New-York tribune., 1901-05-11
MCCORMICK BOY DROWNED.
THE MISSING LADS BODY FOUND IN
CROMWELLS CREEK-THE POLICE
SAY IT WAS AN ACCIDENT.

All doubt as to the fate of William Mccormick
was dispelled yesterday afternoon when his body
found in the muddy water of CromweIrs
Creek. The boy disappeared from his home in
Highbridge. the evening of Sunday, March
p. and for time it believed by many per-
sons that he had been kidnapped and was being
held for ransom. y large reward for the arres,
of the supposed kidnappers and for the rescue
of the boy offered by Father Mullen of the
Church of the Sacred Heart, at Hghbrfdge.
Young Mccormick one of twelve children
of & retired florist. and his home was not far
from Cromwell's Creek The police last evening
expressed the belief that the boy was drowned
By accident
Robert Boyd and Isaac Wagner were fishing
in Cromwells Creek. near One-hundred- and
sixty-first-st., shortly after p. m. yesterday
when they noticed a body floating in the water.
Wagner procured a boathoo1 and dragged the
corpse to the shore Seeing that the body was
that of a small boy. the men suspected that it
that Of William Mccormick They informed
4 policeman of their discovery, and then Wag-
went TO the home Of the McCormicks to tell
the family. Mr.. Mccormick and Of his
daughters went TO the place where the body
had been taken ashore. and identified it. The
corpse was in partly decomposed state, but 1t
identified by the clothing. Everything that
the boy wore on the evening of his disappear
ance was found his body with the exception
of his cap. In his pocket medal and a
penny The penny one that the boys
mother had given TO him the Sunday night
OF his disappearance TO put in the contribution
/ box Of the church he attended. The medal Is
of aluminium. and is about the size of silver
dollar. on side is the inscription. Souvenir
Of the Worlds Columbian Exposition. Chicago.
| 1893"
The body was taken to the police station in
Morrisana. where 1t examined by DR.. Rel
Selman coroner's physician, who said:
From the condition of the body 1t is, of course.
impossible to say with certainty that there are
believe that there are The boy in all proba-
bility was drowned From the appearance OF
the body l should judge it had been in the water
/ fully six weeks
/ Coroner Lynch about p. gave permit for
the removal Of the body to the home of the boys
pareuts. and II was taken there soon afterward
/ by an undertaken
Mr. Mccormick last evening said he was In
/ clIned 20 believe that some Italians working IN
/ the neghborhood had abducted Willie" and
had thrown him into the creek. where he was
drowned The police theory was given by Cap
/ tain Titus OF the Detective Bureau. as follows:
~ he present time / am OF the opinion that the
/ bog death was the result OF an accident There
/ We're no marks Of violence on the body as would
probably have been the case had the lad met
/ with fouI play Then, too. II one had
/ thrown the body into the creek, they would
/ have first weighted it so that II would have re-
mained below the surface Of the water.
Z Ny theory is that the boy had been playing
/ alone on the dock and fell into the water. and
/ there was no one there TO save him 10 give
| the alarm.
/ Father Mullen said last night
on Tuesday last l decided. after much delib-
/ Grafton to increase my offer Of reward for the
| return OF the boy and arrest of the then sup
] aeaAE fHrar to RafDr nfns lie
| however ! consulted Mr.. Mccormick He said
ne would take time 20 deliberate over the offer.
and would let know in week. l have
no idea of foul play. II the boy taken
| away, and If foul play has been had then il
was for revenge and not for ransom. l have
also learned that the two boys who told of hav-
| ing seen Willie Mccormick on the night of his
/ disappearance. at Jerome-ave. and One hun
( dred-and sixty seventh ST. lied about it,
I think they led into this by reporters. The
parents of these boys told afterwaTd the
| boys had not told me the truth