Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-05-20
BOTTLE OF beer
COST MAN LIFE
IN Making Lunge for It Frank
Scott Pitches Himself Into
Mississippi.
ON STEAMER HELEN BLAIR
NIuscatine Young Man Returning
Home With Supply in Suit Case
Body Is Found.

Muscatine, May 20.-Making lunge
to recover a bottle of beer which Cap
tain Walter "A. Blair had jerked from
his hand, Frank Scott of 1908 Cypress
street, this city, fell from the steamer
Helen Blair Wednesday evening as the
craft was returning to this city, and
was drowned. The fatal accident oc-
Cured at about o'clock a short dis
lance below Fairport. As yet the body
has not been recovered. No one on the
boat knew the young man, but identifi-
cation was made possible through a
name-plate in his hat, which bore the
name F. Scott. The young man was
a conductor in the employ of the Cit
liens Railway & Light company and
is survived by wife and infant child.
According to the story told by Cap
tain Blair of the steamer, Scott board
ed the packet at Davenport, and had
suit case which it was later discovered
was well filled with whisky and beer.
Treating Deck Hands.
On the trip down the river Mr.. Blair
declares that the young man, who was
riding on the first deck, had been Civ
ing some of the deck hands some of
the booze. When he heard of this Mr..
Blair went down stairs and found Scott
sitting on barrel on the bow of the
boat. The captain states that the pas
senger had bottle of beer in his hand
as he came down the steps, and as he
extended his hand to offer it to one of
the deck hands, Mr.. Blair stepped down
and grasping the bottle, attempted to
throw it into the water. Scott sprang
from the barrel and made a lunge af-
ter the bottle, which enabled him to
recover the article, but caused him to
plunge overheard.
Sinks as Rescue is Near.
Witnesses of the tragedy declare
that Scott tried to save himself, but
was unsuccessful, for he could not keep
up until the life boat was lowered. He
kept himself up brief time, but just
as rescue seemed at hand he disappear
ed under the water and did not rise
to the surface again. County Attorney
Pepper as well as the police were no
titled of the affair as soon as the pack
ct reached here, and sworn afidavits
were secured from the Russian labor
ers who witnessed the tragedy. When
Captain Blair returns from Burlington
a more detailed investigation of the
affair viii be made.
This afternoon 1t was reported that
the body had been recovered. 1t was
in IL feet of water 40 feet out from
shore. The body was not disfgured in
any way, and the indications are it
sank and lay at the bottom of the river
until snagged by the clam hooks used
by the searchers. After arriving at
Fairport, Justice Howe, acting cor
oner, ordered the body brought to Mus
catine. An inquest was held today.
Wife Frustrated.
Mrs. Scott, the wife of the drowned |
man, was Frustrated with grief when |
she heard of the tragic death of her |
husband. The young couple moved to |
Muscatine last year from Salem, Ill, |
and since last October the man had |
been in the employ of the Citizens
Railway & Light company. He was
about "a years of age and was very
well liked by all who knew him.
The steamer Helen Blair was held |
at Muscatine for a short time this |
morning while the coroner's Jury was
conducting an investigation of the
drowning. Captain Walter Blair was |
eXonerated from all blame.