Evening star., 1901-02-13
HIS ABSENCE EXPLAINED
WALTER DORSEY'S BODY FOUND
FLOATING IN THE RIVER.
Discovered Near the Mouth of James
Creek Canal-MissinE Since
January 3.

The badly decomposed body of Walter
Dorsey, colored was found in the water
near the mouth of the James Creek canal
this morning. Members of the crew of
the police boat recovered the body from
the water and took 1t to the wharf near
the foot Of 7th street, and later in the day
1t was removed to the morgue, and after
the doctors make a careful eXaminati On
of it and reach a conclusion to whether
or not Dorsey had been assaulted and
thrown into the canal. the detectives will
know what to do in the way of investisa-
tion.
Dorsey disappeared the 9th day of last
month, almost five weeks ago, and his wife
declared to the police that she believed
her husband had been foully dealt with,
and that his body had been thrown into the
canal. She reached this conclusion after
she had visited the vicinity of the canal
and had been told of her husbands move
ments when he was last seen. At first she
had an idea that he walked overheard
while he was under the influence of liquor.
but she changed her mind after her visit
to the neighborhood of the canal.
Dorsey was fifty years old and was a
native of Charles county, Md. having been
married near Rock Point twenty-nine years
the American Ice Company at the foot or
Sd street southwest. The 9th day of last
month he received his weeks pay, and, fol-
lowing his usual custom, he visited at a
saloon and indulged in liquid refreshments
until he was unable to walk straight.
His Wife Alarmed.
His wife became alarmed over his alb
sence, for the reason that he had never re-
mained away from home over night before
~; ,;1I -t,n
insisted that his body was in the canal. but
the police suggested the idea that he had
gone away from the city with friend.
Mrs. Dorsey visited the police a number
of times and was so persistent in her re-
quest that something be done that the au-
thorities fiI-ally decided to drag the canal.
One day last week the men under Harbor-
master Sutton and Detectives Browne and
Lacy dragged the stream, but they did not
go as far as the mouth. Nothing more
was done in the case until this morning
when a man working near the canal saw
what appeared to be dead body foat1ng
in the water He called a man named
Stepney, who was working on manure
pile near by, and the body was tied to a
stake, where it remained until the arrival
Of the police boat
1t was only after considerable trouble
that the body was taken from the water,
where there was quantity of floating ice.
1t was placed in a box aboard the boat
Upon reaching the wharf the body was
identified by Mr.. William c. Bartlett, who
has charge of the ice house where Dorsey
was employed.
Mrs. Dorsey visited the harbormasters S
wharf soon after the body was recovered,
but she was not permitted to see the re-
mains.
There We're indications of numerous cuts
and bruises on the body, but just how and
when they We're received the coroner and
his deputy may determine. Mrs. Dorsey
l, yx-hj1 Ia hnr hI;S ha mt lrnt
under the influence of liquor when he re-
ceived his weekly pay, he never failed to
put certain amount of it away to give to
her when he arrived home.
Coroner hewitt will view the body late
this afternoon, and may hold an inquest
tomorrow.