The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1902-07-29
Found Floating in the River Not Far
From the Accident.
FLATHEAD GIVES UP ITS DEAD
After Many Days-The Remains
Brought to kaIispeIl on Special
Train-Funeral Under the Auspices
of the 3. r. T. Took Place Today
at 10 O'Clock.

After being in the waters of Flat
head river for over a month, the body
of Mike Sweeney, the heroic rail-
road conductor, was recovered Sun
day morning and was buried in the
Demersville cemetery this morning
at 10 O'Clock. The body was found
by a couple of fishermen residing
near Paoli, who were fishing along
the river. When discovered it was
on a small sand bar, about half a
mile from the spot where Sweeney
attempted to swim across the river.
The body was badly decomposed and
the face had been partly eaten away.
When the find was made, the two
fishermen reported the case AT Essex
and it was Immediately surmised that
the Dody was that of Sweeney, and
a number of railroad men who knew
the hero while living went to the
spot and Immediately identified it.
The coroner's Office in Chis city was
Immediately notified and arrange
ments were made to take care of the
body until it could be brought to Kali
lspell and prepared for burial. AS
it was too late have the body brought
in on No. 3, Sunday night, it was
placed on special train Monday and
reached Kalispell late that afternoon.
The Brotherhood Of Railroad Train
men took charge of the body and the
funeral services were held under the
oncnioaS Of tbnir ,OdUo
The services were held at 10
o'clock this morning from the Catho-
lie church, and were attended by a
large concourse of friends. The coffin
was literally covered with flowers
and the funeral of the dead hero was
one of the most impressive ever held
held in this city. His relatives are
all living in Ireland have been noti-
fed of the finding of the body.
Since the brave attempt OF Swee-
ney to swim the Flathead river to
aid Ernest Larter and E. w. Orrer,
who were supposed to be dying on
the other side, which resulted in his
being drowned, many attempts have
been made to recover his body, but
all proved futile. The river was
dragged again and again, but without
result, and the search was finally
given up.
Sweeney lost his life while trying
to aid Larter and Orrer, who had got
lost in the woods near Essex and
wandered around all night and all
uay without any clothes to protect
them. The two men were ON a fish.
ing trip, and leaving their clothes on
one side. they crossed the river on
raft, and when close to the oppo
site bank their raft was broken up
throwing them into the water. They
reached the bank in safety, but hav
ing no clothes and not knowing the
country, they got lost and wandered
around for over "a hours. When they
did not return the next day, a search
ing party, including Sweeney, started
out to hunt them up, and after sew
eral hours discovered them, but or
the opposite shore of the river. Lar
ter and Orrer were in an exhausted
condition and Sweeney tying rope
uo, his body made an attempt to swim
to them. He had almost succeeded
in reaching the bank, when was
sucked down by whir.p pool an(
drowned. The rope broke and the
brave rescuer was swept to his death