The Washington times., 1925-05-02
CAPSIz|NG
Of CANOE
BELIEVED
ACCIDENT
Companion Taken Into Gus
tody for Trying to Dis
turb Widow

A boisterous attempt to inter-
view the widow of George Bennett
Ashby, Capitol Park Hotel man
ager, q few hours after Ashby
was drowned by his canoe cap
sizing in the Potomac River yes
terday afternoon caused police to
arrest Leslie E. Gross, seventeen
years, Ashby's canoe companion,
son of a former Norfolk hotel
.-0Bner, for investigation, Milton
b. Smith, traffic officer and
brother-in-law of the late Mr..
Ashby, said today.
drilled by Inspector Clifford L.
Grant, Gross, declared Ashby's
drowning twas extremely regret
table but purely an accident"
Inasmuch as Gross was the sole
occupant of the canoe with Ashby
when it capsized, it was decided
after today's inquiry to hold him
at the Seventh precinct station
pending the coroner's inquest.
Drag River For Body.
Early today the harbor police
resumed the task Of dragging the
river for the body Of Mr.. Ashby.
After the accident" Traffic Off
Ger Smith explained today, Gross
came back to the hotel. He went
to his room and had a few drinks.
He became very boisterous and de-
manded to see Mrs. Ashby. She
was in a hysterical condition and
we refused his request.
Fearing that he might cause
trouble, 1 advised the boys arrest
and suggested that my name
could be used as the complainant.
Believes Death An Accident
81 am convinced after my investi.
CATION and the family is convinced
that Mr.. Ashby's death was acct
dental"
Gross has made a number Of con-
1icting statements. He admits.
however, that he originally regis.
tered at the Capitol Park Hotel as
Leslie Consolvo and represented
himself to be the son Of the owner
OF the Belvedere Hotel in Baltimore.
1t was when he attempted to
cash a draft for $50 at the Capitol
Park that Mr.. Ashby got in touch
with Colonel Consolvo, who told him
the boy had worked at the hotel but
advised him not to cash the draft.
Takes Care Of Boy.
The: police interviewed ar tbis
Juncture. In the meantime Mr..
Ashby looked the boy up and found
that 1t came from Norfolk, where
he came from, and he was advised
by Judge Day at Norfolk, a friend
OF his, to look after him pending
the arrival of his father, supposed
TO reach the city today
Ashby, assured that the bow WAS
all right, let him live at the Capitol
Park.
Yesterday, Mr.. Ashby told the
assistant manager of the Capitol
Park, Y. l.. Lane:
Wanted Canoe Painted.
"I don't think / will leave Cross
idle around the hotel. Lam 90
ing up to pay for the painting of
my canoe and will take him with
me-"
1t Is said that after Ashby and
Gross got up the river, they met
Kenneth M. Ward, a friend of
Ashby. who was going canoeing
and invited them to go with him.
We had been out about an
hour" Gross told the authorities
today, and Ward and Ashby had
some drinks.
Mr.. Ashby thought he should
take my paddle. He stood up in
the canoe and it tipped over.
Thought He Was Safe.
81 thought Mr.. Ashby was safe,
and 1t was not until SWAN to
safety that l learned he had gone
down. l then dived for him."
Mr.. Smith said today that his
/brotherln-law was an expert swim
mer' and that he was thrown from
. canoe at Colonial Beach some
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