Year: 1874

From the Charleston Courier.


We have from q gentleman the parhc-
ulars of most singular case Of drown
ing which occurred up Elk river few
DAYS since. The deceased. Mr.. Elliott
Molohan, had resided with his family
in Brsxton county, about serenty-fve
miles from here, and about four miles
from q point on Elk river known SIS
the Duck Mile. On the morning Of
the drowning he left home soon after
break fast on horseback, bidding sll bis
family an unusually cordial goodbye,
and upon taking his leave gave fine
Young colt TO each OF his two little
girls. with the express wish that they
should take them, rear them and keep
them in their possession. AS he had
become somewhat eccentric this arous-
ed no suspicion or wondermenl He
started off in the direction OF the Duck
Mills, where he WAS having erected



side of Elk from which bis home was.
While en- route be overlook his brother,
who wss also on horseback, and they
rode on together until the river bank
was reached Arriving there, 1t was
iouud that the heavy rains had 80
swollen the river that it could not be
forded. The deceased then sald he
knew OF canoe up the river a shor;
distance, and would 60 after it TO cross
in. Before quitting bis brother ne band'
ed him his pocket book, containing
about $3.50, with the request that he
should keep it for him. and in case
anything happened to him elliott
Mollohau) he should give it to the wife
OF the deceased. AS he had been drink
ing pretty freely nothing was thought
OF this request.


Some lumbermeu, wbe were at work
on the opposite bank near some gun
wales, say him descend 10 the canoe
and remove his hat and coat and inn
mediately after he took a running start
the iul! length OF the canoe and plung'
ed far out into the seething, swollen
food and disappeared. In an instant
be arose in sight and struck out for the
opposite side, and being an expert and
powerful swimmer rapidly approached
the men on the gunwsles. They be-
lieving that the man could no more
than swim across, pushed out gun.
vale and one OF them standing on It's end
extended q pole Tor him to clutch aud
cave himself. He seized it apparently
with the clutch OF a dspairlng man
but what was his rescuers surprise 10
find he tried not 10 save himself but to
drag his beneisctor into the rushing
stream. Several times it WAS extended
TO him, and each time did be with
manisc's force try to drag in hIs would
be rescuer Finally, discovering he
could not succeed in drowning anyone
else than himself, he let 20 deliberately
and with a crazy. mocking laugh,
folded bls arms and sunk 10 the bot
tom OF the river, never TO rise again
The lumbermen were horror etrIcken,
rr.ult with a despair that can be
better imagined than pictured
A day or Two afterward the body
WAS recovered some distance below
and what was most singular Of all, one
boot was gone, aud the spectators Of
the drowning will testify that when he
jumped in he had both boots on, and
being new, had fit him tightly. Mr..
Mellohan had been addicted to strong
driDg Tor some time past and his mind
had become seriously impaired from its
bsnelul effects, and he had often made
threats about taking bis life. He was
a well-to-do farmer and owned one ol
the best estates in Braxton county, was
highly respected, aud leaves widow
and come three or four children. In
all it's circumstances this suicide is one
OF the saddest, most singular, and most
regretable that have occurred in our
State