The Somerset reporter., 1907-05-23
Is North Arson Man Drowned. ?
Charles Eames Disappeared May - and
Is Supposed to Have Fallen Into
the River

the River
Chas. Eames of North Arson has
been missing from his home since
Monday May 10, and it is feared that
he accidentally lost his life by drown
while returning home from Emblem
after dark that night, by way of the
Somerset railroad bridge Mr.. Games
was about 81 years of age and is sur
vived by wife and son, student
of the high school
Mr., Games home was in North An
son village and he had been employ
ed as a general jobber, working sever
al horses in his business. His occu-
patton has made him very well known
all through the section. He had
planned this year to work the farm
on which his father formerly lived
and which is located in Emblem and
near the Scion ferry. The farm build
ings are unoccupied and Mr.. Eames
went there Monday to do some plant
ing and other work about the place.
Late in the afternoon he crossed the
ferry in his working clothes and was
told by the ferryman that he should
return before dark if he wished to
cross in the boat as he could not
make any trips in the night because
of the logs which are running thickly
in the river. Mr.. Eames said that if
anything happened to detain him un-
til after dark he could cross on the
Somerset railroad bridge.
Mr.. Eames was busy about the viii
lage of Embden with business mat
tiers in the early evening and was seen
as late as 9 O'Clock when he evidently
started back to his home via the
bridge. That was the last seen of
him and no clue has been found that
is any good. He was not missed un
til Tuesday when people were at
tracted to the barn on the farm by a
noise made 10y the horses which had
not been fed that day and were very
restless. Things were found about
the place evidently just as they had
been left by Mr.. Eames when he had
finished work for the day and left for
his home. A hunt was at once start
ed but without any success.
The commonly accepted theory is
that Mr.. Games attempted to cross
the railroad bridge in the dark and
missing his footing fell over into the
river and was drowned. At this sea
son of the year the falls are regular
, miniature Niagara and man falling
from the bridge would have no chance
for his life and his body might not be
/ found until weeks afterwards at the
present pitch of the water.
The bridge is of the familiar con-
struction used by the Maine Central
heavy supporting work of steel with
the rails crossing on ties on a level
with the tops of the abutments.
There is a very narrow walk outside
the rails on one side which is much
used by people of the town but at this
season rather steady head is needed
to make the passage, as the rails are
about 80 feet from the water, and the
roar and rush of the river underneath
with the spray that is thrown up even
onto the bridge would make many
people SO dizzy they could not cross
safely. There is no guard rail on
either side along the walk or anything
to prevent pedestrian pitching over
into the river if he should miss his
footing.
1t was dark Monday night and eros
sing the bridge was really a hazard
GUS undertaking. But Mr.. Games was
a vigorous man with strong nerves
and familiar with the conditions and
would think nothing of such an I'M
taking. So his friends think that he
attempted to cross, knowing that the
ferry boat was not running and by
some mischance fell over into the
river and was drowned. 1t is all but
useless to search the river for the body
as the water is now, so little can be
done.
Everything that can be suggested
has been done with every theory a
side from accidental drowning but
without result.
Besides his wife and son Mr.. Games
is survived by an aged mother who
since her husbands death has made
her home with her son, and brother,
Geo. c., manager of the Postal Tel
egraph CO. at Bangor.
THURSDAY MORNING.
During the day yesterday Wednes-
day Sheriff c. II. Smith of Skowhe-
gan was advised of certain facts in
connection with the case which war
ranted him in making an investigation
and he went to Scion in the afternoon.
He passed the evening in looking into
the whole matter and arrived home
this morning at ten thirty. The result
of his investigation cannot be made
public at this time but it may be said
that the facts az he found them prac-
tically Exclude the theory that Mr..
Ames has absconded or that he met
his death by an accidental fall from
the railroad bridge into the Kennebec
river. There seems to be strong evil
dence to indicate foul play and the
matter will be sifted to the bottom.
Mrs. Nellie S. Brown.