New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-08-07
BODY AFLOAT IN RIVER,
STONE TIED TO F[D
Waterman Thinks Man in Wate
Is Alive Until He Makes
an Investigation.
IDENTIFIED AS A SAILOR
Formerly Worked on Hartfou
Boat, and Had Been Missing
a Month-Police Believe
He Committed Suicide

He Committed Suicide.
Dennis Cadsen. watchmsn emp,ov.1
on a pier at Market street and IN. v...
River. was sitting out on the end q, -.
pier yesterday afternoon when hi, Ca.
was attracted by the sight Of a ma.
floating by. his head and one sbou,..
protruding above the water. At s,,, =.
appeared 10 the Waterman az though o..
man in the river was supporting hin,.,
by tresding water. Csdgen y.u.a
friendly greeting TO the floating man g..
received no answering cry. He hoL.a
closer and saw that there vas soruh,..
strained and unnatural about the tac,
Of the man.
Cadgen quickly ran 70 the end NJ ~.
pier, unhtched boat and roved ON, "a
the bobbing form. AS he pulled I'D NJ,
boat he saw that the man was de,a
His unnatural position in the water h,,.
fed Cadgen. but he is accustomed :,
strange sights along the river front s.s
thought little Of II. With double hi,.b
Of the rope about the mans body n.
Waterman lowed II 70 the pier. mad. n.
rope fast and then reported n the pole.
Of the Madison street station.
The police in turn. after viewing IN.
body, reported 10 Coroner Holtzhau,.,
that a body had been found. This wa,
shortly before o'clock.
Almost five hours after Csdgen had
found the body and towed il to the Die,
Coroner Holtzhauser arrived. in his on.
cial capacity. He viewed the body and
went through the formality Of givlnr
permission for It's removal 10 n.
Morgue. Not until then was the my,.
terry connected with the body laid bars.
Stone Tied to His Feet.
Two Of the attendants az the Morgu.
descended 10 the waters edge and pre-.
pared TO lift the body 10 the pier land.
ing. They were unable 10 even III Il
more than half way out before they
dropped II back again. II was 10
heavy, they said. for them to lit IN.
aided. Two patrolmen then attached
length Of rope about the body and, with
the assistance Of the Morgue attend.
ants. hosted the body TO the pier.
When the body was lifted clear Of the
water as far down as the knees the end
Of a stout rope came into view, followed
by large knot, such as is used by sail.
ors. This knot was tied just above the
mans ankle, and at the other end Of
the rope was suspended a large granite
having block, such as is used in the city
streets.
An examination showed that the pisee
of granite was tied To the mans rlsh,
ankle with a piece Of clothesline. nearly
new. This had acted as balance while
in the water, and had maintained the
body in an upright position. II
thought that the weight Of the stone was
sufficient 10 drown the man by miners
ing his head, and that later. when the
body became buoyant enough 10 rise 10
the surface the stone still exerted SUM-
cient weight to keep the lower part Of
the body beneath the water.
The paving stone and rope were taken
TO the Madison street station and De
tectives Murphy and Blaha were as
signed to unravel the mystery surround
ing the dead man. 4 search OK the
mans clothing showed that he was un'
doubtedly a longshoreman.
Identified as a Sailor
The body was clothed in a blue Jumper,
black shirt and black trousers. In me
pockets were found blank note book,
pair of gold trimmed spectacles and 8
short briar pipe.
After the body had lain In the Morrs
for some time, a longshoremsn, who san
he was Patrick Kelly. OF No. II Down
street. identified it as that NJ James
Madigan, a sailor employed formerly ch
the Hartford Line Of steamers, PLYING on
Long Island Sound. Kelly said thar
Madigan was friend Of his and had lef'
the Hartford Line about month ago
since which time he had been.mssins
Kelly said that the dead man formerly
lived in a Bowery lodging house.
Several bruises were found on the body
and the head, but. according 10 the detsc'
tives. these might have been caused .!
coming in contact with piers or buik'
heads. The man must have been IN Ve
water about a month. as the body W.
badly decomposed.
1t is the opinion Of the police that ms
man committed suicide
SUNDAYS NETWORK TRIBUNE
LIE I'D