Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1916-07-28
RIVER CLAIMS ANOTHER
Patrick Mccarthy Falls OFF Gas
House Wall Near Bridge
Had Been Drinking with Two others
Body Recovered by Chief Wilson and
A. E. Knight

Patrick Mccarthy, about 80 years
old, brickmason g helper, whose home
is in Lawrence, Mass, but who has
been employed in Brattleboro much of
the time in the last three or four years
was drowned Monday night about $40
clock in the Connecticut river north
of the gas house on the north side of
the highway at the went end of the
highway bridge. The body was recov-
cred by Police Chief George Wilson
and Arthur r. Knight about 11.3O
o clock Tuesday where it went into the
water. They had been dragging the
river since 10 clock
Mccarthy was with Daniel Riley. n
laborer of Brattleboro, and George
Gonyer, better known as "Bullett,
who lives across the river. According
to Riley the men had been seated back
of the gas house some time smoking
and drinking, but Riley insisted this
morning that they were not intoxicated.
He says that Mccarthy stood mp to
light n match and plunged off the 10.
foot wall. Riley did not see the BODY
rise after it once disappeared from
view. The splash of the -body falling
into the water was heard by Charles
Oaks, who was at his boat landing ut
the east end of the bridge, but as no
alarm was raised he did not consider
that an accident had happened.
Police Chief Wilson was notified
within a few minutes by man who
had been told of the accident by Riley.
and went Immediately to the scene. A
search of the river was made as well
as possible for over an hour that night
with the aid of boats, but no trace of
the missing man was found.
The officials started out to locate
Gonyer and Riley. Gonyer was found
asleep at Island park. He was wear
ing Mccarthy hat. The coat and hat
found at the scene of the accident
proved TO have been Gonyer g, the lat
ter having been so confused after the
accident that he picked up the wrong
articles of clothing.
1t was some time before Gonyer
could be brought to consciousness. and
when he was awakened his condition
was such that he could not tell what
had happened except that Mccarthy
had fallen into the water. Gonyer was
locked mp in the police station to sleep
off the effects of the liquor he had
consumed and next morning was re-
leased to go to the town farm, where
he is at work in the hay field.
1t was learned that Mccarthy had
come to Brattleboro on Monday from
West Lebanon, n. H., searching for
work, and having failed to find any
was planning to leave on the late train
last night. He worked on the con
struction of the Crosby garage building
sorting brick and mixed the mortar for
the Mosher garage building and worked
also for Pellet & Skinner on the
Odd Fellows building.
He was known as a man who worked
until he had accumulated sufficient
sum to provide means for a spree, when
he would disappear and not return until
his funds were gone.
Mccarthy had told acquaintance
here that he had brother and three
sisters in Lawrence, Mass, and Select
man A. w. j. wilkins telegraphed to
that city Tuesday morning in an effort
to get in touch with relatives.
The dispute between the states of
New Hampshire and Vermont as to the
location of the boundary line held up
the search for the body Tuesday.
The Brattlebor0 selectmen insisted that
the task of finding the body and car
ing for its disposal belonged to the
Hinsdale authorities. Chief Wilson
about 10 o'clock got a boat and with
Arthur Knight dragged the river near
the place where the body was last seen.
until the graphing hooks finally
brought it up.
The body was taken TO Moran &
Rohde s undertaking rooms.