Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1915-04-07
BODIES OF THE
AUTO VICTIMS
ARE RECOVERED
Stanton and Knapp Brought
from Water Last Night,
y, Stephens Today.
DIVERS FIND YOUTHS NEAR
WHERE AUTO LEFT BRIDGE
Stephens's Body Removed to
Jersey City for an
@ Inquest.

The bodies Of the three young men
drowned in the Passaic river, when
their automobile went through an
open draw at the Plank road bridge,
have been recovered. Two of the
bodies-those of j. Gordon Knapp,
of East Orange, and Clarence Leon
Stanton, of this city-were brought
up by a. diver late yesterday after
noon. The third body, that OF
Eugene Clifford Stephens, of New
ark, was found today.
The finding of the bodies accounts
for the seven youths who were in
the car at the time of the accident
early yesterday after having attend
ed a dinner of the Montclair Alumni
Association, held in the Hotel Mar
tinioue. New York. The four occu-
pants who escaped death by swim
ming to the shore were Alfred p.
Skinner and William Bittles, of this
city; Lyman D. Andrus, of South
Orange, and Kenneth b. Hay, of
Du ,Bois, Pa.
The bodies were recovered by q
submarine diver, William Lutz. All
were found to be similarly dressed.
Each youths overcoat was, tightly
nuttoned Stanton's overcoat was
hnttoned tightly around his neck and
he also wore a muffler. Knapp's s
oyercoat was buttoned tight and his
hands were clasped and folded across
mis- breast. Stephens, besides having
his overcoat buttoned tight, wore
yellow chamois gloves. He also had
a diamond ring on his finger. HIS
gold watch was in his pocket.
The quick recovery OF the booles
was due largely to the experience or
Diver Lutz, who has figured in such
work before. He gained distinction
AT the time of the sinking of the
passenger steamship Empress of Ire
land in the st. Lawrence river a
couple of years ago. Lutz went down
into 14O feet of water and brought up
143 bodies. He is now a resident or
Jersey City.
Found in ChsnueI.
Diver Lutz had been working only
a half hour this morning when he
came across the body of young
stephens. 1t was located in the centre
Of the channel, fifteen feet from
where the ill-fated automobile was
recovered yesterday afternoon. The
body was taken to the float from
which the divers worked, aad-then
placed in an undertaker's wagon for
removal. There were no marks about
the body.
After the finding of the body of
Stephens, is was taken to Jersey City
under order OF County Physician
George w. King, Of Hudson county,
who will hold an inquest. The order
was received over the telephone by
Superintendent of Bridges Thomas
Dugan, who was on duty at the Pas-
saic bridge. The body was taken to
DIR Kings office and was accom-
panied by George H. Stephens, father
If the drowned youth. The work OF
,lnpaneling a jury was started.
The inquest over Stephenss body is
expected to be followed by an in
ouiry to settle responsibility for the
accident. This work will be taken
71p by the Hudson county prosecu-
tors office, as the accident happened
from the Hudson county side OF the
bridge.
Knapp's Funeral.
The body of Knapp was taken to
the home of his parents, Mr.. and MIS-.
w. Nelson Knapp, 1873 Glenwood ave-
nue.. East Orange, about o'clock last
night. announcement has been made
that the funeral will be held on Fri
day afternoon at o'clock. Services
will be conducted at the house by
Rev. Charles Wall1ley, rector of Grace
Episcopal Church, Orange. Inter-
ment will be in Roserale Cemetery.
The deceased was member OF Hope
Lodge, F. and A. M.
Objection has been taken to this
story told by Louis Bemisch, a taxi
cab driver, regarding circumstances
Of the automobile tragedy. His story
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