The Newtown bee., 1900-01-26
LOCAL AFFAIRS.
Death of Willie Campbell.
HIS BODY DISAPPEARS THROUGH THE ICE D, ON THE PooTATUCK RIVER.

when the news HeW AEoA OA0 bo AnouAe that the youngest son of Ex.Representa tive Patrick Campbell had gone Ehrougi
 the ice opposite the residence of the lat
 John Costello and had been swept unde
 the ice by the swollen current, ant
 drowned. So suddenly had the life of tn.
 bright, happy faced, dancing eyed boy
 known by every one in Sandy Hook. beer
 swept from their midst that it was witl
 great effort that those who knew hin
 in life could gather their thoughts to
 gether and run to the scene of the acci
 dent.
 In 20 minutes after it had occurred {
 boat was launched anu manned by Thom as Curtain, Peter Lillie, James Lillis and
 Homer Congo and & search was begun Tor the remains.
 William Costello had made an attempt to rescue the boy, but the deceased dis. appeared under the ice before he could reach him. As time wore on it began to dawn on every one that 8 stupendouE task was ahead of them. Another boat
 was secured and another rescuing party
 set to work and an organized effort made
 under the direction of William Egan to
 secure the body. Far into the night
 willing hands worked, but without auc- cess, and st l o'clock operations were suspended until o'clock Sunday morn ing. At the appointed hour 8 number of the rescuers started once more to dredge. By noon hundred hands were cutting a channel through the ice from the dam to the scene of the accident, in order to float of the ice and thus facilitate the work. A third boat in the meantime had been added and more willing hands set to work. There were several narrow escapes through the ice as the work went on. When darkness set in ard yet no trace of the body had been found, 1t was suggest cd that the services of diver be secured to search the bed of the river. The fol- lowing morning word was telephoned to Bridgeport and Capt George Evans, & professional diver, connected with the Lake Submarine Co., siguified his willing ness to come, and was at once engaged. Diver Evans and his mate, Charles Clark, arrived in Newtown on the 5 D. m. train and immediately repaired to the scene of the accident where he set to work. Af- ter 50 minutes under water he arose to the surface and announced that he would resume work at 8.30 o'clock Tuesday morning During the night he obtained from pr Gordon, whose guest he was during his stay in town, 8 thorough de- scription of the channel, current, etc., and the next morning started to work fully resolved to secure the remains. At exactly o'clock, with Mate Clark in charge of the life line, and Thomas Cur tain and John Carroll manning the air pump, Diver Evans once more resumed the search. Back and forth he traversed the bed of the stream for 100 feet or more and when within 30 feet of the Costello side of the river and on the right edge of the channel proper, with it's left side wed2ed against the end of log, lay the remains of the deceased; and in just one hour and five minutes after the search began the body was brought to the sur face, and then conveyed to the undertak- ing rooms of Edward Troy & Co.,, close by, where, after being reviewed by Dr smith, the medical examiner, it was pre- pared for burial.
 Wo'd was at once hurried to the home of tEe deceAsed and 8 great burden lifted from his parents by the longed for tidings 5bat the body of their beloved boy had 1t last been recovered. After the body of the deceased had been prepared for burial 1t was removed to his late home and there, after three long days and three ong nights of anxiety and grief, were the parents of the boy for the first time permitted to review the remains. Oh, what scene of sadness and heart-rend- Ing grief was there enactedl
 That night the ibody was exposed to he public, resting In beautiful whie 'asket with silver trimmings and the plate upon which were inscribed the words "William H. Campbell, age tight years and eight months,'' and urmounted by 8 wealth of floral designs presented by sorrowing friends.
 All night long were the remains viewed y hundreds of people and at ,12 o'clock he next. day the casket, remains and floral tributes were photographed ssby Robert Butcher.
 At o'clock, the little schooImates of he deceased in charge of their teacher, Miss Ella L His, walked in 8 body to the nome of the deceased and there viewed all hat was left of him who was so suddenly matched from thier midst and who had been one of the most light hearted and 1ne of the happfest of the little band.
 The farewellEtaking of those innocent children was one of the saddest scenes in his panorama of death and strong men turned their faces in tears.
 At 2 D. ID. the final fare we'll of the in1- mediate friends had been taken and the ,asket forever closed from view the re- mains of the deceased, which was then borne to the white hearse in waiting by he pail bearers, Edward Campbell >cousin) and Patrick Blake, IT,, assisted 0y thelittle honorary pail bearers, ,HughIe Campbell cousin, Michael Casey Thomas Lynch, Charlie Hurd, Charlie McDer- mott and Willie Halverson, followed by little Ray Callahan, bearing 8 floral cross with the words "School Mate."
 The funeral was the largest child's funeral ever seen ln town. After the re- mains had been inferred another pathetic %n@ Elwy% %Ern ~% he parents of the deceased his many lit- ;le comrades crowded about his grave md plucked from the numerous floral 9mblems flower or two as memento of the deceased.
 Father Fox, assisted by Father Cop pens, officiated.
 Such universal grief among young and old has rarely been witnessed at the grave side. Thus closed the last chapter of one of the saddest events of our every Jay life. Yet God iu his goodness does fc r the best and it is not for mortal to question the justice of his acta. The community extehd to the family their sympathy in their great bereave- ment and join with them in saying "may the soul of little Willie Campbell rest in peace" !"
 Following is a list of the floral tributes |:
 ot6nuIHk puAUWs -OuE WAAies WMlso and pink roses and hyacinths, from par ents.
 Gates Aiar with dove, white and pink roses, azalias, gates entirely of violetg, from brothers and sisters.
 Wreath, pink carnations and lilies of the valley, from cousins, Margaret J. and Edward Campbell and Thomas Lynch.
 Wreath, pink roses and asparagus fern, from Mir and Mrs Frank Sprague, Bridge port.
 Standing cross Of yellow roses, white and sweet aIyssium from his tea acber, Mise Ella Lillis, ,and schoolmates.
 Anchor of pale pink carnations and aza- lias from Annie E. and Edward Troy.
 Flat bouquet, pink carnations, Master Willie Halverson, Bridgeport.