Chariton courier. (Keytesville, Chariton County, Mo.) 1878-current, 1898-06-17
rHg WILLIAM WATTS INQUEST
The Coroner's Jury Decides fhaf
Deceaced Came to His Death
nv Accidental Drowning.

l
An account of the drowning OF
william Watts while catching logs IN
Grand river. by falling out of boat |
near the Wabash railroad brloge
short distance west of Brunswick just
before noon, Thursday, June 9th' was
nublished in the last issue OF tne
COURIER.
The body was not recovered until
about 1890 O'Clock, Friday morning.
when DIR. G. M. Dewey, coroner was
notified and proceeded at once to hold
an inquest. The following coroner's
Jury was empaneled;
Charles Finch. G. H. Higginbotham'
FW. Sasse, C. s. Wiley, Boyd Tur-
ner and C. ]. Turner, before whom
the .testimony given below was Of
fered:
THE TESTIMONY.
C.L. Curtis testified:
"I reside in Brunswick township
about four miles northeast OF Bruins
wick. was at the point In Grand
river, Thursday. June 9th, and Friday
Tune 10th, helping to recover the Dooy
OWN. Watts. 1 and others had a
mab.hook and some line. We were
IN skiff. We went to the place
where he was last seen, and tioated
down over the place and used the
lines and hooks as We went. we
finally succeeded in getting hold OF the
body and drew it into the boat ano
brought it to shore. We lett II
there until we got instructions to bring
# TO the home, where it now lies
George Hazlewood testified;
uI reside in Brunswick, l was a
the point on Grand river, FRIDAY
morning, where VIM. Watts Wa'
drowned on Thursday, assisting IN re-
covering the body. After a time We
succeeded in recovering the body ane
brought tito shore"
C.. w. Allen testified:
"T live in Brunswick. / was OF
Grand river below the railroad bridge
Thursday, with the deceased "m
wotts We were in a boat about s.
Yards below the bridge. l was punin
at the oar. There was block IN tn
river that we wanted to catch. w
ran along side of the block and W
caught hold of 1t. He tried to Pu
The block up TO the boat, but the bloc
slipped back and the boat turned sloe
ways and dipped full of water. MI
Watts fell out backwards. He caugf
hold of the block that was floating
the water, and held to 1t for snol
time and then tried to swim to shor'
He went down the first time and the
came up and went down again, and
did not see him any more. l was
such a condition that could rend'
him no assistance. He did not So
anything after he fell into the rive
He had on no coat, but had on pa
of shoes. We were on the river loo
ing after floating logs"
A. Sterne testified:
"I reside in Brunswick. 1, Wi
others, was assisting IN dragging tt
river for the body of VIM. Watt
After several attempts we succeeded
locating the body, and after time
covered it and took it to shore"
7. w. Gum testified:
s,I reside in Brunswick. was
Grand river, Thursday and Frida
Iune 9th and 10th, at the place whe
VIM. Waits was drowned. l, wi
others, was trying to recover the boo
We failed, Thursday, but tired aga
Friday, and after trying a number
times we succeeded in recovering t
body" :.
This was all of the testimony Off
ed, and upon the strength of the e
dence adduced the jury returned
following verdict:
THE VERDICT.
"We, the jury, do find that the I
ceased came to his death by &C
dental drowning on the 9th day