Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1912-01-05
BODY FOUND IN CANAL
c. E. Donovan of BrattIeboro
Drowned in Turner's Falls
Local Stores-Left Town to Get Work
After Buying Shoes for Family.

In a state of decomposition, the body
of Charles E. Donovan, SO, of Brattle-
boro, a painter, was found in the canal
near the racks at the power station in
Turner's Falls Saturday afternoon by
men employed in keeping the racks clear
of anchor ice. Donovan lived on Clark
street and left town Nov. "a in search of
work. His wife had heard nothing from
him and had undertaken to locate him.,
but without success. Clothing and shoes
which he wore and which he bought in
Brattleboro helped establish his identi-
fication Sunday. Mrs. Donovan was pre-
to go to Swanton, having just
learned of the death of her father, when
news came over the telephone of the find
ing of her husbands body. 1t was but
a few minutes before train time and
she had just time to board the train for
Turner'S Falls. The body was taken to
Cranky, Quebec, for burial and the
funeral took place Wednesday morning.
The funeral of Mrs. Donovan's father
was postponed to yesterday and Mrs.
Donovan accompanied the body to North
Bangor, N. Y, where the burial took
place.
When the body was found II was fully
dressed. including an overcoat. 1t was
taken to McCarthy's undertaking par
Tors, where 1t was viewed by Medical
Examiner Twitchell of Greenfield, who
gave the cause OF uedtn as dCClutlldl
drowning. The pockets of the clothing
contained a Boston e. Maine mileage
book for 500 miles, of which but 9S miles
had been used. There was also a small
account book in which was found a
record of work for certain people. The
names Clapp and Crowell appeared and
before Clapp's name the date was Sept.
30, and after it nine hours; before the
name Crowell was the date Oct. 1, and
after II six hours. There also was a cash
account. How he came to be in the
canal is a mystery that probably never
will be solved. He might nave wander
ed into the canal at night, not being
acquainted with the location, or he
might have fallen into the river and been
carried through the gates into the
canal.
AS there were several persons in and
near Turner'S Falls bearing the names
of Crowell and Clapp they were called
by telephone and asked to try to iden-
tlfy the body. A close examination of
the clothing showed that the suit was
bought of c.. A. McRae of this town and
that the shoes were bought of the Dun
ham Brothers company. Donovan's
brother, DR., j. f.. Donovan of Adams,
Mass, a dentist, some days before had
notified the officers in Turner's Falls,
Greenfield, and other places of Dono-
vans disappearance, giving them a de-
scription of him with the information
that he disappeared from Brattleboro.
The names on the clothing together with
the description made 1t apparent that the
person was DR.. Donovan's brother and
when DR.. Donovan was notified he a
no difficulty in establishing the identi-
~fication.
Before the marks on the clothing were
found some thought the body was that
of Charles Chappell, the ferryman who
was drowned at Munn's ferry in North
field a few weeks ago, and Charles Mum
of Mortified went to Turner's Falls, but
found hat the body bore no resemblance
TO Mr.. Chappell.
Charles e. Donovan formerly lived In
st. Adams and Jamaica, but for the past
five years he had lived in Brattleboro.
He had a wife and two children. For