The Worcester spy., 1899-03-17
Was There a Drown.
ing at Leesville ?
FEARFUL STRUGGLE
Witnessed By Mrs. Hinck-
ley--Police Find No Body.

Amysterious case was reported to the
police last night about $50 o'clock, by
George Hinckley, who lives on Webster
street, directly opposite Hope avenue.
Mrs. Hinckley claims that she saw a
man Struggling in the water in Lees
vile pond near a grove Of trees called
t"The Pines"
Officers Craffey and Barrett of Sta
ton 2, members of Sergt. Hickey's re-
lief, were also notified of the occurrence
by Mrs. Melville 0. Scott, wife of Mel
Vile o. Scott. a machinist. living in the
last house on Webster street near the
city line.
Mrs. Scott met the officers at the
corner of Southbridge and Cambridge
streets and told them, in a very excited
manner, that as she was driving along
Hope avenue she heard people talking
about a man who was struggling in the
water and crying for help.
According to her statement, the man
was a short distance from the shore
and seemed to have fallen through the
ice. His struggles were frantic and his
wild cries for help were most heart
rending.
Mrs. Scott says she whipped up the
horse and made as good time as pos
sible to secure aid for the drowning
man. She met the officers about 6.35
o'clock,
The police team, with graphing irons
and other apparatus used in recovering
bodies from the water, went to the
pond as quickly as possible. The police
arrived there about 7.55, and by that
time large number of people had
gathered, but no attempt toward get
ting the man out of the water had been
made. Hinckley pointed out the place
where he thought the man went down.
The officers worked for two hours
with graphing irons with no results.
The hole pointed out by Hinckley was
about four feet in diameter, and the
water at this point was not over five
feet deep. The opinion of the Off
GERS is that man could not drown if
he ma the struggle for his life that
Mrs Hincl1ley says she did.
"A Spy man called upon Mrs. Hinckley
on Webster street last night, and was
told the following story of the acci-
dent:
IT was coming along Hope avenue
from Mrs. Brouillets and Mrs. Hinck-
ley's, and as l approached 1.-The Pines, "
! saw man struggling in the water a
short distance from the shore
He called loudly for help and his
fight for life wds terrible to witness. /
was frightened and was held to the spot
for a few minutes by my fright, but as
soon as possible l hurried to the home
of my sister-in-law, Mrs. J. H. Hinck-
ley, who lives directly opposite me- l
could not remain on the road and
watch the terrible struggle of the
drowning man, and then again l was
scared to stay there, as men have at
different times hidden in the woods
and chased children on their way to
school.
LAS soon as I got to the house 7 called
for my nephew, but he was away. l
told the story to Mrs. Hinckley and
then came across the road to my own
home, where l told my husband what
l saw.
"He hurried across the road and got
Henry Hinckley, and the men went to
the pond. What happened afterward
do not know, but shall never forget
the awful fight for life I saw"
Mrs. Hinckley was greatly agitated
as she recited the story.
Mr.. Hinckley said he was told of the
accident by his wife, and as quickly as
possible he went across the road and
got Henry Hinckley and both went to
the pond. A short distance from the
shore they saw the man standing up
right in the water with hands resting
on his hips He remained in that posi-
ton a moment and then fell back into
the water and they did not see him
again. They left the spot as quickly
as possible and telephoned from the
power house TO the police.
The distance from the place where
the man was drowned to the Hnckley
home is about half d mile, and as Mrs.
Hinckley is lame, it must have taken
her some time to make the journey. 1t
is the general opinion that Mr.. Hinck-
ley could not have got back there in
less than a half-hour from the time
Mrs. Hincl1ley first saw the man.
According to these stories, the man
must have been battling for life in the
water at least three-quarters of an
hour and the affair is a mystery to the
police.
Several people who assisted in the
case are a little sceptical Of the truth
of at least one Of the stories, and devel-
opments Of the case will be watched
with interest by the police.
About a year ago a drowning acci-
dent happened at the same place and
the body of the man remained in the
water over night.
AS The Spy man was leaving the
Finckley home he was called back by
Mr.. Hinckley, who asked If it would not
be possible for him to get some money
for reporting the case The reporter
referred him to the police. Further in
Nestigation will be made today