The Washington herald., 1909-05-12
UNIDENTIFIED Man
BROWNS In BASIN
WelI-dreSSed Body Exposed
by Receding Tide.
SOME STRANGE CIRCUMSTANCES
Not Brufse TO Indicate Suicide Nor
Anything on the Clothing TO Give
Man-PoIice Are Making an Inves-
tigation-Two other Bodies Found.

Lying on the sandy bottom Of the
Tidal Basin few feet from the seawau
in Western cove. the body of an uniden-
uhed weu-dressed white man was ex-
posed 10 view by the reeeding tide yestsr-
day afternoon and found by TWO prom
enaders on the esplauade-
The position of the bcdy indicated the
man had fallen from the wall into the
water either while fishing or boxing
down. Il is thought probably he struck
his head against one OF she sharp. Jagged
rocks hidden at high tide and was knock
Cd unconscious, drowning before he came
10 his senses
There was no mark on The body 10
indicate where he struck, and a search
of the vicinity failed 20 reveal fishing
tackle The police are investigating but
they believe the mans death was acci-
dental
There is one fact which seems 10 bear
no exclamation. and this is responsible
for TIE police investigation. No one saw
me nan fan overheard. and nc~one
heard the splash OF = cry for hep. At
least no one has been found who ssN
or heard, and yet me SPOT above Thcre
the body was found = one Of The most
freGueuted in Potomac Park.
a FreaUented spot.
There are few seconds on clear,
balnly day. such as yesterday. when
there is not AZ least one or more per
sons within fifty yards Of the spot.
either walking. riding. driving. fishing.
or otherwise engaged in the pursuit Of
pleasure. Il seems incredibls that a man
could accidentally fall overheard and
drown at that point without be
ing seen OF heard. Benches line the
walk along the sea wall. and these are
nearly always occupied The walk IS
shaded by large overhanging willow trees.
and Tor the reason that 1t Is a popular
resorts for beaUx and maidens. has been
zn0ficiaIly designated as Lovers lane
4 peculiar phase o. the tragedy IS
that although the man bore the appear
ance OF "a gentleman. who would carry
something by which he could oe ideuti-
fed. the police were unable 10 md a
VI -i--'-a- ANAftAtc--AA- VIM
could be used for the purpose OF indentifi-
cation As though done with a purpose
the tailors marks on his clothing had
been removed
4 nickel watch. containing > quaint
chime d. ring wrought OF gold and silver
wire IN the shape Of two snakes entwiued
about each other. cuf buttons 10 match
the ring. and q few articles OF common
usa were found on the body Neither the
watch. the ring. nor the cuff buttons were
engraved and all showed taste OF seIee-
ton.
Police scout Suicide.
The theory Of suicide vas given no
credence by the police It IS reasoned It
would have been almost impossible for a
man to Jump from the sea wall intention
ALI. and Kill himself without having re
ceived some brUise or mark The water
IS shallow. and Is no higher than q mans
waist al high tide. The bottom Is com
posed % fsne sand strewn with rough
rocks.
The river Is separated from the spot by
a strip Of land not more than 500 yards
across and any one desiring 10 end his
life would almost certainly have chosen
the river. instead OF the shallow basin. on
which small boats ply back and forth
constantly
The body was found about ar hour
after the man was drowned. according TO
experts in the harbor precinct and the
nlorgUe master. who declares the body
was not IN the water more than an hour.
and probably not as long as that The
BODY was found by two young men about
O'Clock. an hour when the esPlanade
IS more freQuented than at any tine OF
the day or night
The young men. who declined 70 give
tLeir names. notified the police. and the
Jcdy was removed 10 the mOrgue on the
police launch Major Sylvester. At the
morgue II was found the body was that OF
q man about fifty years old, Weighing
about 80 pounds. ard about FIVE feet elev-
en- inches in height. The eyes were blue
hair gray. mustache sandy. and the cloth
ing black, with tag socks and shoes. and
a purple tie of fine texture.
Lying near the body in the morgue is
the body OF a negro. also unidentified
The body OF the negro was found in the
river near the steel plant about 40
o'clock on Sunday afternoon last. L had
probably been in the water several weeks.
The body Of a negro woman. found
about O'Clock yesterday morning by
CAPT r Dixon. Of the tug Minerva. while
steaming near the foot OF Sixteenth st-eet
northwest, vas last night identified as
thai OF Mrs Lula Jackson. twenty-five
years old. of Grayce court Georgetown.
il had been in the water more than
Eve weeks Il was identified By the
mother and a brother
Persian Rug Sale To-dav.
The BOya5ian sale OF Oriental rugs ana
carpets begins at Sl0an's. 1907 G St. to-
day. with sessions al II and g. This is an
ovCof1ar+ collection ans nall e.