Evening star., 1934-08-10
Keep Lookout While Police
DRAG River Near Mar
shall Hall, Md.
BEL LIEvE HARBoR MASTER
FELL FROM CRUISER
Inspectors Edwards and Headley
Advance Theory He Struck
Head on Side Of Boat.
pictures on Page A-4)

pictures on Page A-4)
-Four service airplanes joined in the
search today as police OF the harbor
precinct dragged the Potomac near
Marshall Hall, Nd, determined 10 md
the body Of their commander, Lieut..
Edward r. Harney, who presumably
fell overheard from q cabin cruiser
Wednesday afternoon while that craft
drifted On the river with It's owner
asleep IA bunk.
Two sirplanes from Boiling Field
and two hydropianes from Anacosiia
Naval Air station were cruising over
the river IN hope of spotting the body
should It come 10 the surface Com
mercial airpianes in the vicinity were
asked TO keep lookout when flying
over the river.
Finds Cruiser Bezched.
Harney's companion was O. w. Boyd.
10, retired precinct detective and
lifelong friend of the missing harbor
master, who awoke wednesday night
to ind his cruiser beacned on the
Virginia shore near Fort Humphreys.
about half mile below the Bureau Of
Fisheries station.
This occurred about 7 o'clock We'd
nesdAy night, Boyd told police. II
was not until after 10 O'Clock yester-
day morning that O police launch from
the harbor precinct. which had come
down river to search for Harney and
Boyd, pulled alongside the beached
craft.
eYsl.~ ...stn~ mnlA r3cx,1 4hn~ <~nva
them their first information that
Harney had been missing since the
previous night. Word was teiephoned
20 Washington and searching crews
organized with the aid Of Fort
Humphreys soldiers and Bureau OF
Fisheries employees.
Get Details Of Accident.
inspectors L. I. II. Edwards and
Albert J. Headley nnotored TO the
scene and received b detailed story
Of the accident from Boyd. The two
police offcials said today they were
convinced that Harvey fell overheard
ut Marshall Hall, perhaps striking his
head on the side Of the boat as he
fell.
Hsrney and Boyd had anchored the
boat wen out In the stream of Mar
sfall Hail about = o'clock Wednesday
aftexncon Boyd went below TO take
= nap and E5arney remained on deck
The fact that . rising tide pulled up
the cl0se-liitched. anchor convinced
police that Harvey, an expert boat
man, had attempted TO play out the
line. 1t seemed likely that he pitched
overheard while tugging at the anchor
or while going forward along the
e-inch ledge outside the cabin.
Harneyss service pistol, cap and coat
were In the cabin. On the deck rail
police found that q burning cigarette
az 4 brand Harney used had charred
into the paint, as II he had left 1t
there momentarily while he went for
ward 10 slacken the anchor line.
Drifts Across Potomac.
The drifting boat crossed the Po-
tomac four miles below and beached
not more than good jump from shore.
Capt. Emering of the Wilson Lines
City az Washington excursion steamer
said he noticed the beached boat
about 10 O'Clock wednesday night
and played his searchlight on the
craft. No one appeared and he again
locked the boat over after turning In
the river without seeing any one on
board.
wednesday was Tzarneys day on.
At noon Boyd called for him at the
harbor precinct wharf and they went
down the river on q pleasure jaunt,
expecting to return about IL O'Clock
that night. The lieutenant's family
became alarmed and telephoned po-
lice early Thursday. but 1t was sup
posed the boat had developed engine
trouble.
Harney's car was still parked at the
precinct yesterday morning, and when
he did not report for duty. police
boat left the wharf to search for the
missing pair. They took along a
spare battery In case Boyds boat had
developed engine trouble.
In the boat were Sergt. c. C. Hum
phries and Policemen c. r. Spring
and r. McGrath. They saw the
beached boat about 10 o'clock. Rang
ing alongside, they sounded their
siren. and Boyd responded with in
formation that the lieutenant appar-
emily had fallen overheard
Boat Towed OF Sand.
Boyd's boat was towed of the sand
when the tide rose late yesterday
afternoon and brought back to the
harbor precinct wharf, where it was
tied this morning.
Boyd. who retired as q precinct de-
tective at No. 5 about IL years ago.
had been q friend and associate of
Harney's for more than 80 years.
They saw duty together in Southwest
Washington and kept up the friend
ship after Boyd retired from the force
Boyd. who lives at 9l4 Twenty-second
street. Is employed in the office Of the
secretary Of the Senate.
Boyd told police it was dark when
he awoke Wednesday night He said
he could not tell how far he was OF
shore or where he was on the river.
Boyd. he said, shouted for help until
he could no longer raise his voice and
then had no choice but to walt for
daylight.
Had Been I'm Poor Health.
Harney, one of the most popular
officers on the force. had been in poor
health for some time. although he
managed to pass recent physical ex-
animation Fellow officers said he was
subject 20 attacks of vertigo and had
been III Of pneumonia in recent years
Harney, who lived at Alcova Heights
Va. was appointed n patrolman in
1908. He was made q detective SER
geant In 1919 and promoted to lieu
tenancy In 1877. Two years later he
was assigned to command the harbor
precinct. Reporters covering water
front stories knew him as q courteous
and eficient oflcer.
His survivors include his widow and
four daughters. Mrs. Margaret Harvey
Baechelur. Mrs. Nellie Bossiday, mrs
lillian beavers and Ruth Harney. and
two sons. Edward and Stephens Hsr.
ney.