The Newtown bee., 1895-07-12

The Fourth of July was sad day on Mount Pleasant, this year, made so by the very tragic drowning of Lois Galpin, the 10-yearsold daughter of MT and Mrs Samuel A. Galpin of New Haven and of Ella Johnson, the heroic young woman who rushed into the water to try to save her, which occurred on the afternoon of July 5, at about o'clock. It has been a long time since drowning has occurred at Taunton Lake, and it was with a feeling of horror, mixed with a deep sympathy for those afflicted, that the news was received about town when the sad facts connected with the unfor- tunate happening were learned. It was about o'clock in the afternoon on We'd nesday, when Lois Galpfn, aged 10, her younger brother, Perring Galpin, aged six, their nurse, Mary, Emma Peck, little daughter of Robert N. Peck, with her nurse, Ella Johnson, with the parents' consent, started from the home of Capt A. w. Peck, where they were stopping, for Taunton Lake. Miss Lois was given permission to go in bathing and the other children were allowed to wade in the wa- ter only. The place where they selected was on the shore near the stone wall that projects out into the lake and near the small picnic grounds on Mir Peck's land.
 
 grows deep gradually, when the bottom suddenly slants off into deep water. Tue little girl got beyond her depth and com- menced to go down. Miss Johnson, who was nearest, saw her peril, and with true heroism, not thinking of the danger to herself, rushed out after her. She ia said to have been good swimmer, but she got beyond her depth and with her wet clothing, was drawn down under the wa ter. Mary, the nurse girl, also saw the peril and rushed out to where they had gone down, getting beyond her depth once, but looking back she saw Master Perring screaming and rushing out to where she was. Regaining her footing she started for him, fearing that he, too, might get into deep water, and took him back to the shore. Frank McGran, of the firm of Taylor & McGran of Sandy Hook, in company with Jerome Judson, was on the other side of the lake fishing. Seeing the commotion and fearing there was something wrong, as qqickly as pos- sible they rowed across the lake, and learning the facts, he dove down several times into the water for the body of the unfortunate little girl. At last he was successful, finding it in about a depth of b feet of water. Meanwhile the nurse, Mary, had spread the alarm to the house of Mir Peck, which was filled with boarders, and all hands hastened to the shore of the lake. Ii was some time be- fore Mary, in her excitement, told them that Miss Johnson was also in the water, but search was at once instituted for her body, which was found after a search of some 20 minutes further from shore in about 20 feet of water. All that loving friends could do was done to bring back life, but they had been in the water for too great length of time and after two hours of the most faithful work, using all the methods known to medical sci ence, it was seen that it was without hope. At the time of the accident Mir Galpin was on his way to Newtown from New Haven to spend the holiday with his family. The grief of the afflicted father and mother was pitiful indeed. Miss Johnson's action was heroism, pure and simple. It was no connection of hers that was drowning, but with the instinct of true woman she rushed headlong af- ter the one in danger, not thinking for moment of her own safety. She was 19 years old, and on Thursday morning of last week, Robert N. Peck took her re- mains to New Britain to her relatives. MT and Mrs Galpin returned to New Ha- ven on the same morning on the train leaving Newtown at 10 o'clock, bearing with them the body of their little darling and hearts bowed down with a sorrow that naught but Heaven can heal. Much credit is due to MT McGran and the at tending physicians, Drs Smith and Sun- derland, and many another kind friend who did all in their power to recover and try to bring back to life, those whom the merciless waters had drawn into their awful chasm. MT and Mrs Galpin fully appreciate the sympathetic aid which the people of Newtown 80 generally extend ed to them at the time when sympathy and aid were so much needed.