Extracted from The Shreveport Times (Shreveport, LA)
Wednesday, September 28, 1938

Shreveport Man Falls to Death In Water From Texas St. Bridge

James Harlan McCarty, 26, Salesman, Dies of Drowning, Coroner Says; Recent Sickness Cited by Brother

James Harlan McCarty, 26, of 708 Rutherford, a salesman with the Dixie Mills Supply company and member of a prominent Shreveport family, jumped or fell to his death in the Red river from the south side of the new Texas street bridge at 1:15 p.m. Tuesday.

Crowds of people stood on the bridge or milled through the debris of the city dump lining the river during the hours till 3:15 p.m. when firemen and police recovered the body after dragging the river.

Dr. Willis P. Butler, Caddo parish coroner, pronounced McCarty dead by drowning. He will withhold a final report as to whether the death was suicide or accidental until after he questions witnesses this afternoon.

In the pocket of the dead man was a letter from his father, James M. McCarty, formerly secretary-treasurer of the Glassell-Cummings company here, and now holding a position with the HOLC in Memphis, Tenn. The letter discussed the likelihood of the United States becoming involved in a possible European war. Dr. Butler, said that the letter was apparently in answer to one from the younger McCarty, wherein he had seriously discussed whether he (young McCarty) might have to go to war. Butler said that, from the tone of the letter, there was a “possibility” that the young man might have been brooding on an impending war.

Howard McCarty, an identical twin to the dead man, said that his brother “had been despondent since he had recently been stricken with influenza, from which he never fully recovered.”

One Witness to Fall.

R. N. French, a printer, of 819 Spring, was the only available eye witness to the drowning. French said that McCarty “was standing on the bridge, watching the water for several minutes,” before a splash in the water attracted French's attention.

“I walked onto the bridge an noted that this man was leaning against the railing, watching the water,” French said. “I looked back again and saw that he was sitting on the railing, but I didn't pay much attention to him.

“I heard a loud splash in the water and looked up just in time to see him hit the water on the flat of his stomach. He floated for about 10 feet, without any sign of struggle, and then sank.”

French called immediately, he said, to Henry Anderson, a negro, who was in a boat on the other side of the bridge. Anderson went to notify police.

Saw Woman Run Away

French said that a woman was passing by “directly behind McCarty just before he (French) heard the splash,” but that “she ran away when she saw McCarty hit the water.”

Police and firemen dragged the river until they found the body at 3:15 p.m. Efforts to resuscitate McCarty failed.

Although Dr. Butler refused to say whether McCarty's death had been suicide or accidental until he makes an investigation this afternoon, Howard McCarty, the brother, said that the dead man had been despondent following a case of influenza “from which he had never fully recovered.” He said, however, that his brother had “apparently been in good spirits when he left this morning.”

Had Thought About War

The twin said that “Harlan had thought quite a bit about the possibility of there being a war” and had watched developments in Czechoslovakia with some concern. McCarty had written his father a few days earlier asking his opinion as to whether the United States would be involved in a war and whether he (Harlan) might have to fight. The twin had not thought, however, he said, that “Harlan was really serious in his letter.”

C. J. Richards, manager of the company for which McCarty worked, said that McCarty had had to stay home from work for several days about a month ago because of his illness. “He appeared to think that he was still ill,” Richards said.

Richards said that McCarty left his office for lunch at about 11:45 a.m. and “did not appear to be unusually despondent.” Richards “began to wonder what had happened to McCarty” when the salesman failed to return from lunch.

Sinks Immediately in Water

Police received the call at about 1:25 p.m. Patrolmen Broussard, Willis and Valentine went to the scene and began with firemen to drag the river. They recovered McCarty's hat, which had floated away from the body, near the railroad bridge. The body was recovered about 10 feet south of the new Texas street bridge in deep water at about 3:15 p.m., the police report said.

Police said that an examination of McCarty's desk at his office revealed that he had left no note of any kind.

Dr. Butler performed a partial autopsy at the city morgue. He reported that McCarty had apparently not come up after sinking into the water. There was water in the stomach and lungs, Dr. Butler said, and pronounced it death by drowning, although there were minor bruises on the forehead and right eye. Dr. Butler said that the bruises had “probably been gotten either from the force with which McCarty landed on his stomach in the water or from contact with objects in the water.”

McCarty had been married to Miss Katherine Cowden, daughter of B. W. Cowden of 3220 Southern avenue, until they were divorced about two years ago. A son born to them died shortly before. Both Miss Cowden's mother and the McCarty family said that “the divorce could have no possible connection” with any despondency of McCarty.

Besides his parents and his twin brother, McCarty is survived by two other brothers, Robert J. and Marvin R., and three sisters, Mrs. R. E. Mitchell, Mrs. Don Allen and Miss Mary Eleanor McCarty. All are of Shreveport.

Funeral services will be held at 4 p.m. today at the residence, with Dr. John Caylor, of the Highland Baptist church, officiating. Burial will be in Forest Park cemetery.