The daily morning journal and courier., 1903-03-11
WOMAN DROWNED.
Fell Off Coal Barge and Was Fount.
 Floating in the Water.


 Floating Ian the Water. . Maggie McFadden, a woman thirty three years old, fell off one of the Me Williams company barges between [ and 8 o'clock last evening and was drowned.
 About o'clock last night Captain James s. McFadden, husband of the woman, left his boat, which was moor ed at the Consolidated coal dock, and went uptown, leaving his wife on board. He told Medical Examiner Bartlett the following story: T was gone about ten minutes, and on my re- turning on board I found the cabin door open, my wife gone and the two little dogs running about the deck. I called her several times, but got no re- sponse. I then jumped onto the dock and hurried. to the hoisting shed to make inquiries of the dockmaster He was in his shed with several other men when I found him, and he stated that he had not seen my wife, but he thought that he had heard what sound- ed like two cries shortly after o'clock.
 
 he thought nothing of it. One or two of the men in the shed then said that they saw her sweeping out the cabin at about the time I left the boat. Boats were then procured and a search was made under the docks and about the vessels. In about an hours time the body was seen bobbing up and down in the water and the broom floating near by" <
 The body was fshed out of the water by John Connell, of Ii Collis street, as- sisted by Michael Welch, both of whom are employed about the dock, with the aid of a boat hook. It was then car- ried into the room where the engine used in hoisting the coal from the barges is located, and laid on the floor. It was here viewed by Medical Exam iner Bartlett. After going aboard the barge and interviewing the captain he ordered the body removed to the un- dertaking rooms of T. & M. T. Flynn on Grand avenue, where he will hold an inquest this morning. He stated last evening that he did not believe there had been any foul play, but that | 1t was a case of accidental drowning. He believes that the woman caught her foot on some of the rope, lot of which was lying about the deck, and fell over board.
 A peculiar circumstance is the fact that Captain McFadden says his wife was an excellent swimmer and she was clothed in only a light calico dress and stockings, and had no shoes on. There were no bruises on the face or neck of the woman.
 An illustration of sailors supersti- tions was presented last evening, when Captain McFadden absolutely refused to let the body be taken on board of his boat, as it is believed to be sign of ill., luck.
 Mrs. McFadden's maiden name was Murphy, and both her and her hus- bands home, when not afloat, was in New York city. It is expected that the body will be taken there for burial.
 Two handsome young spaniel puppies, pets of the dead woman, were looking all about the boat for their mistress during the time the examination was being held.
 The boat arrived here from New York city Thursday and was at the dock with the three-masted schooner Viking, both of which were loaded with coal for the railroad.
 Policemen Lautenbach, McManus and J. H. Moore assisted the medical exam iner in his investigation.