The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1892-03-19
WATERY
The Drowning of Three
Young Men.
NO WORD OF WARNING.
Unseen and Alone, They Pass
the Pearly Gates.
REWARDS FOR THEIR BODIES
Hay Hcathman and the Graddy Boy
Swallowed M by the Missouri
No Trace OF Them Found
An Entire City MOUTHS
The Latest News.
REWARDS FOR THEIR BODIES.

hhtN Iiiis Ai' Aoi sAh' I''NN $50
mother and devoted sister and brothers,
cut down in the early summer of what
two brothers, whose mother looked to
them with fond and beaning eyes as the
Joy of her declining years,-whose broth
er and sisters chung to them as to n strong
and plant staff, suddenly, and without a
moments warning, clutched by the cruel
depths OF a ruthless, silent Hood, and
buried deep, perhaps to thus await the
the eyes OF the population Of a city, there
was sorrow in the hearts OF n county's
multitude.
Hay Heathman, deputy clerk of the cir
cult and criminal courts, and Thomas and
Jesse Grady were drowned in the Mis-
souri, river, neal Graddy's mines, four
miles west of this city, about $3.50 Tuesday
night. The three young men left Mrs.
Graddy's house, near the mines, to shoot
ducks, at about 7 O'Clock, and since then
no human eyes have rested upon their
bodies. Mr.. Heathman was at his desk
at the court house at 6 o'clock, when the
court adjourned, and at once mounted n
horse and rode to the Grady homestead.
He wore the clothes he had worn during
the day, with the addition of a ducking
hunting coat.
Little is known of the movements OF the
trio after they left the home ofthe Graddys.
At the river they embarked in a fourteen
foot skiff, which is said to have been quite
old and rotten and which, it is further aver
red, the Young men had been cautioned
to avoid on account of its untrustworthi-
ness. They evidently crossed the river in
this boat, for they were heard to shoot
on a sand bar near the middle OF the river.
Between 8 and 10 o'clock residents along
both banks of the river for a mile or two
heard shouts OF distress as from the mid
die of the steam. These, shouts were heard
by George Miller, who lives near the
mouth OF Willow Creek, in Ray county;
John Martin, near the coa chutes; Joe
Baughman and Mr.. Phetzing and wife,
who live below the chutes. The cries
were for help, bnt did not long continue,
and no help could be rendered. 1t wac
reported here Thursday that a colored man
heard six shots in rapid succession, heard
men talking out on the water, and thought
he heard one OF the men say, "For Gods
sake 'Dip,'--[a nickname for Mr.. Heath
~manl-don't leave u.s." This report an
INTELLIaENcER reporter tried vainly TO
verify.
AS soon as possible word was brought
to this city, and Joe Grady n Dave
followed, and during the day a vigorous
search for the missing men was kept up
Not a thing was found, h~owever-not 6
shred, or an oar, or a piece of the broken
boat. The hungry depths of the ruthless
stream had swallowed up the men, ant
left no trace behind.
STRICKEN FAMILIES.
The bereayed families of the three young
men nave the sympathies of the entire
community. Mrs. Grady lives near tn,
scene of the accident with her family, ant
there be many tear stained eyes when thu
two vacant places at her Preside are re-
called. Mrs. Heathman lives here, anC
although but one is taken, it comes like
double bereavement, so recently was thu
in the happy home. All three were younl
men of more than ordinary worth. They
will be missed. There is no filling of thu
inches they occupied in the social ant
business world. Newspaper reporters hav,
especial reasons to remember Mr.. Heath
man in his business capacity. No favo
was ungranted; 10 trouble too great, t.
assist them in getting at the facts the.
wanted.
OFFICIAL RECOGNITION.
Immediately upon the assembling o
the criminal cour Wednesday morning
the announcement was made that tn,
clerk was missing. 1t was not know
that he was dead-only the certainty tina
he was not absent for any common reason
1t was reported that in all probability Mr.
[ Heathman's familiar voice would neve
again he heard in the court room, and, on
OF, respect to his memory. court took re
cess until Thursdaylmorning. Shor ad
dresses ~enlogistic of Mr.. Heathman wer,
made by Judge Ryland, Prosecuting At
torney Aull and W. ii. Chiles. There wa
hardly n dry eye in the court room, in 81
great esteem was the affable clerk held b,
Judge, jury, attorneys and court habitues
REWARDS OFFERED.
Orion lodge, Odd Fellows, to which Mr.
Heath1nan belonged, held a special meet
ing Wednesday, and offered a reward O
$50 for the recovery of the body of theil
late brother. Thomas Grady was al
Esquire in Lexington lodge, Knights o
Pythias, and was to have taken the rani
Of Knight as Thursdays meeting. Tit
lodge has offered a reward for the recovery
of his body. No higher tribute can b,
paid to the sterling worth of these TIVE
young men than that they were member
OF those orders. Jesse Grady has II,
fewer friends and his demise, too, will bt
sadly mourned.
Two weeks ago to-day Mr.. Heathmai
received u policy of insurance in the Cove
nant Mutual, OF ~Galesburg, for $500, mad,
payable tn his sister, Miss Hortense, an,
4" "iao NIeIilbel OF the local Odd Fellows
Beneficial society, from which his family
will receive some $3.50.
Thomas Graddy was weighmaster 70
the Lexington Coal Company at tn,
chutes, while the younger brother Jesse
had charge OF tn home farm. Anotbe
brother, Joseph, is employed in this city
SEARCHING IN VAIN.
All day Thursday and Fridor
for the bodies of the missing mon ,a
kept up. Thursday afternoon, bv ~
kindness of John AuIl, the ferry boat too
q large party of searchers to tho scene ,
the drowning, where several charges ,
dynamite We're exploded in the water. i
the hope of thus raising the bodies. Tb
experiment resulted in nothing. Frida
q quartette of members of the Lexinpto
Gun Club left for lower river points !
skiffs, to make a thorough search in drift
and eddies for the bodies of the unfortr
nate young men. The four were Cbarl,
Hays, Al. Taubman, Ben Hamlet nm