The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-11-21
A Sad Scene in tie AdirOndacks-An
Old and WeiI-Known Guide and Hun
Cor Drowned In Sight Of his Son.

IEroul the Utica Herald, November l5.l
From the Boonville Herald we gather the
particulars of the drowning of &. Sanford
Sperry, proprietor OF the Forge House, an
excellent guide, & skilled hunter, and man
generally known to tourists through the
North Woods.
Sperry, Jack Sheppard, Samuel Dunakin,
and Daniel Sears were engaged in running
deer. Mr.. Sperry, with his son, aged ten
Years. were watching Lime Kiln lake, John
Browns tract, while the rest OF the party
watched the Fulton chain of lakes. This
was on Saturday last. Mr.. Sperry hqd been
quite successful, having shot one deer, re-
covered it, hung 1t to tree, and dressed 1t.
A second one was shot, and Sperry put out
in boat after it, leaving his coat and gun in
charge of his son Willie. He secured the
second deer, tied it to the boat, and was tow.
ing it to the shore, when Willie called,
"The dogs are coming!" Sperry stood
I'D in the boat to determine from which
direction the third deer would be likely
to take the water. The lake was very
rough, and the action of the waves, COM
bined with the weight of the deer, which
was thrown back and forth by the water.
made the boat very unsteady. and, expert
his balance and fell into tue lake. AS he fell,
Sperry caught the side of the boat and upset
it. A strong west wind was blowing, which
drifted the boat parallel with the north
shore, at which was the landing. The beat
upset about one-fourth of mile from the
landing. The boy on shore began to cry:
and Sperry, who had secured all oar and
climbed astride the upturned boat, called
/
coming to shore all right" For almost an
hour the father battled bravely with death,
while his little boy, In an agony of suspense,
watched from the shore.
For some time he made slow progress to-
ward his boy and safety, but the labor neces-
sary was too great even for his strength.
Several times the relentless waves washed
him from the boat, but with undated co,ir-
age, though with failing strength, he re-
gained his place. The water carried away
his oar, and lie continued the unequal fight
by padding with his hands. When he was
within seven or eight rods OF shore the water
swept him from the boat, and he was too
weak to climb back upon it. Even then he
did no. give up his wonderful hight for life,
but. clinging to the boat, ne tried TO force
il against the waters to the shore close
by. Inc Hltic Dos WAUGH ilIo III" WV
water to his shoulders, Drawing death
himself in a vain attempt to save
his father. He says that had he been
able to find long pole he could have reached
his father and drawn him to shore. The ia
theirs strength was now completely gone
He could only cling to the boat, with bis
head barely above the water, and Drift at the
mercy of the wind. AS the boat drifted BY
the landing it approached nearer the shore
and the brave little boy again waded into
the lake In another desperate effort te
reach the father. The water at the landing
twas deeper, and the longest pole the boy
could get WINS not long enough TO span tn
space between the Sfarthest venture he coult
make and the dying man.
G Here Sperry gave up hope, and said, taint
| ~, 81 must 60" a few reds norfn Of "a