The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1892-07-21
SAD DROWNING.
FRED WILLIAMS, AN UNFORTUNATE
YOUNG MAN, GOES TO HUNT BERRIES

And Never Returns-He is Found by q
seaohing Party in the Water Works
Race where He Had Been ALI Might
The Only Child of Captain ana Mrs, W.
8. williams.
Fred williams the only child OF Mr.. and
Mrs. w. S. Williams, was drowned in the
water works race yesterday afternoon. In
the morning he left the house and went
to his fathef's brick yards OH the Fulton
road adjoining the west creek, as was his
custom almost daily, and this was the
last ever seen of him alive by the folks at
home. About IL o'clock he took q bucket
and, saying that he was going over into
the woods for some berries, no started
down the creek. He never returned and
in the evening when Mr. williams, who
had been out of the city during the day,
arrived home ut the corner OF L1ke street
aud Cleveland avenue. his wife informed
him that Fred had not come back and she
was beginning to become alarmed lest
harm had befallen him. Mr.. Williams
at oncc started for the brick works, where
he arrived about 8 o'clock. The boy had
not been there since leaving in the morn
ing to go for berries at which time he had
left his coat in the shop. Mr.. Williams,
County Recorder Reed, Nick Huberty
and few other neighbors and
workmen at the brick yards Immediately
secured lanterns and started out on q
huntfo the missing youth. Eor several
hours they secured the neighborhood,
conducting a thorough search along the
creek and race and all through the woods
ia the vicinity. They were unable to flnd
any trace Of him, however, and hually the
hunt was given up until daylight this
morning, when operations were resumed.
Mr.. Huberty secured a. long pole with
hook upon the end and the work Of drag
sing the race was undertaken. The
lining of tho missing lads hat was found
and few minutes later he was discovered
in the bottom of the race under about four
feet OF water at point about four hundred
yards south of the brick works. A plank
lay across the race at the place, which is
close to where new well is being drilled
by the water works authorities.
The young man was the unfortunate
victim of fits and IL is supposed that he
had sea ted himself upon the plank over
the water 10 smoke and had been attacked
with spasms and in the paroxysms had
fallen off and drowned. A cigar was
found on the plank directly above him,
which had been mashed upon the board
as il he had Rrasped hold of the plank
violently while IL was In bis hand.
Upon the occasions when he would be
attacked by the paroxysms he would
draw his arms up tightly over bis breast
and he was in this doubled up condition
when found. The body was discovered
about o'clock this morning. He was
taken at once 10 the brickyard office and
Mr.. Reed came on into town and notified
the coroner, who went out Immediately.
The boy, through his afliiction, has had
many narrow escapes previously. He
seemed to have mania for getting over
the water aud scores OF times he has been
rescued just in time to save his life. A
couple OF years ago he was up in wild
cherry tree when he was attached with
the spasms, which caused him to fall and
fracture the bones of one leg so that he
has since walked lame. He was about
nineteen years OF age and was known to
almost all of Canton's citizens.