Evening star., 1898-09-09
MEN DEPART
Fifteenth Pennsylvania Leaves Sheridan's
Point for Camp Meade.
Sorrow i'm the Regiment Over the
Drowning of Two Comrades
The Bodies Recovered.
Members of the 18th Pennsylvania Vol

Members of the 18th PENNSYLVANIA VOL
unteers. who have spent about three
months at Fort Washington and Sheridan
Point. were on the move early this morn
ing under orders 10 proceed to Camp
Meade. at Middletown, Pa. The members
of this regiment have received no intima-
tion that they will be mustered out in the
near future. On the contrary, they ex-
pect to go to Porto Rico. and almost every
man in the regiment is ready and willing
to go. This afternoon the regiment reac he'd
the city, coming on Captain RandalIs
steamers. The regiment will leave at 6
O'Clock this evening over the Baltimore
and Ohio road for Camp Meade
While the men carry with Them many
pleasant recollections of their stay at Fort
Washington and their Numerous visits to
the city, the last days of tn ei- stay were
saddened by the drowning Of Priyat-s Cof-
fee and Greener, told n Yesterdays
Star.
While Privates Coffee and Greener were
not able to return alive TO their homes in
Erie, their bodies will find resting places
among their friends. Yesterday afternoon.
about $3.50 O'Clock, the body of Coffee came
to the surface. All day long Harbormaster
Sutton's crew and the soldiers had worked
faithfully in the boats. The channel, as
well as the shallow borders, had been
dragged a number of times. and those en-
SaSSu IN TIE task naO ABOUT COnciuGeQ
that the swift water had taken both bodies
down the river.
BODY of Coffee Sighted.
Frederick Spadacene, who had stopped in
the hospital at Point Sheridan to make a
sick call when he reached there with his
comrades Coffee and Greener, was among
the hard workers, and he was in the boat
with Privates Norris and Cone when the
body of Coffee was sighted. 1t rose to the
surface of the water within very short
distance of where he was seen to go under
the day before. The three men in the boat
announced the discovery to the other
searchers, and the members of the crew
of the police boat took charge of the re-
mains.
when they the body of their companion
towed ashore. Additional boats were then
fitted out to make the searcn for the other
man. Those who had worked hard all day
volunteered to so out again after supper
time, but night came on without their ef-
forts having been rewarded.
Greener's Body Recovered.
Private Greener's body was recovered
early this morning. and when the news was
received here the police boat was sent to
bring the body to the city. The body was
brought up this afternoon, and will be ship
ped to Erie with the body of his companion.
1t so happened that a brother-in-law of
Coffee WAS on guard duty at the wharf
when his body was brought in, and, almost
heartbroken, he rested on his gun and shed
bitter tears.
A Mothers Request.
When the.city was reached the body was
removed to the undertaking es adjustment
Of Clyde Nichols & Co., on 18th street, and
prepared for burial The mother of the
dead man. who had been notified of the
accident telegraphed a request that his
body be sent home. Only short time be-
fore the recovery of the body letter ad-
dressed to the deces sed was received at
the fort from his wife Only a few days
ago he received a letter from his wife, in
which was inclosed a picture of his baby,
a girl only six months old
Coffee's father, who is also in the service,
is sick In the hospital at Norfolk.