The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1907-03-25
FORD MYSTERY WAS
CLEARED On
SUNDAY
Body Of Missing Man Found
in the Red River By Cap
tain John Hayes.
ACCIDENTAL DROWNING
Was the Verdict of Coroner's
Jury This Morning-Dis-
appeared Jan. %.
ACCIDENTAL DROWNING

The Acknowledgements of
Thomas ]. Ford.
When-Jan. g. 1906.
The Disscovery-Finding Of
body In Red river.
BY WhOm-Captain John w. =
Hayes.
When-Sunday, March "a.
First Clue-DiscOvery Of miss. =
ing mans hat on Saturday after.
noon. =
go + ~ y =
The mystery of the disappearance
of Thomas j. Ford was cleared away
Sunday morning, when Captain John
w. Hayes discovered the remains of
the missing man in the Red river. The
first clue as to the whereabouts of
Ford was found Saturday afternoon
by Thomas Gray, when hat belong
ing to the much-searched for man was
discovered imbedded in the ice. This
was thawed out, and Sunday morning
Mrs. Ford identified it as that of her
lost husband. The search for the re-
mains was then taken up by Captain
Hayes, who with the aid of a pike
pole located the body in the bottom
of the river. ten feet from where the
cap was found, Sunday morning about
1880.
This morning an inquest was con-
Quoted by Coroner Rounsevell of
Larimore, and the following is the
verdict of the jury:
We, the jury, find that Thomas ].
Ford came to his death on Jan. %
in the vicinity of the Northern Pacific
railway bridge by accidentally falling
through the ice in the Red river, and
that his death was by drowning. That
there can be no blame attached to any
person or persons.
H. w. Matheson,
Thomas Gray,
j. C. Duncan.
The body was in fine state of pre-
servation. Only the hands and face
were not in the least disfigured. His
fur overcoat, which he wore the night
he disappeared, was missing, proba-
bly, being torn off when the drowning
man struggled for life in the cold
waters. His watch had stopped at
6:1S, showing that he must have
fallen into the river just two or three
minutes previous to that time. He
also had a small quantity of loose
change on his person.
Mr.. Ford's disappearance occurred
on the evening of Jan. %. He was
employed In the warehouse of the
Northern Pacific in East Grand Forks
On that night. he left the freight depot
at about sos o'clock, going towards
DeMers avenue. That was the last
time he was seen alive. From there
he must have gone onto the ice, and
in order to avoid place reported to
have been dangerous. went a block
further down the river. Here he went
between two barges. and the ice there,
covered as it was with snow, had lit
tie chance to freeze That he went
through the ice only few feet from
where his remains were found, is GER
tain.
On the evening of his disappearance,
Chief Lowe and several others heard
calls from the direction of the river
as though some one were in distress.
Investigation, however, resulted in
nothing being discovered. Searching
parties were organized that night, and
worked hard in an endeavor to find
Ford. Mrs. Ford became alarmed at
once when her husband did not return
for supper. His habits were very
regular, and she at once reported the
case. Searching parties were organ
lied and worked all night and during
the days following A reward of 5000
was offered for the finding of the man,
dead or alive. Captain Hayes is en-
titled to his reward, but states that
he will not make claim to 1t.
The remains of Mr.. Ford were taken
to the Norman undertaking parlors,
and will be shipped to Portage. Wis,
tonight for interment.