Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-09-09
WIFE BROWNS WHEN
ra @zs1f-
CANOE 0lERTURRS

Mrs Gertrude viger Kuehling. thir-
ty-two years old. wife of Roy Harper
huehling, resident of woodside,
montgomery county. Md. was,
drowned when a canoe in which they.
were padding overturned at Catfish
cove. a short distance below Chain
bridge, last night about 8 o'clock. Her
husband. who accompanied her. was
thrown into the water He managed
to save himself after a fruitless eff
fort to rescue his wife.
heavy ugerskin coat his wife
probably had thrown across her
shoulders caused delay in the hus-
grabbed the: coat first. but found it
was not about her body. He aban-
doEed' the garment and continued
search for his wife. his cries for as
sistance attracting the attention of
other canoeists nearby.
Edwin WhitSon, $50 street north
east; Robert d. White. Cherrydale,
Va. and Alvin 7. Hines. l19 Quincy
place northeast. who were aboard
Mhitson's houseboat. responded to
kuehling's cries for help. They found
the exhausted man still in the water
searching for the body of his wife.
No trace of her body was found.
Hines and White accompanied
kuehiing in motor boat to Demp-
seys penthouse. From the boathouse
Nuening went to the seventh precinct
police station. where he made a de-
tailed report Of the occurrence and
saw his brother. Policeman BENJAMIN
H. Kuehling.
Not Sure of Cause OF Upset.
Questioned at length by Inspector
Grant and Detectives Kelly and
Scrivener at police headquarters to-
day, Kuehling told of the trip on the
river and said he was unable to tell
nave come in contact with a rock. he
stated, or il may have been overturn-
ed by the swift current
inspector Grant told a Star reporter
that he would detain Kuehling in q
witness room in the tenth precinct
the body and action of the coroner
1t is stated that the body of the last
PERSON drowned near Catfish cove was
not recovered. 81
Supposedly Not Alive.
Kuehling formerly served in Com
pany c, 312th Machine Gun Battalion,
at Camp Meade. He left camp Decem-
Der II. 1917. visited his sick mother
at 819 9Th street northeast and dis
appeared. Early the next morning
Private Haig. sentry at the south end
of Aqueduct bridge. found Kuehlings
service coat and suit case on the
bridge. while his service hat was on
the ice below. Two notes. one for his
mother and the other addressed : to
talon. were found on the bridge.
They bid friends goodbye and init
mated suicide.
In the note to the captain. it is
stated. the soldier made it plain he
feared his physical condition was such
in hAr
which he was about to be transferred
would be impossible. kuehling wrote
his mother of his physical unfitness
for military service and bade her a
last farewell. Police doubted that
the writer of the letter had commit
ted suicide.
Detectives Walsh, Connors and
Sweeney were detailed last night to
conduct an investigation of the
drowning of Mrs. Kuehling. Recall
ing the Aqueduct bridge incident and
knowing nothing of the ultimate out
the detectives visited Woodside,
where the Kuehlings roomed at the
residence of Dr. Charles F. Whitney,
and arrested him as an alleged de-
serter.
Desertf0n Charge Withdraw.
That's been squared with the War
Department" Kuehling stated.
WAS arrested DetTOll,
held in custody some time and finally
given an honorable discharge"
1t was said at the War Department
this morning that kuehling's state
.ment was correct. There was
charge of desertion in his case, it
was stated, but it was removed and
he was given an honorable discharge.
In view of the government record. IL
was said at police headquarters, the
desertion charge would be with
drawn.
Kuehling told the police that his
wife's maiden name was Gertrude
viger: that she WAS divorced from
her husband, Howard Osgood. in De-
troit, Mich, and that she was devoted
to her only child. The wife is said
to have arranged for the purchase of
a piece of property at Woodside. Nd.
and the property was to be so re-
corded that the child would fall heir
to it.
Marriage of Kuehling and Mrs. Os-
good took place in Mt. Clemens. Mich.
during the last Christmas holidays.
Husband and wife appeared at Wood
side the latter part of March last
and took board in the home OF Miss
L. K. Cameron, remaining there un-
til shortly after July 6. when they
moved to the residence OF DR.. Charles
F. whitney.