The San Francisco call., 1908-12-16
Word Is Sent TO City and Police Are
Promptly Sent in Launch to fiie
Scene of Discovery
Quest Is Successful and Body Is Re-
moved From Wharf to MOrgue Es-
cOrted by Members of Force
Head Is Reduced to Skeleton, but Iden-
tific alton Is Made by Clothing
and Personal Effects

~ the channel midwav between
Yerba Buena island and Lonl-
bard street wharf, the body of
Chief of Police William J. Biggy, who
was drowned from the police launch
Patrol two weeks ago Monday night,
was discovered and rescued from the
bay yesterday morning. Though the
features of the late chief had been
destroyed beyond the possibility of
recognition the body was in perfectly
sound condition and positive identih-
cation of the remains was made easy
by the clothing and personal effects.
Even before the body had been towed
to the shore the Identification had
been made and squad of mounted
police was waiting at the Mission
street wharf to act as an escort of
honor by the time the launch sent to
make the rescue returned from it's
trip to the middle of the bay.
Seen From the Transit
1t was shortly before 10 O'Clock
yesterday morning that the body was
first seen by First Officer Charles
Hansen and a passenger on the ferry
freight steamer Transit, which was
then on its OILS o'clock transbay trip.
Even as the body was sighted it was
whirled off into the foaming wake of
the ferry boat and no opportunity was
given for rescue. The position was
carefully noted. however. and as soon
as the San Francisco landing was made
Hansen notified Detective Donovan
that body which he believed to be
that of Biggy had been seen
Body Is Recovered
The police launch Patrol. from which
the late chief went to his death on
the stormy night OF two weeks ago.
was still searching the bay OF Meiggs
wharf when the news OF the sighting
of the body was brought to the shore.
Instead of waiting to communicats
with the Patrol. Sergeant Donovan Sc
cured Crowley's launch No. and with
Policemen p Burns and NJ Barry
aboard steamed at once to the vicinity
desi gnated by the officer OF the Tran
sit In the meantime the body had
been sighted a second time by r W.
Reaper and Paul Jones OF the crew OF
the scow schooner George Woods. who
had made fast line to the body and
were preparing to tow it ashore
The policemen aboard the Crowley
launch Immediately took possession OF
the body and brought it ID the Ms
sion street wharf, where already a
crowd of several hundred persons had
gathered. Captain of Police Conboy
of the harbor station arrived few
minutes after the body had been taken
to the side of the wharf. and was fol-
lowed i've minutes later by Police
Commissioner Cutler and Captain OF
Detectives Kelly in the police auto
mobile. At 1885 the body was taken
from the water under the direction of
Deputy Coroner John Kennedy
Big Crowd Gathers
BY this time the report OF the ind
ing of the body had spread throughout
the city and hundreds OF morbidly Gu
rious idlers had gathered ar the wharf
and were packed far into East street
in solid mass. So great was the
crown that 10 extra policemen OF Com
pany A from the Mission and Park
districts were rushed to the wharf to
assist in maintaining order
Following Commissioner Cutler and
Captain Kelly was another squad of
mounted policemen. detailed as soon
as the news reached police headquar-
ters to act as a guard Of honor
| The body of the late chief was placed
| in the coroner's wagon as soon as II
was taken from the water. and the
little cortege started at once for the
morgue in Fell street near octavia-
Preceding the morgue wagon rode Cap
| tain Kelly and four mounted policemen,
while behind it came the automobils
containing Commissioner Cutler. Cap
tain Conboy and Deputy Coroner Ken
nedy.
| AT the morgue second crowd had
gathered to witness the arrival of the
wagon containing the remains. and an