The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1893-06-12
UNDER THE COLD WAVE.
Tragic Ending Of Two of the Graduates
of the State Normal School-Gay
Pye and Vim Hammer
Drowned.

ment by the announcement that two OF
the Normal school students-Wm. Ham
mer, Of this city, and Miss Gay Pye, OF
Bryant, S. D., lad the evening before,
about 10 o'clock, beer drowned in Lake
Madison while out boating. 1t develops
that at Z o'clock Saturday evening, Mr..
Hammer called at the dormitory with
his horse and carriage for Miss Pye to 60
out riding, not an unusual circumstance
as they have been intimately acquainted
as classmates for years and were about
to graduate as members of the same
class next Wednesday. The young peo-
pie came down town to the "merry-go-
round" on Center street and with other
young people they took a swing and
then gaily departed for the lake, three
and a half miles distant about, 7:30. At
8 o'clock Mr.. Hammer engaged q row
boat at the Chautauqua boat house and
the two went out on the lake for a row-
ing excursion. Towards 8 o'clock they
were seen at the west end OF the lake
and at $50 they were observed by sever
al fishermen near Sioux Falls Point,
whence they must have turned their
course and started across the lake home
ward. Soon after this some one at an
upper window in the Grand View hotel
heard cries Of distress out on the lake
and ran down to tina shore to inquire OF
Capt. Smith il anyone was out with a
boat, and being informed that two young
people were out, said the party must be
in the lake as the cry was n of distress.
A search was at once instituted by a
party from the hotel going across the
lake towards Sioux Falls Point but no
trace or hearing of the young people
could be discovered. The party then re-
turned to see il the young people had
reached shore N taken their carriage
for home, but the horse was still tied to
the tree where originally left, and the
boat had drifted ashore, bottom side up
with one oar under the seat. Proof was
now almost conclusive that the young
people had been drowned, and Landlord
James at once started with the horse and
carriage for the city to have the young
people identified. 1t was near midnight
when he called up President Beadle
who Immediately commenced a specific
search among the resident students
homes to have the horse and carriage
identified. BY 2 a. m. he had discovered
that the two young people who hae
!, started out with the carriage were Mr.
Hammer and Miss Pye. He at once
aroused the faculty and others, procuret
barb wire, ropes and men and organize.
a thoroughly systematic method o
: searching for the missing bodies, so tina
when daylight came everything was il
readiness and the search by dragging tn,
lake begun. The motor was started GU
between the city and the lake at
9 o'clock in the morning and kept running
all day and large crowds of people huns
. anxlously around the lake shores all day
. many watching, but many others assist
y ing and resorting to all forms of expedi
ents to aid in dragging the lake and i
possible catch up the missing bodies
All was to no avail until early this morn
q ing when the body of Miss Pye wa
drawn up by a crew in charge OF JOIN
[ Gerhardt, the face greatly changed il
t appearance by reason of long submerg
ence and slightly scratched and tn,
. dress slightly torn in places, where il
was evident the barbs OF the wire in thu
. first attempt to drag the lake Sunda.
morning had caught in the body.
Miss Gay Pye had been a student il
the normal school here much of the tim,
9 since 1889 and was the scholar, par ex
!. ~cellance, OF the school. In mathematics
4 in literature, in science, in ~everythin,
che excelled. She was, by virtue of he
superior mental attainments and winnin,
disposition, the social leader of tn,
Q school and generally admired and lovee
4 by all with whom she came In contact
= A beautiful example OF sweet Christian
girlhood, she shed sunshine around he
WAOAOSCA 5AO WOAts ottC W00 LltVlC pas
q years OF age, had a promising futur
before her and the browning triumph G
her life thus far was to take place mex
Wednesday when she would gradual
y with honors and 60 out into the worlt
thoroughly equipped for a noble Inf
d work. Such an end to life is sad indeed
tragic in Its suddeness. Her people q
Bryant were telegraphed yesterda
morning and her brother John arrive
last evening. The immediate member
Of her family are father, mother an
another brother, she being an onl
Is daughter. Her mother is q woman i
a feeble health and the news of 81
y daughters sad and untimely ending q
Frustrated her that at the time of he
sons leaving she had not fully recovere
consciousness and it was doubtful il Oh
would. Miss Pye had been engaged {
assistant principal al our schools FIR til