Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-30
MISS WOODS REMAINS
BODY FOUND FLOATING IN PoTo-
MAC RIVER TODAY.
Drowning Occurred Good Friday-Cor-
oner to Hold Inquest-Inter-
ment at Oxon Hill.

date of the fatal accident which occurred
on the upper Potomac. near Dixie landing,
the body of Miss Elsie Wood has been
recovered. The remains were observed
floating in the river this morning shortly
after 8 o'clock. and Policeman Ferguson,
who was on duty along the river front In
Alexandria, telephoned that fact to police
headquarters in that city. message was
received by the police in this city soon
thereafter and the crew of the police boat
started out. After a search the crew of
the boat located the remains near the edge
OF the channel just below Shepherds land
Ing. The police were accompanied down
the river by the assistant superintendent
of the morgue. 1t was not difficult thing
Tor him and the policeman to lift the body
to the police boat and place 1t in a large
box used for such purposes. Thirty min
utes after the recovery the remains were In
the morgue 1t was impossible to recognize
the body. The Identification was maze by
hal b. Claggett a cousin of the deceased,
VINO visited the morgue about noon. The
dress and shoes were similar to those wdrn
by Miss Wood the day she went canoeing
with George Rex Frye, and a cameo pin
that she wore In her scarf was still there.
Coroner hewitt viewed the remains at the
morgue. He was already familiar with the
story of the sad accident and he thought
the holding of inquest would be the
therefore gave instructions TO the super
intendent of the morgue that Jury of
inquest be summoned to meet tomorrow
morning at IL O'Clock The jury will also
near evidence In another case--that of a
laborer who received fatal injuries last
week while at work on the Baltimore and
Ohio railroad.
1t Is the belief of the crew of the police
boat Vigiiant that the body of Miss Wood
was kept on the bottom of the river by
her hair becoming entangled In the rocks,
branches of trees or other obstruction and
that 1t was only released when the hair
came out by reason of a changed condition
or the scalp. They think the BODY was
released last night and that 1t then fioated
DOWN with the tide. Had ii been floating
on the river yesterday, they think II would
certainly nave been seen by some of the
many anglers who were on the water ali
day. ~
Drowned Good Friday.
The fatal accident occurred abeut 4 40 IN
the afternoon of Good Friday, the canoe
overturning with the coupIe while they
were near Dixie Landing 1t was stated
that the accident was partly due to the
canoe coming IN contact with the swells
from tug boat on the way to a quarry for
a tow. Miss Wood, who had no experience
IN handling canoe, had the paddle In her
mana, having expressed a desire to be
taught now to manage such a craft When
the light boat met the swells from the tug,
1t Is stated, Miss Wood lowered the paddle
into the water instead of taking IL out en-.
ttrely and the boat was overturned The
young woman and her escort went over
board and they managed to hold to the
canoe for a short while, but Miss Wood
was unable to hold on long and was
drowned.
Mr.. Frye called to a number of work
men and others who We're working the
quarry to save the life of his companion
but none of them was willing to venture
into the water on account of the swift cur
rent. They did get a small boat and &c
to the place where the canoe had over
turned, but did not reach there before Miss
Wood had disappeared beneath the surface
Even then Mr.. Frye thought there was 9
possibility of saving her in time to resusci-
tate her, but his pleadiniys were in vain.
After the boat had overturned and while
Mr.. Frye was on one side and Miss Wood
on the other the former tried to get
around the boat in order to get hold OF
her, thinking he could then save her.
Could Not Retain Hold.
Mr.. Frye spoke to her several times
and felt satisfied that he would be able to
aid her, but she did not manage to remain
until he could get to her. He realized
that il was useless for him to let go the
boat and try to find her in the water, and
so he held to the craft until he was res
cued by two men from the shore.
Mr.. Frye spent several days on the river
assisting the police in their efforts to re-
cover the body. He was at Georgetown
College this morning when he learned of
the finding of the body. Undertaken
Mitchell took charge of the remains, and
arrangements have been made for funeral
services tomorrow afternoon. The hold
ing of the inquest may possibly delay the
funeral, but that Is hardly likely. how
ever as the coroner will release the re-
mains as soon as the jurors subscribe to
the oath.
The body Will be inferred in st. Barnaby
cemetery, OXon HILL Md Miss Wood. who
was twenty-eight years of age, was a
daughter of the late DR.. Thomas Wood
brothers. Z. Wade Wood and T. c. Wood,
live in this city She resided at the house
1attar 100 Ma caapbuSettS ayanna