Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1909-02-16
Chesapeake andDeIaware
Canal Has Claimed Many
Soldiers as Victims

That Fort DUPONT, at Delaware City,
bears the record for tragic deaths the Of
ficers stationed there believe. Within the
past month five soldiers have met with
unnatural deaths and as far as known
no other fort Of Uncle Sans in this coun-
try can equal this rate.
About three weeks ago three enlisted
men lost their lives through drinking
denatured alcohol: several days ago an
other shot himself and just recently one
was drowned. How the first three died has
already been explained, but the cause of
the death of the other two is clouded and
il may be that these cases may never be
explained just as was that of the sud
den end of Charles Dover. the soldier
whose body was found floating in the
Delaware and Chesapeake Canal last
Spring after he has been missing for
three months.
There appears to be an epidemic Of
sudden deaths at the fort and the old say
ing that troubles never come singly quot
ed by Colonel j. r. Williams, command
ant of the fort, TO a reporter for THE
EVENING JOURNAL yesterday after
noon, appears to be true. Colonel Will
liams said he would not be surprised to
hear Of more casualties among the men
stationed at Fort Dupont or Fort Fort
Mott across the river. 1T appears" he
said, that when one tragic death occurs
others follow"
Still a Mystery.
The death of Sergeant William Black
burn who shot himself several days ago
at the fort, is still a mystery. Whether he
committed suicide or shot himself acc-
dentally may never be known, but Colonel
williams is inclined to believe that the
shooting was accidental. Yet ne qualities
this statement by saying that he cannot
understand why Blackburn should have
accidentally shot himself. being an old
and experienced soldier.
He may have only removed four Of the
five cartridges his gun held making a
mistake in the count. and while cleaning
the weapon shot himself.
There is a magazine shut-off and also
a safety lever on the guns now in use at
the fort. but whether either of these were
set Is not known, as several men handled
the weapon after Blackburn shot himself
and the man who picked it up immediate
~ afterward was too excited to remem
l
Der
Drowned, in the Canal.
The latest Of the tragedies is the death
Of Mont West trumpeter who was
drowned in the Delaware and Chesapeake
Canal In connection with this case Pri-
yate william McCracken. of New Castle
a member Of the same company as the
lead man. is held in confinement but
there is no charge against him. Colonel
Williams says that McCracken overstayed
his time Friday night when he appeared
at the fort intoxicated and reported Wesi
/ missing. and he was as much locked VI
for that as anything else The Colonel
however, seems to think that West me
death accidentally by falling into thu
water
The different stories told by McCracken
relative to the case Colonel Williams say
might be due to the fact that the MAJ
was intoxicated and excited A thorough
Investigation Is being made, however, an
IN the meantime the prisoner viii be KEEP
confined
Death Never Solved.
The tragic death of Charles Dover wi
probably never be explained. That un
fortunate young man disappeared last De
cember. a year ago. and il was not unit
three months later when the ice began t
break up that his body was found float
ing in the canal. II was devoid Of all cloth
ing except shoes and stockings and wa
mutilated.
The supposition at that time was tina
the man was beaten and robbed and hi
body thrown into the water. II was sa.
that he had money having just been paiC
hut this Colonel Williams denies. He sal
. that the men had not been paid off righ
before Dover disappeared
..The Delaware and Chesapeake Canal
Colonel Williams said, lis death ira
for the soldiers at the fort. They try
walk across the locks where the footwa
is not more than eighteen inches wild
and was not Intended for bridge an
fall over board
"eirce the post was established" h
said "tbere have been about six drown
lngs Of soldiers at the locks
A report was made by the board az
pointed TO inquire into the death OF SCI
J eeant blackburn. but Colonel Williams r.
turned II. as there were several matter
ne wanted investigated which were nc
covered in the inquiry. He expects this r.
port and also the one being made In I'll
West case. before the end Of the presef
week.
Funeral of Trun1peter West.
The body of Trumpeter West was take
TO the National cemetery near Fort Mot
across the river yesterday afternoon an
buried there. The young soldier was give
a military funeral A tugboat took Il
funeral party across to Fort Mott Il
caszet containing the body being cover'
with the national colors and borne on II
shoulders Of six members OF the compar
, 10 which the dead man belonged.
When the body was lowered INTO u
grave three volleys we're fred by a squa
: - sold,ers A bugler then stepped forwai
and sounded taps.
The only relative West has, Is
e brother who is an enlisted man station'
y at Fort Dupont