Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1905-08-17
DROWNED IN
SUSQUEHANNA

Charles f. Gibbons. we'll known
resident of this city, met his death by
drowning in the Susquehanna II shor
distance below Cataw issa. The facts
rs far as brought to light indicate thai
the dreadful affair occurred on Friday
night. The body was discovered Sun
day standing upright III the river
with the legs imbedded deep in the
mud.
| The drowned man was one of work
men employed on the Borough Sewers.
He was a willing. .ablebodied workman
useful at many different kinds of EN-.
ployment and was very popular. At
ter the completion of the sewer he
was given employment on some re-
poirs at the Water Works.
On Thursday evening Gibbons and
another workman named Oliver Wort2
applied for permission to be absent on
Friday. They explained that they
knew of some valuable drift wood NJ
the stream, which they desired to OBJ
| tain. Their request was granted and
on Friday accordingly the two men
did not report for work, but instead
took boat and went up the stream.
Friday night they did not return.
This under the circumstances did not
occasion any especial solicitude among
their friends.
About 2 O'Clock Saturday afternoon
Wertz made his appearance in town
and began to make inquiries concern
ing Gibbons and seemed very much
surprised when he learned that he had
not turned up in Danville. He called
at Gibbons home and his inquiries as
to her husband were the first cause
that Mrs. Gibbons had for any anxiety.
Wertz gave the following explana-
tion as to Gibbons disappearance 4;
They were bringing a raft down the
river. he said Wertz himself was in
charge of the boat aud dIiftWood. Glib
bons walking along shore. Between s
aud O'Clock at a point about mile
this side of Oatawissa, where the tank
is located, the raft parted and while
Wertz was trying to repair the dam
age the boat capsized. He told his
companion to walk on along the shore
and that he himself would take care
OF the upturned boat and the wood un-
til shallow water was reached little
further on when he would right the
boat and connect the parted raft.
When shallow water was reached
Gibbons failed to put in an appear.
anoe. After waiting awhile Wertz
went back to the spot where the boat
had eapsized and there he found Glib
bons' dog lying on shore but no truce
of Gibbons. He did not know what
to think of this at first. but finally
concluded that the man had jumped "A
passing freight train and gone to Dan
Vile.
His first moment of real apprehen'
siveness seemed to be when he learn
ed that Gibbons was not in Dauville.
His fear was soon shared by 9th
ers and when Saturday night came on
and there was still no tidings from the
missing man solicitude gave way to q
settled conviction that some dreadful
fate had overtakeu him.
His wife and other relatives endured
a sleepless night and early Sunday
morning large party of searchers
started up the river Some distance
above town they met the fragments of
the raft described by Wertz floating
down stream. At the very point des-
ignated by WeItz as the spot where
the boat had upset and whore the two
men had last exchanged words the
dead body was found.
The gruesome discovery was made
by Edward and Samuel SainsbuTy.
short distance from shore the mans
head was seen slightly protruding
above the water The body was in a
standing position. The man wore
heavy rubber boots and his legs had
sunk into the soft mud Decomposi-
tiOn had far advanced. The inference
would seem TO be in view of Mr..
WeTtz' = story that the deceased instead
of following Wertz directions and
walking down the shore undertook to
wade ont into the stream to render as
sistance. His heavy boots helped to
bear him down aud he got fast in the
mud. His companion had passed the
spot there WAS no other help and
death by drowning was the result.
DR.. Sharpless, coroner. of Oatawis
summoned jury consisting of Charles
T. Randall, John Oberdorf, Warren
Sharpless, Henry Gehringer. Jesse
Oberdorf and Clarence Flemming. At
ter hearing all the facts the jury ar
rived at the verdict that death was
due to accidental drowning.
The deceased was forty four years
of age. He is survived by wife. He
is brother of John Gibbons, the East
Market street barber.
SOjOurning at Hunters Park.
Several families Of town are occupy