W. E. Chitty, Formerly of Pine Bluff, Lost Life in River—Helena, May 17–(Special)–
The body of W. E. Chitty, age 60, who disappeared between the hours of 7 and 8 p.m. Tuesday, off the Chicago Mill and Lumber Corporation’s derrick boat, was found early this morning, near the bank of the river about a mile below where it is thought he stumbled from the boat and fell into the river. Chitty, prior to his moving to Helena about two months ago, had lived in West Helena where he had been employed as night watchman for the Chicago Mill and the Pekin Wood Products Co. plants.
For the past two months he had been employed as a newspaper carrier. He had given this up last Sunday. William McWherter, operator of the derrick boat, stated that Chitty came to him about two weeks past and asked for permission to sleep on the boat, inasmuch as he had no funds to pay rent. This privilege was granted him. Last Tuesday evening he was found in a deep ravine beside the Yazoo and Mississippi Valley railroad incline, in an intoxicated condition. Two river men carried him to the derrick boat. Chitty was missed from the boat Tuesday night but it was thought he had left and gone up town. Later the matter was reported to the police and Friday a search was started. Chitty formerly lived at DeVall’s Bluff at which place his wife was killed by Dewey Crafford (sic Crawford) in 1928. Crafford is now serving a life sentence in the Arkansas penitentiary for this crime.
Arkansas Democrat, Little Rock, May 18, 1930
Contributed by: Shelli Steedman