
works a, the boat house. checked boat No.
Is out at exactly 4 o'clock.
When Ciapp rowed away he had on his
ordinary coat and Ia the bottom OF tho
boat sat HIS small leather vsiise. The
wind Was blowing. johnson says that IT
was a good wind. but not strong enough
20 ne dangerous. Later !, blew much
stronger. According 20 iohnson's story he
booked osit on the lake occasionally and
thought Ciapp was getting along nicely
Finally he came 10 the conclusion Clap
had reached the East Seattle shore. and
gave the matter no more thought.
At exactly as o'clock the steamer
Quickstep left Yesisr landing for her reg
uiar trip across the lake to Mercer slough
and Newcastle. When ten minutes on;
Capt. Anderson. while collecting fares,
noticed an empty rowhost pitching about
on the waves. At thai time the water waa
pretty rough. Capt. Anderson said that
there had been sluaii. The steamer was
Immediately turned around. and in few
minutes the empty rowhoas was picked
up. It's condition has already. been de-
ecrihsd. ana IN addition ~ uay be said
that the only water In II was a siisht
srrsnklfnE a. n iistie water from a wave
had dashed Inside. The boat WAS taken
hack 10 Ycsler ianflHE. ana IN a short time
the Identity OF the missing occupant VAS
established through the contents % The
sa;chei There was an order hook. on the
leaf OF which was the following; Edgar
TeHnAnt Ciapp us Madison street" There
were some hGslrees cards o. the North
western Nursery ard business letter
from al Eastern firm.
Capt. Anderson said that II was pos
slhle that Ctapp arose IN the boat 20 take
OFT bis coat AMI a sudden pitch sent him
into the lake. The usnai theory OF vol
untsry plunge Yrs spoken Of by people
who heard ~ the condition OF the oars ard
THE appearance Of the boat
r. J. kchpe. proprietor Of the Florence
house. who has kaewn Clamp ever stree ne
came 70 Seattle eight wears ago. sais that
there was not the al ghtezt possible ground
Tor the suicide theory.
Mr- CiHra was young man OF ex.
efnplary hahits" aatA Mr Kehne s'Efe iss
not owe collar, ana was IN good spirits
when he left here. n there s. no chance
fer him 20 10 alive. an positive that he
frh INTO thr water from TIRE boat acct
deafaliy, tie eoalA not swim. so the~a
woasa - poor show fov him 20 sc, cat.
1iv WAS ENoe AarsmAn"
The water ls shout an seet seep shera
ciEpr want down. 50 there Is uftic ,s.r,,s
Of recovering the hotv.
tispp was - years oit On Nav N II.
was bora n, CNshccssa. y Y ana -a-,n
% an excellent fa.nlle. us ro,att,. 80,
=" n HsW nerk lie Nas = member 81 ,Ae
\ q q W. ana VAS insured. {, = -
Ter ssaa. 50 - SA'3