Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1896-05-21
BOAT WASHED ASHORE.
But tho Bodies of the Three Drowned Me
Hnya Nnt Raen Enund.


The mysterious drowning Of the three
men who left Cedar Beach In q soil yacht
for Essex, N. Y, last Sunday morning
has caused much excitement in and
around the city.
farmer by the name of Blair was
walking along the lake shore Tuesday af-
ternoon in the vicinity OF Blair's bay,
around the point from Shelburne harbor
when he saw a small sailing boat upside
down on the shore. Pulling It ashore he
examined the boat and found the rudder
broken off and the rear seat missing. The
sail was twisted around the helm, but was
perfect, at the same time the yacht show
ed every appearance Of having roughed II.
further search was made along the
shore and the missing seat was found
floating eastward about a half mile farther
north. Nothing could be seen of the oars,
so Blair returned but placed little import
anco to the discovery as he had not learn
ed of the sad accident. Coming to the city
yesterday he appraised a few people of
the wreck and 1t was immediately con-
cluded by those who had read in the Free
Press the first account given of the acct
dent that II was the fatal boat that had sue
cumbed to the treacherous waters which
were made turbulent by the strong winds
that caused the men to perish beyond tho
reach of help
The boat was owned by Ex-Mayor Van
Patten, but the washing against tho coast
on one side, yet the first three letters of
his last name were discernabe Mr.. Van
Patten reached Cedar Beach yesterday
morning and had men out all day search
Ing for the bodies of the unfortunate men
who, no doubt, lie at the bottom of the
lake. ~ i. Clifford, who is building Mr.,
Van Patterns cottage at Cedar Beach. was
out with the party during the afternoon,
out up to O'Clock last evening he had
not made report Mr. Van Patten sent
message to Chief Of Police Du-
mas last evening about tho' same
hour, stating that he would arrive in the
CITY on the Chateaugay this morning and
telling him to meet rim CMr. Van Patten)
at the dock at O'Clock and 70 have the
steam yacht "Mariquita" ready TO return
with him to search for the bodies As the
chief will have to attend a certain case in
court the probability is he will either be
unable to go or the return OF the yacht
will have to be delayed.
A most diligeht search will be COM
rnenced to-day and everything possible
will be done but dragging the lake as tho
deepest place known is in the vicinity
where the men are supposed to have gone
down, the sounding depth being 800 feet.
The men were not sailors and as the boat
was too small to weather a gale 1t is al
most certain they are dead, and Judging
from the location where the boat was
found 1t will be almost impossible to To-
cate the Dodies. Leaving Essex the men
naturally went east toward Cedar Beach
and the Yacht was found 10 miles north OF
there, 80 1t must have been an awful
struggle or it Is possible Il lasted but a
short time and the boat drifted the dis
To nee named.
The names of the men given In yester,
days paper were not known in full and
the details of the accident were meagre,
but an Investigate ton shows their names
70 he Edward Meyers-of Winooski Charles
Steady OF Starksboro and William FELTON,
OF this city whose home is near the cir
Gus grounds in the northern part of the
city.
Many inquiries were made to Chief Of
Police Dumas yesterday by the relatives
OF the missing men, but no definite infor-
nation could be given.