Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-06-19
DETAILS OF ACCIDENT
YOUNG WOMAN DROWNED BY
ovERTURNING OF CANOE.
John Ennis Arrested and Held on
Grave Charge-General and
Personal Mention.

folk, Va, who was drowned last night
while canoeing in the Potomas with
her cousin. Mr.. Jack Burke of this
city, a few hundred yards from the boat
house of the Old Dominion Boat Club, was
recovered this morning at 10 o'clock near
the point where the fatal accident occurred.
The remains were discovered by the occu-
pants of two boats from which the search
was being conducted, respectively. by Capt.
Keith Davis and officer Herbert knight. On
the wharves near by hundreds of people, in
Guiding many ladies' watched the mournful
procession of the boats, which had been
securing the waters all night. as the body
of the unfortunate young woman was
brought to the boat house, and conveyed
from there to the undertaking rooms of w.
Domaine & Son, King street The re-
mains may be forwarded this evening to
Norfolk for interment.
Miss Downer and Mr.. Burke left the boat
house in a canoe last night about 10 O'Clock.
and padded leisurely over toward the
Maryland shore. They had been gone but
short time when two excursion steamers
passed up the river, sending heavy swells
to the frafl craft, which was then not far
from the Maryland flats. Miss Downer was
sitting on seat in the bow of the canoe.
A high wave rocked the boat violently,
causing her to lose her balance and fall
overheard. In striving to recover herself
she caught hold of the side of the boat,
which instantly capsized
Mr.. Burke at once plunged in to rescue the
young lady. catching hold of her and bring
ing her to the side of the canoe. which had
then righted itself but which had taken in
a great deal of water. He strove to keep
her from making violent efforts to get into
the canoe, but in this was unsuccessful, and
in another moment Miss Downer had been
caught under the rocking craft. Again her
companion brought her to the surface. only
TO experience the horror of seeing her car
pfa1r oJnr che bod hAa,N hpcn
Strength Exhausted.
BY that time the struggles of the two
young people had almost exhausted their
strength, but Mr.. Burke was able to catch
hold of Miss Downer once more This time
he managed to place her partly on the bot
tom of the canoe. which then was COM
pletely overturned. He was steadyng her
in that position and was calling for help as
well as he could when another heavy swell
coming then from a steamer which was
passing down the river, shook them both
from the canoe. That time Miss Downer
disappeared under the water and her COM
panion was unable to find her. In an ex-
hausted condition Mr.. Burke was picked up
a few minutes after Miss Downer had been
drowned, and was brought to the shore in
q boat.
AS soon as the shocking affair became
known a score or more of small boats put
out from this city and secured the river
from snort Instance ABOUT the scene or
the accident to Jones Point below Alex
andria. Mr.. Burke returned to the locality
of the drowning in one of the club house
boats and remained on the river all night
continuing in the search until the remains
were found. The body was slightly swollen,
but little dsfgured otherwise 1t was
located by a hook catching in the clothing
of the young woman.
Granddaughter of Maj Greene.
Miss Downer was eighteen years of age
and was a daughter of Mrs Eliza T. Dow
ner Of Norfolk She was a granddaughter
of Maj. Israel Greene of the confederate
army, who. while in the United States
Marine Corps was prominently connected
with the chase and capture of John Brown
Miss Downer had been visiting Miss Bessie
Jones. daughter of DIR. T. Marshall Jones'
About year ago Miss Jones, while visiting
Miss Downer in Norfolk, had a narrow
escape from drowning at Virginia Beach,
and by a strange coincidence this affair
was discussed yesterday at dinner, when
the fatal evening pleasure cruise was being
talked about.
Lack of Yawl Disastrous.
The naphtha launch Jane. Capt c. w.
Cooksey, reached point within a short
distance of the couple in the water, but
by the time the captain was able to turn
his boat the young lady had gone down
There was party of ladies and gentlemen
aboard the LAUNCH returning from trip
10 Colonial Beach, and one of the men at
tempted TO throw a line to the people in the
water, but did not succeed. 1t was due to
the shouts of Capt. Cooksey and others in
his party that the small boat came from
the shore and Mr.. Burke was saved
He was not saved by the party in the
launch as stated" said Capt. Cooksey to a
Star reporter this morning, but by the
man in the small boat who responded to
our calls for assistance"
Capt. Cooksey said he might have saved
Miss Downer if he had had a yawl boat
with him 1t was the first trip he had
made in a long time without having such a
craft with him, he said, and in the future
he will not neglect to have such a boat
with his launch. Last nights sad drown
ing and the accident TO the naphtha launch
near Marshall Hall Capt Cooksey said
shows the necessity for carrying a yawl
boat at all times. Had the dlsab led craft
at Marshall Hall had such a boat, the la
dies in the party could have been taken
across the river and brought home that
night, or the men could have crossed and
sent messages to their families and relieved
the latter of mental suffering. 1t is Capt
Cookseys idea that the captains of launch
es should be made to carry yawl boats for
the protection of their passengers.
Held on Serious Charge.
John Ennis, young resident of this city,
who is a private In the Alexandria Light
Infantry, was before Justice Cation in the
police court this morning on suspicion
OF breaking into the armory of the infantry
on South Royal street with intent to steal.
of1cers Bell and Mayhugh told of having
found Ennis alone in the hall at a late
hour Saturday night. 1t was testified that
he told the officers and Mr. Thomas Cation
who was attracted by noise in the place
that he had been accidentally locked in
by some workmen who had left the armory
about o'clock Saturday night and that
he had gone to sleep. Capt. p. j. Murphy
OF the infantry stated that from his inspec-
ton of the place he was convinced that the
lock of the big doors at the entrance had
been broken from the inside He had also
found a desk broken open in the armory
and he said several evidences of an effort
TO ransack the place were found
Ennis. in his own behalf, stated that he
had gone TO the armory and had found
two men in there late Saturday night who
failed to give a satisfactory account of
their presence. He said ii was while he
was investigating the affair that he was
asked by the officers for an explanation of
what he himself was doing. He disclaimed
any intention of doing anything except in
the interest OF the company. The case
was continued until Wednesday morning
the accused being held meanwhile.