Ed Delahanty Where are You? Part 2

5 July This is the latest on Delahanty. “Ed Delahanty, the right fielder of the Washington baseball club, has deserted the Loftus forces, and no one connected with the team knows his whereabouts. Not even his wife, who is in this city anxiously awaiting his appearance, can throw any light upon his strange conduct. Last Thursday afternoon, after the Washington club went to the ball grounds in Detroit, Delahanty left his personal belongings and uniform at the Oriental Hotel and departed without saying a word to anybody. He has not been heard from since.[1]

6 July Washington loses a doubleheader to Cleveland. No new information from Delahanty. “Ed Delahanty still among the missing. Manager Tom Loftus and the players are still in the dark as to the whereabouts of the dilatory right fielder. It is intimated that the big fellow has been tampered with by one of the National League magnates.[2]

7 July Still no word from Delahanty. “Appropos of Delahanty, however, the big fellow’s whereabouts is still shrouded in mystery, as far as Loftus, his fellow-players, and his wife are concerned. As late as noon today no word has been heard of him.[3]

With a year and a half salary to the good, the chances are Delahanty is worrying less than his employer. “A pretty hard throw-down, isn’t it?” Loftus pathetically remarked. “Yes, a mighty hard one too,” was chorused by a hundred or more sympathetic friends.

8 July “Delahanty Mourned by Fellow-Players.”[4]

“Poor old Delahanty! What an untimely end for one who has shone so brilliantly in the baseball firmament for the past decade.”

“The sad story of his fatal plunge into the dark and turbulent waters of the cruel Niagara came as a severe shock to his team mates and a host of friends in this city, as well as all over the country. Despite his dilatory tactics here this year, he had thousands of friends who were too willing to overlook his faults when that wagon tongue willow of his began to work.”

“A deep gloom has settled over the entire club. Tom Loftus is virtually stunned by the tragedy, while all of his fellow-players spent the morning at the ball park, sitting about in groups and discussing the sad intelligence. All believe that the man who plunged through the bridge was Delahanty beyond a doubt with the exception of Jimmy Ryan, who perhaps was his closest friend. Jimmy simply says, “I must have more proof.”

“The impression that the “big fellow” was the victim of foul play steadily gains credence, and one and all of the members of the club scoff at the idea of suicide or an accidental plunge.”

“He was quick and impulsive, easily amused, yet quick to forgive. He was generous to a fault, and as ingenuous as a child, and, according to his wife, a good husband and fond father.

Club Mates’ Tributes

Manager Loftus, “It’s a sad affair, and hard to believe, but the proofs are nearly conclusive, and I must believe it. There is no doubt in the world that Del was the greatest batter that ever went to the plate and the game will never see his equal.”

Captain Bill Clarke, “Delahanty was a born ball player, and understood the game from A to Z. it will be a long time before we get another man like him.”

Albert Orth, “Everybody liked Del and will regret his death. I’ve been with him eight years. A squarer man and a better batter I have never met.”

Jimmy Ryan, “I cannot believe it’s true. If it is, it is a most unfortunate ending for a brilliant ball player. Unfortunate both for him and his family. I will have to have more proof that I have now before I believe he is dead.

Joe Martin, “Having known Delahanty since spring only, and having played very little with him, I cannot say as much as  the others, but he impressed me as a wonderful ball player, and a man well-liked throughout the baseball world. His death comes as a shock to me.”

Scoops Carey, Two seasons with the greatest batter I ever saw have served to impress me most favorably with him, both as a player and a man. His untimely end will be regretted by thousands of people, both fans and players.”

Charlie Moran, “Although this is my first season in the professional ranks, and with Delahanty I think he was the greatest batter that I ever saw and I liked him personally, too. It’s a sad ending of a most brilliant career.”

Bill Coughlin, “Delahanty dead? That is, indeed, a shack. The game has lost its best batter, and one that cannot be easily replaced.”

Albert Selbach, “in addition to being a great batter Del was a good fielder and a better fellow never lived. I have known him for years, and learn of his death with profound sorrow.”

