Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1905-06-29
BODY Of VERTREES IS FOUND
Midshipman Who Was Drowned
From The Newark Has
Been Buried.
IN WATER OVER TWO WEEKS.
Gunboat Sandoval Goes To Bring
The Remains Back
To Academy.


weeks the body of M:dshipmau Louis
l.. Vertrees, who was drowned while
swimming from the U. ). cruiser
Newark, off of Hackett's Point. has
been found. The finding OF the body
was accidental and had ii not been
for the alertness of newspaper cor
respondent and the closeness with
which the daily papers are scanned
bv the naval authorities, Nertrees
would have occupied an unmarked
and unknown grave. The body WIS
buried in the Potters field of Kent
county hy officials who had apparent
ly given no attention To the daily
papers and were not aware OF the fact
that the naval authorities had offered
reward of SEQ for the finding OF the
body.
AS il is the reward will probably
not be paid any one owing to the accis
dental manner in which the body was
recovered. On June l3 as Nertrees,
who was appointed from Bushnell,
Ill. and was on the summer cruise OF
the midshipmen, was swimming about
the Newark with several companions
while the ship was anchored off Cf
Hackett's Poirt. He dived into the
water and at once disappeared from
body at once, but no trace could be
found. The Academy authorities kept
several cutters and launches constant
ly at work in an effort to locate the
body, but not the slightest trace could
be found,
On Monday the body of man, which
later proved to be that of Neltrees,
was discovered floating in the water
close to Rock Hall. near Kent Island. at
a point about twenty five miles from
Annapolis and greater distance from
the scene of the drowning. The Coun-
tv authorities, not knowing apparent.
ly, of the drowning of Vertrees, or
dered that the body be buried. This
was done and nothing further was
thought of the matter. Baltimore
American correspondent at that point,
however, heard of tho matter and
sent small dispatch TO his paper tell
ing of the finding and burial OF the
body, which was published in yester-
day mornings paper. Mr.. Edward
Burtis, the market master, read tho
article and came to the conclusion
that the body was that of Vertrees as
the dispatch stated that 1t was cloth
ed in pair of swimming trunks.
Mr.. Burtis at once went TO the Naval
Academy and reported his discovery,
but found upon arrival there that the
authorities had also read the article.
1t was decided at once to send to
Rock Hall and determine whether or
not the body was actually that OF Ner-
trees. The Sandoval with Paymaster
Brown and Lieutenant Bookwalter
aboard was despatched to Rock Hall
and arrived there late in the after
noon. Lieutenant BookwRlter was
ma Vigating the small gun boat and dis
played the efficiency of the navy sea-
Inanship by the able manner in which
he made the harbor. 1t is exceedingly
difficult to make the harbor, owing to
the growth of tide grass and rushes
and an inexperienced man would soon
either have beached the boat or fouled
the screw on the growth.
The authorities we're seen and from
a description furnished of the body, 1t
was determined that it was that OF
Vertrees. AS it was growing dark
and the passage out could be accomp-
| lished only under the greatest Difficult
/ ties, arrangements were made with
an undertaken to have the body pre-
pared by this morning. This morning
| the Sandoval, with Mr.. James >.
| Taylor. the undertaken, aboard, was
| again bbDE VI nbtk A1nAA w SCAAAI
body. 1t will be placed in metallic
casket and brought back this after
noon. 1t is stated that the body was
not disfgured in the slightest, except
ing that the head was somewhat black
ened by the action of the water.
Vertrees, who was twenty one years
of age, was said to be- on expert swim
mer, and the only explanations given
| as the cauge of his drowning are that
he was either taken with cramp or
was caught by the heavy undertow
and in trying to get to the surface OF
the water after diving breasted tho
current instead of going with it.
1t is thought that the Sandoval
would return by | O'Clock this after
noon, but up to the hour OF going to
press nothing had been heard Of the
boat. 1t is thought that there may
have been some delay in securing the
necessary permits for the removal OF
the body after having been once in
TERED.