The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1875-07-15
OBETN AR v.
JOHN n. STOKES.

Wednesday evening, the 7th inst, little
after clock, our town was shocked by the
report" John Stokes is drowned" -" Or
further inquiry it was ascertained that that
sad event had occurred at Lambert's Rock
on McMichael's Creek, about quarter of a
mile in straight line south from the center OF
town.
In few minutes hundreds were assembled
there to realize the truth, which bare report
seemed inadequate to express. He had ac-
eompanied three or four boys, aged from nine
TO fifteen years, on swimming adventure.
They had looked along the creek for desir-
able place to bathe, and finally settled on a
place, as most desirable, by Lambcrt's Rock,
so called from the fact that about fifty years
ago a man by the name of Lambert lived
only short distance from said rock and was
an inveterate fisherman, who could in his
day be seen fishing from this notorious rock,
at any seasonable time so much so that his
name by common consent was given to the
rock.
The Water at this point was formerly ten
to fifteen feet deep, and it was regarded as a
fine place for swimming, and a most desirable
place for diving. But latterly the stream
has been somewhat changing its bed, and
growing shallow, until now it is barely five
feet in depth in the deepest point. At a
distance Of about eighteen feet from rock.
rather below, on the opposite side of the
creek, project six or eight inches above the
water the roots Of two trees the trunks of
which lie obGquely across the creek with the
tops lodged against the upper side Of said
rock. The respective diameters of these trees
are probably eight and twelve inches, and lie
tWenty-three or twenty four inches under the
water where Mr.. Stokes is supposed to have
struck one or the other. The whole depth
of water at this point being but four and
half feet. The top of the rock is five feet at
lowest, and six feet at highest point above
the surface Of the water. The water Just
over the trunks of the aforesaid trees, makes
slight ripples, and as late as clock in the
evening, the casual observer would probably
see nothing in the way. The boys, however.
had called his attention to the tree trunks,
and had got on them so as to enable Mr..
Stokes to mark them with unerring GER
taInty.
Mr. Stokes was an excellent swimmer and
an expert at diving which was his favorite
amusement in the water. Formerly when
the boys knew he was swimming they would
rush to witness the many pranks he would
perform, and drink in the entertainment with
admiration. From his youth up he had been
bathing at this place, but latterly not so fre-
quently, Hundreds of times he had dived
from this rock when the water was from ten
to fifteen feet deep. On the fatal evening, he
dived backwards from the rock once and
came up all right. He mounted the rock
again, playfully remarlIng to the boys, that
he would teach them how to dive then run
ming few steps, forgetting doubtless the
tree trunks and comparative shallowness of
the creek, gave desperate leap into the air,
entering the water in nearly perpendicular
attitude, striking the tree trunk about ten
feet from the rock, gashing his scalp three
or four inches across the top of the head
and loosening it from the skull for at least
seven or eight square inches. For few
moments after the fatal dive the boys saw
nothing of him, but soon saw him floating
down the stream, and seeing that he was
probably injured quickly drew him to the
shore, and sent part of their number for al
doctor Dr. Howard Patterson was the
first on the ground, and after using the
usual means to resuscitate drowned persons
fesOrted to the use Of the battery. Drs
LeBar, Foulke and Mutchler were next on
the ground Though the work at resuscita-
ton was earnest and protracted, to the medi-
cal eye it was exceedingly probable from the
first that the great conclusion had ruptured
the blood vessels Of the brain, and produced
almost instant death 1t is also probable
that his neck was badly sprained or partially |
dislocated
After the body of Mr. Stokes had been
brought to his fathers house, an inquest was
held on the body by Squire Wagner, who
summoned on the Jury the following named |
persons John Edinger, Joseph DeY Young,
j. b. Hull, j. II. Conner, j. S. Williams,
and Linford Marsh, who rendered verdict
according to the above facts
If the whole town and community were
shocked by this remarkable fatality, how
much more so must have been his aged
father now 81 years old, though strong and
vigorous. He has the sympathy of ALL Wei
are glad to learn, however, that he bears
this sore bereavement with christian resigna-
ton and fortitude. He remarked on theI
evening of his sons death, ''sixly years ago
! came iuto this town alone, and tonight
am alone again. How little did think when
shcrt time ago | buried Liza that I should
be called upon to place my boy by her side,
instead Of his placing me by her side -
Just as Mr. Stokes was on the point off
sr0inp off with the SWIMMING marty his cOucip