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Rouge Hill Beach, Rosebank, Ont.
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
Sm—When we left Toronto on Friday
night in the steam yacht -Daverish" for
Rosebank, Port Union, we were a jolly
party. We steamed over the bay and out
through the Eastern Gap in gallant style
but our spirits were somewhat dampened
when we struck some heavy seas outside
and had taking it all through a wet run to
the grove. Our party was rather a mixed
one. We had with us the conventional
dude who seemed to find no enjoyment at
all in Being splashed at regular intervals,
the hale and hearty grandmama who assid-
nously sough t the welfare of the babies, the
drummer, who had been allover the world
and could not be drowned in such a pond,
and the gushing young school girl who
thought the excitement ,just delightful"
and smiled graciously the while. For my-
self I considered the seas quite heavy
enough and glanced disconsolately at my
Wet garments as I stepped (not reluctantly)
upon terra firma, grasped the hospitable
hand of farmer Cowan, the proprietor' of
the grove, and was hustled up to his house
to get a change of clothing and a good
square meal. Any amount of exertion or
trouble in getting there i&&mply repaid by
the beauty of the surroundings, she kind
and hospitable reception of the people and
the healthy ruddy breyzes that -blow into
yom and through yon Dom the lake and
seem to reach spasmodically for your stom-
ash and eauee it to convince yon that the
Euillish theory is correct, "The stoamb is
King." After a., good sights rest, we (the
men part) rose early and hied as away to
the Rouge river where we were led to snp-
pege titre were ffah, deploved ourselree
aloftlts banks in mentions and advanced to
thwfray, OX might perhaps mere properly
say "flay," as some of the boys made the
east as if they were using a black snake
whip. There is somethingfase nating
about fishing Something entrancing about
the bob of the float and something peculiar,
desperately peculiar, about the influence
the disappearance of said cork will exert
upon the averae mortal. If a small fish
only knew what excitement it caused in
the midst of a crowd like ours it would
feel that its life had not been in vain. For
myself I find the rod heavy and the sport
tame and enjoy myself more thoroughly
in watching the flocks of blackbirds and
sparrows partaking of their morning meal.
From among the rice bed ducks,, kingfishers,
cranes, and birds of different sizes and
plumage pass us and stretch their necks as
if to enquire why we are there, while now
and then a train of cars swoops over the
railroad bridge which spans the river at
its mouth and adds a picturesqueness to
the scene. At nine o'clock we returned to
breakfast. Rosebank is a charming spot.
To row up the river as we did that evening
by moonlight is one of the most beautiful
tripe that can be imagined. Trailing
north-west from the lake at the foot of the
grove, the Rouge winds serpentine fashion
through one of the prettiest delle in this
part of Canada. To your right and left
immense fields of rice sway gracefully in
the breeze, affording a home and food for
birds of every possible kind and color, and
extending back w the green sward where
the shading is taken up by foliage most
beautiful, pines, willows and maples vieing
with one another in their efforts to render
more politable to'the eye the sprroundings.
Winding and twisting, in some spots the
Willows almost touching you as yon pass
under them you glide alone from bend to
bend, into a labyrinth of pond lillies, out
of them again and on and 04util you are
completely drawn away' froin�ourself and
can only gaze and muse and wonder and
think how marvelous that in nature every
thing is so superbly correct that not a'leaf
or thorn of all this agregation of beauty
could have been spared. T presume most
people who have visited the Rouge have
heard of "Blacks Castle." At a sharp
bend, in the river we were brought into full
view of "Castle Black" standing out
against the sky in the pale light of the
moon and" it seemed well worth a visit. f
would recommend any one visiting the
locality to row up to this medieval spot.
When we bad returned to camp at the
grove, we found an immense bonfire blaz-
ing up and sested round it a goodly number
of those who had.not gone with us and who
hailed us with a shout, invited us to join
in the singing and merry making and right
royally did we accept the invitation joining
heartily into the pulling of taffy which an
industrious small boy had been brewing
for some time and 'what with story telling,
singing and general excitement succeeded
in destroying several happy happy hours.
When, on Monday morning, the steam
yacht whistled her signal for us to prepare
to depart, it fell upon our ears with a dull
sickening thud, reminding us that we must
tear ourselves away from Rosebank where
our hearts had been light and our spirits
gay for a day or two at least and steam
back to the rush and bustle and wear and
tear of our hum drum existanee in the
city. C.S.F.
That Rouge Affair.
Pursuant to adjomatment the inquest
oouoerning_the death of the Rouge victim
.was resumed at Liverpool before Coroner
Ferrier, on Tuesday25tb.
