A Tragic Ending

. .  .Dr. Mostyn was anxious to visit a patient at Appleton on Saturday last, and owing to the rough state of the roads, concluded to go up in a row-boat. Disappointed in getting a man to row him on Saturday, he postponed his visit till Monday, when he was accompanied by Mr. James W. Manning jr., who took a gun along with him to have a shot or two on the way. The skiff used belonged to Mr. Manning; it was short and narrow, and had  been built we believe for amateur racing. On Monday a high wind was blowing up the [Mississippi] river, and the atmosphere was raw and cold. The trip was made with safety to Appleton. Dr. Mostyn visited his patient and Mr. Manning made an engagement with the hotel keeper there to meet him in Almonte on the following forenoon, on license business. The unfortunate gentlemen left Appleton on the return journey about half-past four o’clock, being accompanied to the landing place by Mr. Adam Teskey. This was the last seen of them. Dr. Mostyn was seated in the stern of the boat, steering and paddling; Mr. Manning was rowing.

On the following morning, Mrs. Manning, mother of the deceased, becoming alarmed at her son’s prolonged absence, made enquiries; and about noon, when Mr. Arthurs, the Appleton hotel keeper, arrived and found that he had not returned, the fears of the friends of the two gentlemen were aroused. A number of boats at once proceeded up the river; and they found, about three and a half miles above Almonte, or a mile and a half below Appleton, the upturned boat used, and near by one of the oars. Another oar was found about two hundred yards below the boat, and still further down stream, in Gleeson’s bay, the fur cap worn by Dr. Mostyn was found floating near the ice that still lines the banks and fills the bays. These told the pitiful tale, and confirmed the worst fears of the anxious searchers. No other trace was found on Tuesday, although the search was kept up until midnight. On Wednesday seventy-five men in boats, from Almonte and Carleton Place, dragged the river unremittingly all day.  The Dr.’s overcoat was pulled up from the bottom, and some distance below a pair of gloves worn by Mr. Manning, a paddle and a briar root pipe were found floating on the water. This (Thursday [31 March 1881]) morning all the boats that could be procured are again at the scene of the accident, but at the time of writing the bodies have not been recovered. . .