The father of the girls, George Barbiea, is a well-to-do farmer. All of his family were accustomed to handling boats, and a flat or "john" boat, which lay at a landing close to the farm house, was used as a regular means of communication with neighbors across the river. Last Sunday, Mr. Barbiea and his wife were away from home. Two daughters - Kate, aged 21, and Annie, 13 - remained at the farm house. During the afternoon, they rowed across the river in a flat-boat and paid a visit to the Dolcher family. They left at about 5 o'clock to go home. At 6 the parents of the girls returned and found the house empty. The key to the padlock with which the flat-boat was fastened was gone from its peg. A search resulted in the discovery of the flat-boat floating down the river, with the oars pulled on board, as though a landing had been made and the boat had floated off. The hats of the two girls were floating near it. The boat was found scarcely a quarter of a mile below the landing. Close to a bluff, just below the landing.
The bodies of the two girls were found. They were locked in each other's arms. It is impossible to know how they came to drown. Coroner Davis, of Newport, who viewed the bodies, is of the belief that they were standing in the boat, just reaching the landing when the current swept it against the bluff and both girls were thrown out.
The father of the girls, George Barbiea, is a well-to-do farmer. All of his family were accustomed to handling boats, and a flat or "john" boat, which lay at a landing close to the farm house, was used as a regular means of communication with neighbors across the river. Last Sunday, Mr. Barbiea and his wife were away from home. Two daughters - Kate, aged 21, and Annie, 13 - remained at the farm house. During the afternoon, they rowed across the river in a flat-boat and paid a visit to the Dolcher family. They left at about 5 o'clock to go home. At 6 the parents of the girls returned and found the house empty. The key to the padlock with which the flat-boat was fastened was gone from its peg. A search resulted in the discovery of the flat-boat floating down the river, with the oars pulled on board, as though a landing had been made and the boat had floated off. The hats of the two girls were floating near it. The boat was found scarcely a quarter of a mile below the landing. Close to a bluff, just below the landing.
The bodies of the two girls were found. They were locked in each other's arms. It is impossible to know how they came to drown. Coroner Davis, of Newport, who viewed the bodies, is of the belief that they were standing in the boat, just reaching the landing when the current swept it against the bluff and both girls were thrown out.
Family Members
Advertisement
Advertisement