The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-06-27
FLOATER IS SIGHTED
Object Thought to Have Been
Human Body
SEEN IN RIVER YESTERDAY
Many COnjeCtureS as to Where
1t Came From

An object that is supposed to have been
the BODY Of a human being was seen
floating down the Arkansas river yester-
Gay evening. At the present stage of the
river the water is so muddy and so rough
that it was only possible to catch occa-
sionaI glimpses of the object and the
swiftness Of the current carried it away
SO rapidly that gave no time for a close
SCRUTINY.
The object was first sighted at about
5:45 yesterday evening at a point just be
low the Missouri Pacific bridge across
the river, by Henry Hatton, who lives
On the West Side. It then appeared as
8 small black object kut there was some
thing in the peculiar manner in which
Il was buoyed up by the water that dis
tinguished it from the numerous chunks
Of wood and other debris that float down
the Arkansas during high water. There
were a number Of persons on the Doug
las avenue bridge at the time and when
their attention was called TO the floating
object all made run for the east end
Of the bridge ana located themselves at
q point under which it appeared that
the current would carry the object. The
oz.ect only came to the surface at in
tervals but when il did it closely re-
sembled the shoulder and side Of the
head of a human being. After dancing up
and down on the water a short time il
would suddenly disappeare, only 10 come
into view again further down stream.
As it neared the bridge many conjectures
were made as TO what>it was, but that
question was settled in the minds Of
those who saw il just before it went Un-
Ger the bridge. At this point the cur
rent is very strong and the body was
going down the stream very rapidly, but
just before it reached the pier on which
the water gauge is located it seemed TO
rise with a sudden and mysterious motion
and turn completely over, leaving what
appeared TO be the side Of the face and
breast to view. It did not come clear TO
the surface al that point, but was COW
cred with about an inch Of muddy water,
but the features were clear enough that
a chill passed over those who were watch
ing it. Al ran TO the other side of the
bridge but the body did not appear above
the surface again for possibly a minute
and by that time it was some distance
below the bridge As before, it con
tiuued. to rise above the surface of the
water at intervals. when it finally dis
appeared from view about 300 feet below
the bridge.
There is little doubt but that the OBJ
1ect was "A body, but If it was. where did
It come from and how did it set into the
river? 1t is hardly possible that it was
the body of a food victim, for the death
would have been reported and parties
would have been placed on the lockout
for it. As the river is high at present
and has been for some time. it may have
come from a long distance. but 81 would
require very strong current to prevent
q bloody from lodging on some drift or
sandbar before travciing, amy great dis
tance. If the body was that of some per-
son who was accidentally drowned it
would undoubtedly have been reported.
This leaves only the story that there has
been foul work done and that the body
was thrown into the river puyposely.