The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-10-21
WA1LTNGFoRD EVENTS.

There was quite an excitement about the vicinity of the lake yesterday af- ternoon and what appears to be a mysterious drowning case has as yet to be Investigated. About o'clock boat was seen by some of the workmen at the Watrous Manufacturing company's factory, near the bridge, going over the dam, and two men who saw it claim there was a man in the boat, and as ar ticles of clothing, hat and coat were seen floating in the water below it was believed that someone was drowned. Deputy Sheriff Booth was notified by telephone from the Watrous com- pany's office and soon after with Off, cer White was at the factory. In the meantime General Manager G. D. Munson and F. M. Chambers, secre- tary of the company, had been investi- gtaing and discovered in the water be- low the bridge caught in the bushes a mans overcoat and two undercoats. Officers White and Booth by means of tackle blocks and riggings had sue ceeded in getting the boat out from un- der the falls where it was held by the undertow from the waterfall. Owing to the recent heavy rains the river is quite high and a large body of water IS going over the dam. A search of the river below the falls down to Wal lace's dam revealed nothing but the articles of clothing-two undercoats and an overcoat-but nothing could be seen of any signs of body. All that can be learned at the time of this writ ing-8 o'clock-is the fact that Larry Nugent well known hard case on the plains, called at the house of w. F. Lane just before noon for boat. With him was stranger, who appeared to be middle-aged man. Both were de- cidedly under the influence of liquor. The men went to the lake and took a beat and the stranger started alone to row up the lake while Nugent remain ed on the shore. The last seen of the man in the boat that can be learned was that he was seen by one of Dan Mftchell's children, who lives near the lake, and another young girl, rowing toward the bridge and apparently was too drunk to handle the boat, as several times he fell over into the bottom of the boat. The girls think he was in his shirt sleeves. He soon went out of sight behind the hill and a little later 9 boy went down to the bridge to look for the man and boat and saw the boat underneath the dam, but the man was not to be seen. Nugent, who went to the lake with the stranger, was found by F. M. Chambers asleep on shore near Lanes dock, but owing to the li quor he was filled with was unable to furnish any information, but later he stated that he came across the man in the morning over by Todd's lumber ward, where he and others were imbib ing beer, having been rushing the growler The stranger came along on the track and was invited to have some beer and accepted and had several other drinks until his tongue was loos- ened and made statements as to his ability as an athlete and oarsman and claims to at one time have rowed on E Yale college crew. After more beer the two. Nugent and the stranger went down to the lake, where the man was to give an exhibition of his skill as an oarsrnan. Nugent claims the man ham, died the oars like an expert and roWed LID the lake and back again as far as Merrills place, half way down the lake, where he stopped rowing. And" as Nugent expresses it, "that is the last l saw of man or boat as I was so drunk I fell asleep on the shore and knew nothing more until MT. Chambers awakened me" The overcoat found in the water had a tag on the collar Of the maker of Fitchburg, Mass. Owing to the condition of Nugent it was im- possible to get any definite idea as to the general appearance of the missing man, but it is evident that some man went over the dam with the boat and that his body is somewhat in the vi- cinity of the falls or carried by the swift current into deeper water below. Owing to the heavy rain the water in the river is very high and muddy. thorough search will be made for the body as soon as possible.
 One of the residents on the plains stated last evening that he was satis- fed that the man supposed to be drowned was from New York and came into town within two days and that at one time he was a trainer for the Vale crew. He also stated that the man was about thirty-five years of age and had seen better days. His name he did not know The river will be drag ged for the body to-day.
 The races on the Center street park were postponed until this afternoon on account of the heavy track, due to the rain. There is much interest mani fested in the two events, the 2:30 and 3-,ninute classes, and it is expected tc be quite exciting.
 AN AUTOPSY HELD.