The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1913-10-29
MYSTERY OF
BLOOD STAINED
BOAT is SOLVED
Body of Winfield williams
Floats to the Shore At
WOOdmOnt.
GAPING WOUND IN
BOYS LEFT BREAST
Heavy Charges From Two Bar
reIs of a Shot Gun Passed
Through the Heart of
the Victim and the
Lifeless Boy Fell
Into the. Water.
Especial to the Farmer.)

Stratford, Oct. 29-The mystery sur
rounding the death of Winfield Will
liams, 15 years old, who disappeared
from a motor boat in the Housaton1c
river on October 18th was solved as
far as it ever will be when the body
of the boy came ashore at Woodmont
yesterday. The body was discovered
in the Sound soon after noon.
NJ Medical Examiner Ives was called and
he quickly identified the remains as
those of the boy who had lost his life
in p hunting excursion on the river,
He se41te permission for the zfemoyAI
of the body and it was taken in
charge by Undertaken Frank l. Curtis
of this town.
The boy Left Capt John Bonds dock
early on the morning in which. be met
his fate. He used a motor boat
called Viola Nd. and had skin in
tow. In this skiff the boy had placed
a double barreIled shot gun, the gift
Of his uncle Capt. John Bond. He left
report of a, shot gun was heard which
attracted attention on account of the
almost simultaneous reports. It gave
the impression that some gunner had
fallen in with an unusually large flock
of ducks and was using all the pow
der possible. A few minutes later
the piIot1ess motor boat Travelled across
the river and was boarded by fisher
men who had watched it's strange
antics from the tetty.
The stern of the motor boat was
drenched with blood and pieces of hesL
and bones were distributed about in
grewsome profusion. It brought un-
evidence of a tragedy, but
the particulars were lacking. For days
motor boats dragged the river to re-
cover the remains or to solve the mys-
terry. Every effort was unavai1ing
terday.
When recovered the body was in an
advanced stage of decomposition The
left arm is shattered from the wrist
to the elbow In the left breast there
is a, gaping wound three inches in di-
ameter. These are the only marks
upon the body excepting those which
came through the long immersion in
the water. It has only partially solved
the mystery, but the process which led
to the death Of the boy is now fairly
well established.
Leaving the dock at $3.50 on that ia
tai morning the boy chugged down the
east side of the river next to Kne11s
Island. He had placed his shot gun,
new one, presented to him by his un-
Gle, Capt. John Bond, in the sRif
which was tied behind the motor boat.
The engine worked well and the boats
with their solitary pilot ,disapp cared in
Lne Q1L1 IOSSy DISTANCES Oh Ih0 river
The boats rounded the bend in the riv-
Br and dfsa ppeared from all human
sight. Realizing that the gun might
be needed at any moment the boy left
the wheel of the motor boat and
the raised deck at the stern
drew in the s1in which was following |
astern, hauling in the painter hand
over hand.
Holding the rope in his right hand
he reached with his left for the gun
which lay muzzIe toward the boy in
he forward thwarts. He seized the |
and drew the guns towards |
him. The hammers caught on the
seat. There was a double explosion. |
Both barrels were discharged and the
contents passed through, the boys |
body. The wound, three inches in |
diameter, just missed the nipple of |
he left breast. 1t tore through flesh |
md bones completely destroying half
If the puIsating heart. On his knees
>verhanging the water the boy met
lis death for it must have been in
;tantaneous. In a second the body
lad plunged over the stern into the
water leaving a, blood stained record
mingled bits of flesh on the stern of
he boat.
The funeral took place this after
loon from the residence of Capt. John
Bond. There was a large attendance
or the boy was one of the most popu-
ar in the town. His tragic death had
aused- general sorrow. The inter
nent was at the Union cemetery.