The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1894-03-16
A MIRACLE OF CHANCE.
Locating a Deep Buried Corpse by
the Means Of a Divining
Float
Burning Candle Floating on Z
shingle LodoSd Right Over
the Corpse.
The ola spaniard Succeeded After All ths
Others Had Utterly Failed la
1hsir Efforts.

Atrain crew Of the North Pacific Coast
railroad brought the news 20 SausalltO Of
the discovery OF the body Of r. II Sabine,
late station agent az Cazadsro and the last
Of the seven unfortunate men who rode TO
their death on engine No. o through the
food wrecked bridge az Cazadero.
They also brought with them the belief
that the day o. miracles is not past
An old Spaniard, whom nobody resident
on Austin creek seems TO know, was the
discovercr Of the corpse, search for which
had been going on uginterruptedly for II
days. During the prevalence OF the high
water the searchers worked In boats aud
from the banks with pike poles and long,
sharp pointed iron rods, with which they
explored every hole and eddy and every
pile Of drift and sand bar from the bridge to
the point where the creek empties into the
Russian river, distance OF nearly seven
miles. In the last five days Of the search
Austin creek had dwindlcd from the turgid
yellow bankful torrent that caused the dis
aster to the pretty crystal trout stream 30
well known 10 anglers and summer idlers.
II could be forded almost anywhere by "A
man equipped with thigh high gum boots
or wading stockings, and the water was no
pools Of four or five feet deep.
Under these conditions the searchers ex-
plored the stream so thoroughly that the
dead mans brother finally gnnounced that
be would abandon the hunt after one more
day.
Early the following morning an old Span
lard appeared at Cazsdero and by signs in
duced some Of the searchers and railroad
hands to accompany him TO the scene Of
the disaster. lie could not speak intelli-
giblc English, and il was more curiosity
over what they considered foolish mum
merry than any idea OF favorable result
that the searchers accompanied him. The
old fellows only equipment for searching
consisted Of a lew ordinary tallow candles
and couple of shingles.
When, after considerable difficulty, the
Spaniard had succeeded in having the men
point out TO him the exact spot where the
engine had rested in the bed OF the stream
after its fatal plunge, he lighted one of his
candles, fastened it upright to a shingle
with few drops Of its hot grease and sci
1t ahoat just where the floor of the cab had
spilled its inmates. The shingle was not
well ballasted and came TO grief almost i'm.
mediately.
The old fellow prepared a second float
with greater care and this time made thC
sign of the cross with the candle before
lighting it. Single No. was launched
just as the first one had been and went
dancing down the ripples without mishap
Led by the Spaniard, the searcheFs followed
along the bank, most Of them so impressed
by the old mans earnestness as 20 frowI
into silence one or two who were inclined e
laugh at the strange proceeding.
Past the famous old Bohemian club camT
ground, 200 or 800 yards below, the flicker
ing light sailed on its frail raft, avoiding
shoals and rifles and snags as though
steered by an unseen hand. Half as much
more distance down the stream was trav
ersed, and at a bend where the torrent had
piled up a long, wide bed Of SAID and
coarse gravel in front Of sunken log OF
bowlder came the denouement. The water
over this bar was scarcely half a foot in
depth and appeared to possess nearly a,
much movement rs the current in the main
channel.
But, strange TO say, the single came e
a standstill. IL turned around two OF tire,
times lazily, as though iu an eddy, ant
without making any farther progress dow
stream drifted slowly to the pebbly beacl
and stranded.
tween the shingle floated candle and tn,
old Spaniard. The latter gave a satisfied
grunt, and signing to ike searchers to dis
under the shingle gravely squatted on tn,
bank and began rolling cigarette of brown
paper and granulated tobacco.
Two shovels were plunged into the grav
el without a word Of argument, and in
few seconds a hole had been excavated {,
the depth of IS or % inches. Water flowed
in Immediately, so discolorsd by the dis
turbed earth that the eye could not pene
trate il, but the shovelers could feel il the
could not see, and one Of them, with
frightened look on his face, withdrew hi
blade, exclaiming, by George, boys, he'
herer
A dozen willing hands joined in the un
covering after hand exploration had re
suited in the discovery OF clothing at tn
bottom Of the hole. Tho gravel was s.
firmly packed that extracting the body wa
a matter Of considerable difficulty, bu
when IL was finally drawn out on the beac
there was no difficulty in recognizing tn
well known features Of Sabine. Examina
ton disclosed that he had probably n
ceived a death wound when the engin
went down. and sinking Immediately ha
drfted along the bottom until he lodged o
the rapidly forming bar
Everybody turned to the old Spaniar
with eager questions. but he could not O
would not speak English enough to civ
any explanation Of himself or his work, al
though at the hour when-the train left
was regarded as a worker Of miracles.
The railroad men, who brought the stor
20 the city by the last boat, did not witnes
the performances, but describe il as told L
them by the wide eyed witnesses they me
at Cazadero during their lunch hour
Sabine's 5ody was brought TO san Rafat
for interment.-San Francisco Examiner.
Dwight 4. Mosdy.