Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1906-12-22
DEATH IN 0PEQUON
Charles Wilmington Swept 10 His
Death on Wednesday.
TRED 10 FORE The STREAM

Dead BODY q ilorss Fouad the Nsxs
mornno, But Remains Of Man
Not Recovered.
Mr. Charles huntington, well
known young farmer residing along
the Potomac river III this county.
about midway between the mouth Of
the Opequon creek and Dam No. 4.
was tho victim OF a distressing ncci.
dent about noon Wednesday. when he
was swept down the swift current of
The Opeunon and drowned, while on
his way to Martinsburg 10 secure the
services Of q physician for his little
niece. Who II dangerously ill al the
dead mans home
The fatality occurred al Lights
ford, about four miles from Martins.
burg. and was not witnessed by ans
one Mr.. Wilmington started fai Mar.
tinsburg IA the morning. riding one
of his farm horses. Re failed to re.
turn in the evening. and his wife bc-
came alarmed At bis continued ab.
sence. and sought the all 81 the neigh.
bors 70 make search for her msss!aa
husband Inquiries in this city faii-
ed to locate the missing man and his
fate remained mystery until this
morning.
Body OF Horse Found
About . o'clock. a. m, Thursday, the
dead body OF the horse ridden by Mr..
Wilmington when he left home was
found short distance below Light s
ford. The animal had been drowned.
A diligent seach In MartiHsburg among
those who would have been likely to
have known of Mr.. Whittington's pres
ence here Wednesday, was made, but
no one had seen him. This led to the
conclusion that the unfortunate young
man had been carried down by the
current Of tiie 0pequon and drsysnea,
and thH his body is still held pris-
oner by the raging torrent in that
stream and may have been swept miles
below the scene of the fatal accident.
When the probable fate OF the young
man had been ascertained searching
party was organized. and several men
: have been engaged all day trying to
locate the remains.
Well Known Here.
The drowned man was we'll known
in Martinsburg, having formerly been
employed by the Baltimore 81 Ohio
railroad as lineman, with headquar-
tiers in this city. About two years ago
he abandoned his position with the
railroad and began farming along the
Potomac. He was an Industrious and
respected young man, and the news OF
his untlmely death was received in
this city with regret.
Mr.. Wilmington was aged about 26
years. He was married less than two
years ago 10 Miss Forrest Greenfield
OF this county, and his young widow
survives. He had no children He
Is also survived by the following
brothers and sisters: Harvey Whit.
tington and George Wilmington, OF
Kearneysville; Benjamin Wilmington
James Wilmington. Mrs James Bailey
Jacob Wilmington, of Martinsburg
and Harry and Martin Wilmington, re.
siding in the county.
Body Not Yet Recovered.
The body of Charles Wilmington,
the young Berkeley county farmer
who was drowned in the Opequon
creek while attempting to ford that
stream at Lights ford, Wednesday
had not been recovered at noon Fri.
day large number OF relatives
and friends Of the young man have
been making diligent search of the
stream since the finding of the horse
and buggy below the ford Thursday
morning.
All day Thursday 35 men patroled
the banks of the stream and dragged
the bottom with graphing hooks. In
their efforts TO locate the body, but
the swollen stream did not yield up
its prey, and the search was abandon
ed when II became too dark TO work
The next morning all the brothers and
other male relatives OF young Whit
tington again took up the search
which went down the stream a consid
cradle distance. The swollen condition
of the creek makes it extremely prob
able that the body has been carried
for toward the Potomac. and it may
have been swept into the river by the
swift current.
Those engaged in the search say
they will keep 1t up until the remains
Of the unfortunate victim Of the sac