Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-03-25
FOUND DEAD IN GULLY
CAPT. SOWBY KILLED BY WAGON
ovERTURNING.
Coroner hewitt, After Making Investi-
cation, Decides Inquest to
Be Unnecessary.

Capt. Frederick W. Sowby, veteran OF
the civil war, was found dead In a gully
! near 4th and Seaton streets, lexington, this
morning about o'clock. His death had
evidently been caused by his wagon going
over an embankment and falling upon him.
His body was found beneath the wagon in
the mud, but the horse was gone. The
animal had struggled out of it's harness
and left the vicinity of the accident. The
quantity of horse hair found on the cap
tain's clothing indicated that he had come
in contact with the animal during the time
the latter struggled to free itself from
the wagon. Captain Sowby had been in
the city during the day and was driving
toward his home on the Frank farm at
Brentwood when the fatal accident hap
pened. Nothing was known of the affair
until Henry Henson, a gateman on the
Baltimore and Ohio railroad, saw the
wagon at the bottom Of the bank. He
found c. B. Harmon, yardmaster in the
lexington yard, and returned with him
to the scene of the accident. They found
the body of the victim and summoned the
police. There was nothing about the place
to even suggest that a crime had been COM
mitted and the police took the body to the
morgue. Letters found in the pockets of
thedead mans clothes furnished a clue to
his identity.
Captain Sowby was about sixty-fve years
old. He was a native of New Jersey and
served in a regiment from that state dur
Ing the war. While engaged in battle
near Petersburg, Va, he received serious
wound in the head which resulted in de-
priving him of the sight of one eye and
almost destroying the sight of the other
His hearing was also impaired and he suf-
fered intense pain most of the time. After
the war he moved to Chicago and remained
there a number of years. From there he
went to Mountain Lake Park where he had
charge of the greenhouses at summer re-
sort. About eight years ago he came to
this city
Worked as Florist
He was a florist and worked at his trade
for local florists Some trouble was expe-
rienced by the captain in proving his iden-
tity when he applied for a pension, but
about a year ago his efforts were crowned
with success and he received nearly 50, 500
back pension. Before receiving the pension
money he was in a bad financial condition
and received the assistance of members of
the G. A. r. and Union Veterans Union,
with which organizations he was connected
He was unable to stand prosperity, however.
and proceeded to spend his money with a
lavish hand. His money is now gone, his
bank book shows, and he recently pawned
some small articles in order to raise money.
1t is said that the captain was a drinking
man and that he frequently INDUCED to ex-
cess. He had several unpleasant expe-
riences because of his fondness for strong
drink. His friends felt that he was to be
excused for this habit, as he suffered in
tensely from his wounds and did his drink
ing in order to relieve pain. A widow and
two stepchildren survive him. The deceased
was a member of John A. Logan Regiment,
U. V. u, and Burnside Post, G. A. R. Mem
bers Of these organizations have made ar
rangements for the burial of his body at
Arlington. At the morgue when the clothes
were searched new revolver, number of
cartridges, bank book, pawn ticket and a
few pennies were found. Coroner hewitt
learned of the circumstances under which
the body was found and could see no reason
for holding an inquest.