Win. Cowan, sr., was called and testified
that about noon on Tuesday, July 241h,
while going west on the traokhe met three
men coming towards the - bridge. - The
south one very .much resembled the man
found a week after in the river. The river
was nine feet deep in some places at the
bridge. He and others had raked the river
but could find no weapons. A body could
float.from the Kingston road bridge, but
would require some days, and would likely
be noticed before reaching the railway
bridge. Two tickets were purchased by
strangers at Fort Union for Toronto on
Saturday, 25th, but isnot known who they
were.
Detective John Newhall.of Toronto, was
called andexplained to the jury how he had
established the identity of the man as
August Werner. In the pockets of the de-
ceased- it will be. remembered there were
found three addresses, one of N.L. Steiner.
The detective ealldd on Mr. Steiner and
found that a man answering the descrip�
tiou of deceased had appealed to him for
assistance about a month ago. The visitor
was a Germanandwas intoxicated. .He
gave himaesistance, also the address of
Charles Cluthe. It could not be learned
where Werner precured the addresses of
Steiner and Heintzman,: as he had them
previous to calling on Mr Steiner. With
the assistance of a heavy magnet the de-
tective had searched the river below the
bridge for a revolver, but without success.
He had also visits 1 the belt line and double
track,:. but could not learn anything con-
cerning Werner. In his opinion a body
could not float from the Kingston road
bridge to where it was found. It would be
prevented by the eddies and sand bare.
The river from the wooden bridge to the
.lake rune at therate of 20 feet to the min-
ute. He was of the opinion that the man
committed suicide.
Thio -concluding the evidence County
Crown Attorney Farewell addressed the
Coroner, stating that all the facts obtain-
able at,ptesent had bean produced. He
thought that nothing could be gained by
prolonging the inquest, but thought, under
the airourretanoes .an open verdict would
best serve the ends of justioe. Coroner
Ferrier then charged the jury, and from
his remarks it was clear that he agreed
with the Crown Attorney.
After about 45 minutes deliberation
foreman George Smithannounced the fol-
lowing verdict ;—"That the deceased•is one
August Werner, tate of the City of Toronto,
and came to his death on or about the 24th
day of July, 1891, at the township of
Pickering, from. 3 wound made by a bullet,
fired from a pistol, held in the hand of
some person to thejurors unknown." -
We were,much better pleased with the
manner in whichDetective Newhall
handlaii h'e case, than were we with De-
teotive Ro'gsre'-style,-although notWng.be-
cd the man's identity, was established.
Newhall- is also partial to the suicide
the0y. 'He contends that if theman
fired -the revolver with the muzzle pressed
against the temple, no powder or other
marks would bo visible, save the clean bbl-
let hcle. It may seem like presumption on
our part to dispute this man's opinion, he
being a datoctive of 2u-.years:atanding,.but
to our mind the air in the revolver barrel
is certain to cause mote orlostdamage to
the skin and flesh—the longer ,yha liana!
th- more extensive the, woandl;Mo this
case, however, the muzzle,coald'not have
been all covered by flesh, as the bullet took
a forwardidirection, scraping the skull for
about an inch, before. entering the brain,
and yet the doctor's assert that no marks
wereyisinle at the time of the post mortem.
Then we have the evidence of Win Cowan,
sr.,, to the effect that the man had two
companions.. If: so, 'why, do- they not come
forward and say where •deceased had ''Ieft
their. company.. 7: From.'the publicitythis
case has beengivenby the press they can-
not be in ignorance as; to.,bis .Aeath. De-
tective- Newhall is of _optnion that the
stains on thebridge' are'those of blood.
The man could have pUe,e§ himself so as
to fall from the bridge after death, but not
so as to leave Chess .blo6d Maius before
falling. Had not:-ceath been immediate
after the bullet entefed the brain, he might
have taken a rest and then jumped into the
water and drowned, but we have the med-
ical testimony dispellirrgthat idea. Wer-
ner had a valise when ke left Nuttal's
lodging house, but that has not been seen
since. If he left it with some friend. why
have we not -heard of its safety. Werner
was a smoker, but in none of his pockets
was found a piece of tobacco, neither an old
knife. In fact no, person, would giye a cent
for the contents ofhis .numerous pockets.
We have not the least idea that Werner
was mnrdered for plunder; as he was seek-
ing assistance when at Steiner, but not un -
frequently are men of his stamp killed in
a drunken row, and often by their most in-
timate friends. From all the evidence,and
we have heard it all, and from a careful
inspection of the locality; this. is how we
account for the presence of the body in the
Rouge river,
To be sure the verdict -.is an open one
justifying atrial in case further evidence is
brought to light, but the chances are that
here the matter will ,drop, and the suicide
belief develops as the years intervene, but
as yet we fail to experience and feeling of
conversion thereto...
The local suthoritiee, as well as the
doctors and reporters, have shown much
interest in the case, and we join with them
in the regret that the mvstery surrounding
the death of August Werner has not been
satisfactorily cleared away.