Wyatt Lee, “It seems hard to believe that Delahanty has come to such an untimely end. If it’s true the game has suffered a great loss.”

Case Patten, “I played tow season with the great player, and have not seen his equal as a batter. I do not think his superior will ever exist. A good fellow, stanch and true, was Edward Delahanty.”

Midget Robinson, “I do not know Delahanty long, but I think he was a great hitter, a good fielder, and a good fellow. It’s hard to believe he will not play again.”

Highball Wilson, “Delahanty struck me as being a most wonderful batter and a marvel as well. A good fielder and a splendid fellow is what I knew him to be.”

Lew Drill, “My association with Delahanty covers a period of two years, during which time I knew him to be a good fellow, a hard working ball player, and the best batter the game ever knew.”

Malachi Kittredge, “I have played ball with Delahanty for years, and I have seen his good work and marveled at it like all other ball players. It is a great loss the game has suffered.”

9 July 1903

Body Believed to be Delahanty’s Found

Remains taken from the Niagara River below Horse Shoe this Morning, not yet fully identified. The fact is practically established that the man who jumped or was pushed from the bridge into the Niagara River several days ago was Delahanty. His brother believes the dead man was the victim of foul play. A rigid investigation will be instituted.

With a view to learning whether Ed Delahanty, the famous baseball player, was murdered, accidentally drowned or committed suicide, a complete investigation of the circumstances surrounding the death were made by Chief of Police Griffin, of Fort Erie, and relatives of Delahanty. In the party were Frank Delahanty, a brother of Ed, who is in the Syracuse team; EJ Maguire, a brother-in-law, of Cleveland, and JE Croke, an uncle, of Buffalo.

Late last night the party, excepting the police official, returned to Buffalo from Fort Erie. None of the relatives believed in the murder theory after the investigation. They and Chief Griffin believe the story told by Bridge Watchman Lingston was a straightforward account of the death.

Deep indignation is felt against the conductor of the Pullman care from which Delahanty was ejected. The brother brother-in-lae and uncle expressed themselves tonight as being of the belief Delahanty would be alive today had he been tolerated on the train.

As Michigan Central train no 6 rolled into Bridgeburg, Ontario, town just across the International Bridge from Buffalo, the conductor ejected Delahanty from the train because the ball player had been drinking and was boisterous. Delahanty was alive enough to his surroundings to know just across the river lay Buffalo.

Anxious to keep the appointment with his wife, he started to walk across the bridge, when he encountered Watchman Kingston. The two met on the third span and had a tussle for life and death. Kingston proved to be the better man of the two under the circumstances, and, consequently, he remained on the bridge while the other fell off.

Delahanty’s hat has since been found. If was identified by the relatives last night as the same size he wore. From papers found in the missing suitcase the identity of the man who went off the bridge has been established beyond the possibility of doubt as that of Delahanty.

The relatives said they believed the story that had been told them, although they add that had the conductor been more indulgent he would not now feel that he had been indirectly responsible for a tragic death.

No body may arise. All that remains to be done since the identity of the man and the history of the death have been cleared is to wait until the body us found. The body should rise to the surface within a day or so say river men. The river is being closely watched for the body.

It is believed that Delahanty had several pieces of jewelry on his person at the time he met his death. Manager Loftus said that he had a diamond ring, a pin, a gold watch, and other trinkets set with diamonds. Third baseman Coughlin was given a diamond ring by Delahanty to wear while the club was away, but he on the day Delahanty left Detroit, Coughlin insisted upon his taking his ring, for he did not want to run the risk of losing it. Second baseman Robinson was given a handsome gold watch to wear, which was given to Delahanty several years ago by friends in Philadelphia. Secretary Walter Hewitt said he believed that Delahanty had nearly $200 on his person when he last saw him.

10 July

“Delahanty Remains Fully Identified.” MA Green, of this city, views the body and recognizes the mangled corpse as that of his lifelong friend. Widow and daughter are left penniless, but the dead man’s comrades will raise a fund for their relief.”[5]