The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-04-03
WESTC0TT'S BODY FOUND.
WASHED ASHORE ON HILTON HEAD
ISLAND.

Reported the Find 10 the Steamer
Clifton Yesterday and Was Direct
ed by Capt. StrObhar to Bury the
Body Above High Water Nark-His
Relatives Notified of the Dis
coVery-Thfs sets at Rest the story
That WescOtt's Suicide Was Only
Fake AFFAIR.
The body of Harley s. Westcott, the
young purser of the steamer Doretta who
disappeared on the trip TO Button on
March 5, has been recovered. At the time
of the disappearance Westcott left two
letters. one addressed to Capt. Strobhar
of the Beaufort and Savannah Line, in
which he stated that he mad squandered
$ll2 belonging to other persons, and that
when the letter reached Capt. Strobhar
he would no longer be alive. Both letters
clearly indicated the intention of suicide
An account of Westcotts disappearance
was published in the Morning News. He
was last seen some time before the steam
er stopped at Vincents landing on May
convinced that he had quietly dropped
overheard and carried out the intention
indicated in the letters. There Were
some who doubted that the suicide was
bona tide They considered Westcott's
shortage too small to warrant such a des-
perate act, and minated a belief that as
he was known to be good swimmer he
hgA cir r1xr
islands. There were not a few who held
TO this view. Those who were best ac-
quainted with Westcott, however. Capt.
Strobhar among them. were convinced
that he had drowned himself
AS the clifton was coming to the city
on her return trip from Beaufort yester-
day morning she was hailed by S. M
Padgett, of Hilton Head, who reported
the finding of Westcotts body Mr.. Pad
gett stated that he had found the body
ON the shore of Hilton Head at the upper
end of Catalogue sound. The body was
badly decomposed, he stated and in no
condition to be removed. Capt Strobhar,
who was aboard the Clifton, instructed
Mr.. Padgett to take possession of any eff
fects which he might find on the dead
mans person, and TO bury the body on
the shore above high water mark. noting
the spot so that if the relatives of the de-
ceased should desire to remove the body
they might be able to find it.
Capt. Strobhar said that he estima ed
from Mr.. Padgett's statement, that the
body was found some six miles from
where it was supposed that Westcott had
jumped overheard Capt. Strobhar wrote
relatives of the deceased at Crescent city
last night, informing them of the finding
of the body, in order that they may take
such steps as they~see fit Under the cir
cumstances he did not consider 1t neces-
sary to telegraph. After arriving here
Capt. Strobhar consulted Coroner Goette,
who informed him that as the letters left
by Westcott clearly indicated the cause
of his death there was no necessity for
holding an inquest AS the suicide occurr-
ed in South Carolina Coroner Gcette would
have been unable to officiate anyway
In Westcotts letter to Capt Sttobhar he
said: Dear Captain: l have squandere d
$5l 40 belonging 10 Mr.. c. b. Kirk $i470 OF
w. j. Fripp's, &.75 of N. Lang S, and 50 of
Mr.. Snyders, and I cannot bear to face.
This makes total of $112.37. When you re
ceive this l will not be among the living.
May God have mercy upon my soul. Har-
ley S. Westcott"
The Mr. Kirk referred to is an old gen
teman living at Button, who had in
trusted check for the amount named to
Westcou to cash for him in Savannah
After obtaining the money on the check
Westcott yielded to his fatal passion for
gambling and made a tour of the gamblng
houses. with the result that he lost every
cent of the money entrusted to him This
was not the first time that Westcott had
yielded to similar temptation. Kuowledge
of his own weakness and unwillngness to
face those who had trusted him doubtless
brought on the fit of dependency which
caused him to take his life. Parties in Sa-
vannah who knew Westcott state that he
was a perfect fend in the matter of gam
bling and that he would gamble on any
thing that offered a chance for a wager.