The Globe-republican., 1901-06-13
SUNDAYS SORROW.


w AOJ DAo =" AC0 Az OehAAt SIOcA.
Sunday afternoon. at about $50
o clock. at 5-nlile creek. in the vicinity
of Mt. Pleasant school house, was the
scene of an unusual occurrence, the
drowning of two boys-Hugh McRob-
erts. age IA years, and John McRoberts.
age IL years-sons of w. F. McRoberts
who lives at Wright station Five-mile
creek ordinarily has little water, but the
recent rains had filled its dry bed and
increased the capacity of its water sup
ply, until it afforded Il swimming place
for venturesome boys. The little stresm
is a tributary of Sawlog, and as its name
indicates, it is one of those 'ssawed off,
water courses that is draw for a more
pretentious flow of water. and it fills and
empties itself dependent on the rainfall;
but there are ponds in all these streams,
fed by springs, and often the ponds con-
tain water to considerable depth. The
pond in question contains water 10 to Is
feet deep, and the boys We're drowned in
water over ten feet deep. The width OF
the pool is more than 25 feet. It is stu
ated in d. w. Surgeons pasture. and is
about three miles north of Wright
Station. Neighborhood boys are in the
habit of going to this pond for swimming
and the desire of the McRoberts' boys
was against the wishes of the father but
who went to the creek with his sons
under protest. Both boys were swim
mers, and the elder desired to show his
skill in the art of swimming by carrying
his younger brother on his back across
the water About midway of the water
the elder boy became choked with water
and was seen TO throw his brother from
his back, and both were observed to be
struggling. probably from strangulaticn
The elder boy reached the shore safely
Hugh rushed into the water to save hi:
drowning brother but both were drowned
Walter Ferguson, son of Ben Ferguson
a boy about IL years of age, was standing
on the bank and noticing the predicamen
the boys were in rushed TO their rescue
He was in the act of catching the young
er boy when kick on the stomach from
the struggling boy almost knocked hin
sense less. and before he could recove
| himself both boys were drowned. Tn
father of the boys who was in hailins
distance waded into the water to rescue
| his perishing sons, but though his in.
ability to swim, or want of presence o
| mind in the fright, he was unable to Civ,
| them assistance. The drowning boy
were struggling together, and it is prob
| able that the cold water produced cramp
and both were unable to help each other
| The alarm was given, and the people a
the Sunday school at Mt. Pleasant schoo
! house rushed to the scene. The bodie
were taken from the water soon afte
drowning but they were beyond resusci
| tation.
| The funeral took place Monday after
noon, the internent taking place IN tn
cemetery north of Spearville Rev. Geo
g. Bruce, in charge of the Presbyteria
church, at Spearville, conducted til
services. A large number of people at
tended the funeral.
| Mr. McRoberts has six children, tw
older than the deceased boys. The sa
occurrence filled the county with gloon
and it is sincerely regretted.
MIR. McRoberts has lived in this count
for two years. He is an industrious MAJ
and good citizen; and the family hav
the sympathy of the people. Henry i
the name of the boy who escaped drown
| ing.
The fathers statement differs onl
slightly from the general statement o
| the drowning of the boys. He says a
older son, about II years of age, was tn
| one who undertook to swim across tn
creek with the younger boy, John, whe
| ne became strang.ed and threw tn
younger boy aside. He made his esca p
| to the shore. Hugh. age IA years, say
| his younger brother drowning, when b
| plunged into the water to save him
| when both were drowned 1t was a
| this time when Walter Ferguson ais
went to the rescue.
A telegram was sent to DR.. Garrett
who arrived at Wright at O'Clock, b,
the bodies had been out of the waite
several hours and no relief could /
given. The bodies probably laid In tn
| water nearly an hour before they WEI
recovered Every means was used t
bring the boys to life, but were of n
avail. When DIR. Garrett arrived til
| bodies were discolored. Undertaken HUI
pieu prepared the bodies for burial