Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-09-28
LXII, NEW SERIES VOL. XXXIv.

out in so small a boat loaded as heavily as
it would be, and that he preferred to drive
out to the bridge, but that Jack" wanted
the row. The boat was undoubtedly too
heavily laden, and to that fact must the
accident be attributed. Mr.. Van Sicklen
was good swimmer, thoroughly familiar
with the management of all kinds of boats
in all kinds of weather, while Mr.. Wright
had but little eXL Lerience in boating.
The accident has cast a gloom over the
entire city, where Mr.. Van Sicklen has
been so well and favorably known by all,
and where Mr.. Wright had many friends.
In response to a telegram sent to Bus-
ton notifying Mr.. Wright's friends of the
accident, message was received stating
that Mr.. a. II. Sawyer, his partner would
arrive in the evening on the 500 train to
take the remains home. On Mr.. Sawyer's
arrival he was met by b. r. Seymour and
Mr.. Brown who aided him in collecting
Mr.. Wright's effects together preparatory
to the return trip, and through their Kind
assistance he was able to take the remains
to Boston on the 1l:l0 train.
Mr.. Sawyer was aEle to give but
meagre Information about the early
ed that the family has been great
ly afflicted. Mr.. Wright had during the
past year or SO lost all of his five children
by diphtheria and Mrs. Wright, con
firmed invalid, is not expected TO live
Among the papers found on Mrs. WIigbt's
body was Il letter from his aged mother at
Worcester, Mass.
Mr.. Wright was about 40 years old and
was one of the most successful as we'll as
Cne of the most popular commercial trav
ellers on the road. His place of business
was No. 8, Commercial street, Boston.
He arrived in this city Sunday morning,
registering at the Van Ness House and
expected to leave town Thursday.
SKETCHES OF MR.. VAN sICKLEN's LIFE.
John Van Sicklen was born in this city,
January 2, 1857 and was therefore 81
years and eight months old at the time of
his death. He was the youngest son of
+. NJ Van Sicklen, president of the How
ard National bank of this city, his mother
having died about year ago. After leav
ing the Burlington High school he enter
ed the University of Vermont but left
college lii his sophomore year to engage
in mercantile pursuits, entering the
wholesale grocery house of his father, the
firm then being Van Sicklen & seymour.
Two Years ago the old firm went out OF
business and John formed partnership
with Mr.. A. G. Spaulding, the firm name
being Van Sicklen d Spaulding, and the
business carried on at the "stone store"
as for many years previous. Mr.. Van
Sicklen was one OF the foremost members
of the Ethan Allen Engine company, hay
ing been first assistant of the company in
1881 and 1882 and captain in 1888 and 1884.
He married a daughter of the late Ezra
Mech of Shelburn, who, with three
children, a boy about six years of age, a
girl four and baby boy, survive him.
Mr.. Van Sicklen was one of the most
popular as well as prominent young men
IN Burlington, and his tragic death has
shocked our people more than any event
since the killing of Fireman Parker h few
years ago. Honest and upright in all his
dealings with his fellow men, be possessed
Il warm heart, and was endowed with Il
genial personality that won for him host
of steadfdst friends. His zeal and energy in
any subject with which he became interest
ed was unceasing and tireless, and among
all the young men of Burlington there is
not Que whose death would be more deep
ly mourued or whose loss would be more
Keeuly telt than Is that of John Van
Sicklen.
Fridays Search Unsuccessful-The Story
Told by One Near the scene
The sad accident in which the lives of
our townsman, Mr.. John Van Sicklen, aud
Mr.. A. l.. Wright We're lost was again the
principal topic discussed in town Fri
day, but nothing new was learned about
the matter. The search for the body of
vi L.
out result. Friday morning French
man by the name of Fred Merchant told
a story which to many see ms plausible,
while Others place but little reliance upon
it. He claims to have been near the mouth
of the river Tuesday at about noon or a
little later, hunting, He says he started
up some ducks out of small marsh near
| Derway's, which flew out over the water.
| He did not himself get a shot lat the birds,
| hut he soon heard gun fired from the
lake. But a little while afterward he
| heard shouting from the lake, and forcing
| his way out to the beach, he tried to
| discover from whence it came, but could
see nothing except large schooner sail
! ing outside the points, and did not know
! but that the cries came from it. He
however saw one or two men come
out of the cabin and look off
as If they, too, had heard something un-
usual. Merchant is not one of the most
| Intelligent of men, and was undoubtedly
afraid to venture out to investigate the
cause of the cries. He says he heard cries
from two directions, one from directly OPP
poslte where he stood, south of the river,
and the other from the north side of the
mouth: He could not see any one or any
thing floating in the water
=, Merchant told his story. to several
FIJI lay, among them being Mr.. H.
r. Conger, who at once took him
out to the mouth of the river,
where he claims to have been. Mer-
chant pointed out tracks on the beach
which he says were made by him the day
of the accident. Merchant links the cries
came from some distance out and from Il
place not a great distance from
the course which would naturally
be taken by the unfortunate men on their
way to the Sandbar bridge. Those whC
place any reliance upon the story OF
Merchant, think that one of them shot at
the ducks started up by the Frenchmau
and that either from the direct or indirect
effects of the recoil of the gun the frai
! boat was capslzed
A large number of men with a dozen
or more small boats worked steadily Fri
day all through the rain, dragging
about the mouth of the river, beginning
on the toutn side about as far out as the
line from Appletree point to Colchester
point, then opposite the mouth of the
river and also upon the north side toward
the ground that was gone over Thursday
Seines and long cables with Crap
nes attached were used, being draw
! through the water by the small