Evening star., 1936-06-17
ST|NSON CLEARED
IN DEATH IN BAY
Henderson Death Held Acct
dent by Coroner's Jury in
Prince Frederick.
BY ROBERT A. ERWIN.

A young father returned to his wife
and 5-month-old daughter In Wash
ington at midnight to mark the clos
ing chapter in the death Of Hugh Bev-
erly Henderson, %, who died in the
choppy waters Of Chesapeake Bay
Saturday evening.
Aubrey r. Stinson, 28-year-old
carpenter. was cleared last night by
a coroner's jury in the village Of
Prince Frederick. Nd, Of all suspicion
in connection with the fatal accident
which befel Henderson, a close friend
of many years, who lived with him.
Stinson and Henderson were In q
rowboat. 300 yards of Wilburn's
Beach, Calvert County. Md, when.
according to testimony presented be-
fore the jury, Henderson dived over
board into shallow water to retrieve
an oar. The body of Henderson who
died Of fractured skull and neck,
was found Monday and Stinson was
ordered held to await the finding Of
the inquest.
Verdict Cheered.
The jury's verdict of accidental
death was greeted with cheers from
crowded court room In the Mary
land town. Mrs. Stinson tainted in
their automobile when her husband
walked from the courthouse at 10
pm. and told her he had been cleared.
Two hours later, they were at home
In their second floor apartment at
21ll First street, reunited with
Beverley Ann, their baby daughter
Today, Stinson went back to work.
Chiefly responsible for the jury's
decision were Mr.. and Mrs. Philip
p. Castle, jr, Of the New Amsterdam
Hotel. Washington, both Treasury De-
partment employees, who witnessed the
tragedy from the porch of their cottage
at Wilburn Beach.
The turning point In the case came
when Mrs. Castle testified that "the
man in the blue shirt henderson,
was rowing"
He didn't come back" she told the
jury. but the one in the white shirt
(StinSon) came in to shore later"
Oar Death Theory Exploded.
This put an end to the theory,
explored by authorities and the jury,
that Henderson might have met death
from the fatal blow of an oar.
Castle testified that the rowboat
IN which Henderson and Stinson had
set out on fishing trip was tossed
about on the bay, close to row Of
new wooden fishing stakes and an
other row now amost submerged, as
result of Winter storms.
II heard screams from the water"
Castle said, after having watched
the boat for some time. Shortly
afterward, Stinson came toward shore,
padding with q shoe In his hand. I
set out in my motor boat and spent
two hours looking for Fenderson's
body. had not seen Stinson hit
anybody. The atmosphere was clear
and would have seen anything un-
usual. The boys had been out there
fishing just the week before"
Spends Night at Castle Cottage.
Castle told the jury that he gave
Stinson dry clothing and had him
spend the night in his cottage. Be-
fore the group retired for the night
he and his wife purposely made no
mention Of the tragedy in order to
help Stinson maintain his composure,
Castle declared.
The third and last witness at last
nights final inquest was young Ro-
land Wilburn, jr., who rented the
rowboat to Stinson and Henderson
late Saturday afternoon. Roland re-
counted events prior to the fatal ac-
cident and presented to the jury
torn and faded piece of blue cloth,
apparently q shirt, he had found
lodged In tree On the shore yester.
day afternoon.
The inquest was conducted before