Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1902-06-05
ROWLING OF THE RODNANS
|tory OF the Sad Occurrence
Told in Detail
|EFORE THE CORONER'S JURY
I've Witnesses Give Different
Accounts.

I've Witnesses Give Different
II Accounts.
,oo Saw the Unfortunate Men Jumped
|oyerbnard and Others Say They Fell or
|N.re Knocked Into the Water-yerdict
1of the Jury
Resolved, That Samuel and Henry Rod
Ean came to their death by drowning off
eT Castle, during collision between their
IN and the steam yacht Marietta, on
I'm lSth, 1902. Verdict of the coroner's
n, May 3lst, 1902.
THE INQUEST.
8 |Coroner John L. Frick held an in
last in the City Court room at the
ty Hall on Saturday afternoon to in
ire into the cause of the deaths of
mupl Rodman and his son, Harry,
bo were drowned in the Delaware
t. yer near New Castle on the after
bon Of May 18th, when the steam
{cht Marietta of Philadelphia, owned
II Robert NJ. Carson Of Chestnut Hill,
was in collision with skiif in
a &ich the Rodmans were fishing, q
Iort distance above New Castle.
Ihe Jury comprised John III. God
b, Jr, Nevin G. Clowney, John W.
etser, Harry B. Appleby, John ID.
bodward, James +. McIvor, II. w.
{bley, Charles G. Guyer and A. p.
etser, with Mr.. McIvor as foreman
Mr. Guyer as secretary. Mr.. Guyer
lde a stenographio report of the testi-
b bny.
rhe coroner was assisted by his
tuty James T. Chandler. Deputy
|torney General Robert II. Richards
Is present on behalf of the State and
bducted the major portion of the
animation, the jurors also asking
bstions. Others present included
drew e. Sanborn of Bird & San
fn, and J. Harvey Whiteman, repre-.
1 ting the Rodman family; Walter
Hayes, representing the yacht ;
tie Detectives Francis and Ratledge.
apt Charles Q. Platt of 2625 North
irtieth street, Philadelphia, COM
nder Of the yacht, was the first wit
s. He testified that he was in com
IND of the yacht at the time of the
&ident. He said that at l. 80 o'clock
sighted boat at half a point to
starboard bow. One of the men
the boat, he said, signalled that
net was on the left and when
Ehn 30 feet both men signalled that
net was to the westward. Then
captain shut down his engine,
q ich was then running under one
When within 10 feet, he alleged,
fh mon jumped into the river and
l. yacht afterward collided with the
n bill boat Tho captain told his men
over boat. His men saw the men
the water come up on the starboard
"a, but the men from the yacht
= Id not reach them. The captain
|I he got some fishermen, who sale
ri saw the collision, to overhaul the
E III after the accident and tow il
Ia X so he could make the examina
~ In looking over the skiff the cap
found that everything was intact
ept that the gunwale and t%t
zrds were broken, hut the breal
six inches above the water line
captain then went to New Castl'
made report to magistrate
& accident happened at mid-channe
GIy, Just below New Castle. When h
M sighted the small boat it was jus
MI of the channel. The captain wa
4he bridge at the time, Alexande
FIJI mellow being at the wheel. Th
fain said he had a clear view fror
@ pridge The fishing boat was abou
feet away when it was sighted an
H not appear to be in the course c
yacht, but the captain changed hi
&rse spoke in the wheel, going
westward, away from the boat
en 500 feet away he saw the me
hal that their net was to the cas-
h, he explained, signal by putin
hrm out straight and throwing Il
{er arm in the direction an approach
boat should go, but in this ca
fishermen only used one arm
hting to the eastward. When with
eet the fisherman signalled th
net was TO the westward and Il
tain again changed his coHrse, ru
Bg toward the Jersey shore, but d
quite clear the shad boat, whit
struck glancing blow. When q
&ht was within 10 feet of the SIX
men in the latter boat said SON
hg which the captain did not u
stand and jumped overheard, acre
yachts bow, toward the Jers
re. When the collision occurred t
inc was stopped and the boat W
ting, but the boat did not stop u
it had gone between 200 and
H. boat was then lowered a
after the men, but did not rea
Hm. There were two men in t
ue boat. The captain said he s.
, Rodmans come up twice, or
&ut eight feet apart and the seco
~ closer together, but the men
, rescue boat could not reach tn
pre- they went down the last tin
/ captain thought the Rodmans I
4 appear to be swimming. The c.
alleged that the New Castle mag
, e refused to take Il sworn staten
him, saying everything could
i at the coroner's inquest. The C
4 said his bridge on the yacht
4 ut 80 feet aft of the bow.
4 son, the owner, was on board
4 time, hut he was in the deckho
3 &he time.
I fter several other witnesses
!. heard, Capt. Platt, upon be
e lied, said he was running in
4 Fes, but was just on the west
i then he ran to the west sid
"a channel and afterward to the @
4 edge to clear some nets. He thou
"a n the collision occurred tho va
l. at New Castle flats, about
IL north of New Castle. He
4 ly in mid-channel at the ii
\ black buoy was at the port /
"a buoy is on the eastern side of
IL The fishing hoat was in
4 mel, a little on the starboard |
~ title further from the Della,
IA than the yacht. The boat
Il running under one bell fo
i; Gtes, waiting for the tide to t
n mad been stopped entirely b.
4 ,G.astle to ge> through some !
v did not have much headway.
was running about seven mile
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