The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1893-07-13
CRAMPS
Seize a Well Known Young
Canton Man
And He Goes to the Bottom of
Meyers Lake.
His Body Recovered Within
Two Minutes After He Sinks
But Ali Efforts to Resuscitate
Him Prove Futile.

One Of the ssddest Gases OF Drowning in
the History Of This oity-sympathy Ex-
pressed on All sides for the Grief
stricken Family-Particulars of the
Drowning.
When q ripened sheAf IL Rarnered there
IL not that deep distress that is incident
TO the taking off Of one who 10 In the full
blush OF his manhood, yet death at any
time 10 q terrible reality.
A crowd OF pleasure seekers were sud,
denly transformed into crowd Of
sympathetic mourners Sunday after.
noon at Meyers Lake. All mirth and
jollity ceased and q crowd OF people
stood on the bank near the bath house at
about 80 o'clock and watched four or
f1ve men labor hard to resuscitate young
man who had gone to the bottom but had
been brought to the surface IN ample
time to have started respiration again
had there not been, seemingly, some con-
dition against which the workers had to
contend.
Richard Hamilton, one Of the bes,,
known and most popular young men In
Canton, an employe at W. d. Caldwell &
Co.'S. store, left bis home at No. 416 East
Tuscarawas street Ia the afternoon, ac.
companied by couple of friends and went
to the lake. The young man was very fond
- DSthhhk ohu nOuh why W tub
bath house at Stone House Point. He
went at once TO dressing room, removed
bis clothes and donning bathing suit he
walked out to the steps leading down into
the water, took plunge, dove quite q
distance and without waiting to recover
lake. His strong, bold strokes soon car
ried him out o considerable distance and
a number of people at the bath house
watched the swimmer with interest as he
seemed to be perfectly at home In the
water and was magnificent awimmer.
Irwin Marshall and j. S. Knight OF
Canton and Thomas Woodward of North
Lawrence were standing on the bath
house platform looking out upon the lake
and were speculating among themselves
as to whether the young man would 60
across the lake or would swim out a dis
tance and then come back, He was such
q splendid specimen OF manhood as his
bare arms occasionally came above the
surface OF the water as he made par'
ticularly strong stroke, that no one
doubted his ability to swim across IL he so
desired. He had gotten half way across
and the three gentlemen who were watch,
Ing him had decided that he intended
swimming the entire distance, when he
suddenly turned and started back. They
still watched him idly, but interest was
awakened when IL was observed that he
was not using the same steady stroke
which had carried him so far out into the
lake In such short time. His swimming
seemed to be somewhat labored and his
strokes were not so regular as they had
been. When he neared the shore II was
observed that he was somewhat distressed
but those who watched him thought that
he was only little tired, but was swim
ming we'll enough to get to shore easily.
When within thirty feet OF the bath house
u was noticed that he was in bad way.
He no longer n.de any progress and WAS
making an effort TO cry out. After maxi
ing two or three attempts he articulated
"Help" and the men at once raised the
cry that Hamilton was drowning. After
crying for help Hamilton sank to the bot.
tom.
Ed. Kress and James McKiernun who
were at the bath house, jumped into a
boat, and few strokes took them to the
place where Hamilton went down. Nc
Herman is fine swimmer aud had
bathing suit on, 80 he at once dove for the
body. At the first attempt he brought the
now unconscious form to the surface and
Immediately got to land with his burden.
The body had not been under the water
more than two minutes, but despite all
efforts life was not restored.
1t was thought that the young man
could surely be brought back to life, as
his heart was still beating when he was
taken out of the water, aud effor were
at once made to bring about This result:
barrel was at once secured and he was
rolled over 1t for some little time, but all
to no avail. 1t was impossible to get any
water out OF him and in very short time
the heart stopped beating and all was
over. The efforts to bring him to life did
not cease however, and he was laid on bis
stomech and all means known to the
workers was used to restore respiration,
but not once were the effortB of those who
were working rewarded by q sign OF life,
or by single drop of water being pumped
out OF the body. II was a very singular
case in this respect, and some comments
were made ag to the methods used, but ID
is conceded that all was done that could
be done. Many believe that the young
man was practically dead before he
struck bottom, 40 1t Is clear that he had
very severe attack of cramps and death
probably resulted from heart failure.
When Coroner Conklin arrived, an hour
after the drowning, all signs OF life were
gone and he at once pronounced Hamii'
ton dead. The remains were at once
brought to the city In ShillinR's ambu-
lance and were taken to the home of the
unfortunate young mans parents, Mr..
and Mrs. Richard Hamilton, The grief
of the parents was terrible to witness.
Mrs. Hamilton was utterly prostrsted
heart was bound up in that manly son
who had been comfort and joy to her.
Her grief was 30 strong that her condition
became alarming aud a physician was
summoned who had great difficulty In re-
storing her to anything like calmness, 1t
was a Jerrible blow TO the family.
Richard Hamilton was young man
who would have been an honor to any
family. He was for ak years engaged in
Goldberg Bros. store In South Market
street and later was with II. M. White~
man. When W. D. Caldwell opened bis
store he At once engaged Richard Hamils
ton az he had worked with him and knew
him as well as any one In the city. There
can be no better monument to his mem,
ory than the fact that he had the unlim-.
tied confidence of his employer at all
times. MIR. Caldwell stated today that he
was one OF the finest young men he ever
knew, and was always strictly honest, hon.
orable and trustwortby and was gentle,
manly, fair and courteous Ia all his deal
ings. He numbered his friends by the
hundreds and was everywhere popular.
Deceased was 22 years of age and unr
married. The funeral will take place
Wednesday.