The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-11-27
DROWNED IN A POND
Two Men While Skating Break
Through the Ice.
HELP ARRIVED TOO LATE
They We're Sober. Industrious Men
and Apparently Quite WelI-to-
Do-Accidental Death Is the
Verdict of the Jury.

Do-Accidental Death . 8 the
Verdict of the Jury.
watery graves were found by Gus
Sander and Leonard Forsman, two
young men who were skating on the
lower slum pond at the upper works
No one was near Them at the time and
the only witness to the drowning was
Tom O'Meara a lad of about 16 years
who was working at the company
houses some distance away from the
pond.
The men were skating together San
den going backward while Forsman
pushed him and skated forwards. SUD
denly Sander dropped through the ice
and Forsman fell over him but did not
go under the water as he seemed 10
have fallen on solid ice. He jumped up
any way and pulled off his skates and
ran to a hoop which was frozen in the
ice not far away. he secured 1t with
difficulty and returned to help his COM
panion. The boy who was watching
thought that he would ge. him out
al right and went into a house out OF
sight of the pond. He came out mo
ment later and saw no one at the place
but as he looked a mans head appear
ed above the water and called for help.
The lad ran quickly to the company's
barn and secured assistance who ran
to the spot only to be too late to render
any aid.
Two hats fioated in the icey water
and a pair of skates were strewn upon
the ice. Word was sent to Anaconda
and a party OF men headed by Chief
White, Deputy Sheriff Conley and
Judge ]. NJ. Kennedy secured a wagon
and with pike poles from the fire house
FASTENED 10 the scene of the disaster.
The bodies were recovered and Judge
Kennedy took charge of them in the
absence of the coroner and the remains
were taken to Ehrets undertaking
rooms.
Later in the day Coroner Harden
brook was found and he was given
the case in hand. A jury was lmpan-
neled and an inquest held in Judge
Fox's court in the afternoon.
The men were identified by acquain-
tances OF whom they have many in the
city. as Leonard Forsman and Gus
Sander. Both were steady and in
at the present time. They boar1ke with
Mrs. Hannah M. Nelson on Birch street
and went to the pond a short time after
breakfast, borrowing skates from their
fellow boarders.
Sander Is a tall and heavy man and
at the smelters whenever he could.
From the papers and receipts found In
his pocket IL was discovered that he
had been in Missoula, Boulder and
Butte, where no doubt he has friends
He has a brother in Nebraska and
father and mother living in the old
country.
Forsman is short. smooth-faced and
slight In build. He came to Anaconda
from Portland, Ore, where he worked
as machinist in the o. n. & N. shops
and among his effects was found a bet
ter OF recommendation from Master
Mechanic Graham Of that place Deeds
to two lots In Portland were also found
In his trunk. together with a sum of
money amounting to more than $50.
His father and mother live In Kansas
The remains will be held until the
relatives OF each can be heard from,
before making the funeral arrange
ments.
The place where they were drowned
is distant from any habitation 500 yards
or more. The pond Is formed by the
water which runs from the smel.er
Hundreds OF people were skating over
IT Sunday and only one man broke In.
and he was speedily extricated and
with but little difficulty. Possibly San
den teil into the same place. 1t was
not Tar from that spot and a skin of ice
may have concealed the treacherous
hole
Forsman's bravery in going to the
rescue OF his friend cost him his life.
Sander was a large and heavy man,
and though no one saw what happened
In that lonely spot, there Is very little
DOUBT that Sander caught the hoops
which he extended and Forseman was
pulled into the depths while attempt
ing 10 drag Sander out. Forsman evil
IDENTIFY made the Hearst Free library
his headquarters during his idle hours.
for in his trunk were found several LET,
tiers which he had written in Swedish
on the library stationery but had not
YET peen mailed. One was addressed to
+. Il. Forsman. Lund, Decatur county
kansas. "kar Bruder," and It win De
forwarded. Another was to l.. Lar
sen at Portland. Dispatches were sent
20 those addresses by the coroner.
The jury composed of Dave Marler
J: w: smith, @. c. Vineyard, T. ]. Ward
Z. w. Haynes and William Furay. re-
turned verdict OF accidental drown
ing.