The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-03-17
Cries For Help, a Hat and a Pocket
Book the Only CIew.
DO THE WATERS HIDE SECRET?
\ WclI-Dresscd White Man Probably
Drowncd--Stories Of the Witnesses.
a Suspicious Circumstance Re
lated-Two Negro Women
Declare that they Noticed
Man Disappear.

Does tho danal contain a secret Is
what the police and citizens are asking
themselves. That II hides the body of q
human being there seems to be no doubt,
but whether 1t Is man or woman;
whether the slippery canal banks near
the Union Station have been the scene
Of a murdarous tragedy or merely OF
drowning accident tho murky waters
gave no token.
About 1880 o'clock last night the Of
ficers Of the Second Station received n
telephone message that a man was
drowning in the canal
CALLS FOR HELP.
Sergeant G. II. Talley and officer
Sweeney started Immediately for the
scene and found two young men-Mr j.
II. Bannister and a friend at the corner
Of Seventh and Canal streets I'm possess
sion of watersOakcd brown derby hat
and eagerly scanning the muddy canal
Mr.. Bonnister when questioned stated
that with his friend ne was standing on
the corner OF Byrd and Fifth streets
about fifteen minut as past II o'clock.
They heard noises which resembled, at
first a ducks quack, but which soon re-
for help, coming from the canal in the
direction OF Seventh street.
\ DARK OBJECT.
The two young men ran down the Canal
bank with their eyes on the water They
soon noticed a spot where the water
seemed TO be agitated and saw a mans
derby hat floating down stream. Peerng
into tho lessening eddies the young men
al hnt
unable to say whether it was the form
Of a human being or not.
They had followed the hat down TO the
Seventh street bridge where they cap
tured it, but they saw nothing of the
body
The officers exawined the hat but II
bore no marks Of Identification.
A WELL DRESSED STRANGER.
While the officers were questioning the
young men. two negresses-Alice Tyler
and Martha Parker, volunteered testi-
mony.
They stated that they were crossing TO
the railroad side Of the Sixth street
bridge when they noticed a white man
who wore a derby ike the ono found.
They did not pay much attention to
him except TO observe that he appeared
like stranger. He was walking west
ward on the ties between the rails. He
seemed 10 be well dressed and did not
appear drunk. After attaining the other
side of the bridge they had looked for
the man. but he was nowhere 10 be seen.
This is where the women's story ends,
but the officers think IL Is faulty.
A CORROBORATION
Had the man shouted. the women, so
close 10 him, would have heard.
Mr. Higgins. who is the watchman In
the Allegheny Box factory near the scene
corrob0rated the young mems testimony
as 10 the shouting. lie had run 20 give
assistance. and when the young men saw
him they asked him TO get pole with
which 10 drag the water He returned for
the pole. but ere he found one the TWO
young men were gone.
A most suspicious circumstance which
seems hardly mere coincidence occurred
during the search of the Canal by the
officers and the few citizens who followed
them.
4 CLUE AND 4 THEORY.
One Of the citizens on examining the
ground near the bridge where the women
are said to have crossed, picked up a
neat pocket-book. one of the card case
variety. which seemed 10 have been hasti-
lv rifed. as it contained but too slips OF
paper. receipts for rent paid TO 'SItton
and Company" the realty dealers by
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