Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1872-08-07
1errIble Affair.
TRUMAN BEST bRoWNED.

About 10 O'Clock on Saturday morning last a
party consisting Of Mr. Truman Best. Of the firm
Of Ilinkley Best, Fred Bancroft youngest Sun
Of Carlos Bancroft, ESQ, Osman y. Clark, son
OF Postmaster Clark, oil Of this village, together
with Mr.. II. ]. Proctor, of Vinton. Iowa, went 10
the mill-dam, on the winooski river, for the pur-
pose Of trying new boat which Mr. Best had
recently purchased
The rains u the preceding day and night had
swollen the-fiSer to an almost unprecedented
height, and the waters were dashing over the
dana with terrible force.
Alter some practice, as II appears Proctor and
Clark, who were in one boat, Proctor rowing, at
tempted to change places, 50 that Clark might re-
lieve Proctor. In 50 doing tie boat rocked to
such an extent that one oar was Embossed from
the oar lock. and in endeayoring to recover it,
the other became detached and b1th aoatcd away
from the'boat In this extremity they called To
Best, who, viii young Bancroft was a short dis
lance of, for help, and the other boat, under
Bestsskiliul management was soon at hand 10
the confusion Of the moment however, both buatS
swung alongside, 80 that only one oar Of Best's
boat was available. In this situation, Of course
It became impossible for any effective service 10
be rendered 10 saving eitber boat. and ali were
swept over the dam, on to the rocks below.
Mr. Proctor states that seeing the iutility of
making any at,empt at sayinp his b,at, he told
Rest. before guns over 4, release his fpr,c,or',
bat, and save himself, and supposed he had done
30 until he found Res, strngylino in the winter no.
side him. belov tho dam
The height If the dam did not probably exceed
six feet, but such was the tremendous volume aud
force Of the water as to render it exceedingly
dangerous, especially AZ large portion Of N.
river bed below The fall WIS thiekly studded with
rocks.
ifar ~ \ q .csn ssrc,.t oves ~ dan. p,oc,or
and Clark iuatek ont Cor the shne. which tl,ey
succeeded in reaching on the Berlin side, and
were rescued Young Bancroft, who was unable
70 swim, was placed by Proctor on the wreck Of
his boat, which was nearly filed with water, and
after having been drawn under the falls twice by
the current. succeeded in supporting himself BY
the boat until he reached the railroad bridge,
about one-foarth Of milo below the dam. From
this bridge certain parties. with great foresight,
had suspended rope which, providentially, he
was enabled to reach. and 10 which he clung with
both hands. and his teeth, until he was drawn up
to place If safety. After his rescue. he tainted
and vas aiken home. lie sustained slight in.
Jury a,i I, Il Oh in going over the dam. but has
now .ole I'd. IL is remarkable that this acct
DEM ,paensd within three DAYS of the ninth an.
niyer ~ r the drowning Of his cider brother.
in the Norc .,er branch His rescue was GER
tainly wnnier6,I.
But The seaaest part of the story remains 10 be
told. Alr Best. who was an excellent swimmer
as wei as aarsuan, clunr to the boa, until il was
carried nearly Opposite the gas house from which
parties .dsla,,nol,ed nlnnk toward the hoa,
At this poini Mr.. Rest relinouisbed his bold an
the boat ans alton ,ted TO reneb the plank lint
inst as Ia, seemed rbout % seize hold of IL he
throw ,,, ~ hands and snnt Tho defiance
from tho sbo.e N the boot could not have exceed.
ed thirty svs.feet. and it seems evident ,hnt MIR.
Rest must tave been injured bv striking the
rocks Il The loot Of te dam. after aoing over IT
Ma other theory .sse ,bink can account c,r ,he
sudden oo.s.nr Of his efF,rts to save himself and
his failure to reach the plank.
Another n,inf,l featnre If the affair il tho fac,
that Mr. Hess father and mother had that very
day arrived town from Hghgate. where the,
reside mon surprise visit 10 their son. and the
first in ,rna,.Av they received of his death. wa
when ,ev van, IN his stare "a call nnon him nm,
cnnd !, .brt ahS the sad story was related I,
them
Sine saturday earnest eff ,rts have been made
4. 80. IL -. ---....l