The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1907-08-17
Member OF Sherman Band
Was Drowned
GOVERNORS WIFERESCUED
Mrs. Proctor Was Thrown Into Water Of
Lake champlain During Trip of the
Vermont Association Of Boston
Yesterday.

~<ttAahhAfSdoAy mug Afs-~NttOARt A0uhuiSs
a member of the Sherman band, was
drowned and Mrs, Fletcher ID. Proctor,
wife Of the governor of Vermont, had
q narrow escape from drowning, with the
capsizing of the naptha launch which
was conveying the members of the Yer
mont association Of Boston from the
Chateaugay to Keeler's bay yesterday
The water was so rough that it was
deemed unwise to try to make landing
with her, so naptha launches were
brought into use.
In response to a request, Henry Mar
tin, who was at the camp in company
with. Victor Hurlburt, started out i'll
Mr.. Martins launch to help remove the
passengers. While going around the
boat passenger signalled them to come
up on the opposite side of the Chateau
gay from which the crew was stationed
and helping the passengers into the
smRll boats. Messrs. Martin and Hurl-
burt ran up TO the gang-way on the
Chateaugay and Mrs. Proctor was helped
into the launch and George Couture Of
Burlington jumped into it.
MIR. Hurlburt, who helped Mrs. Proc
tor into the boat, had just reached his
hand up to help Mrs. Prouty, the wife
Of Lieut. Gov. q. ii. Prouty, into the
launch when the engines on the Chateau
gay started, The canopy top of the
launch caught on the guard of the steam
er and this tipped the launch partly
over and the paddle wheels created a
big suction. Seeing her danger Mrs. Proc
tor cried to Mr.. Hurburt to save her,
and he held her up until he saw that
IL. - Hos..
crushed between the two boats and he
let go. The next instant the paddle
wheel struck the launch and threw that
and the two occupants beneath the
wheel. The launch was thrown into the
paddle wheel and Mr.. Couture was not
seen again. 1t is thought he must have
been struck by the wheel and stunned
or killed. Mrs. Proctor was thrown
about eight feet under water, but her
dress retained enough air so she gradu-
ally rose TO the surface She had pres
ence of mind enough to hold her breath
and that helped to buoy her up Life
preservers were thrown toward her, but
she could not reach any Of them
Herbert Metcalf, son Of the Rev. j. Fl.
Metcalf, formerly of Burlington, and
Hugh Fraser were in little skiff driven
by an engine and ran alongside Mrs.
Proctor, and Metealf grabbed hold of
her dress, which tore away. Fraser, how
ever, got a better hold and at that in
rtant Captain Rockwell and First Mate
Frank Cross got alongside in a lifeboat
and Mrs. Proctor was lifted from the
water and the boat started for shore.
Governor Proctor Told of Accident.
Governor Proctor was not with his
wife at the time she got into the boat
and did not know of her accident until
she was taken out of the- water. DR..
IT, A. Burnham of Boston, member of
the party, was called and sent ashore
in boat to care for Mrs Proctor and
the governor was taken to his wife as
soon as possible. DR. Burnham took
charge of Mrs. Proctor and was assisted
by Mrs. w. j. Bigelow and Miss Emma
Bruce, who were trained nurses. AS
soon as Mrs. Proctor was strong enough
she was placed on cot and carried
into a boathouse where she remained
until she was able to be taken to the
railroad station. a special train was
ordered and the governor, Mrs. Proctor
and party left for Proctor While she
ing satisfactory progress toward recov-
cry.
The accident caused such consterna-
tion that those passengers who had not
left the Chateaugay did not care to land
and provisions were sent out to them on
them boat.
Launch Caught in Wheel.
The engineer, William Young opened
the paddle wheei box and found Mr..
Martins launch caught in the wheel lie
called for help and examined it thor
oughly, so see If Couture's body was
caught on the inside Of it, but could not
find any trace of II. The launch was re-
leased from the wheel and the hull sank,
leaving the bow projecting a short dis
tance out of the water. Late in the
afternoon it was towed TO shore There
was no trace of Mr.. Couture's body
in IT,
On the return trip President Robinson
and Committeeman Bradley Of the Bos-
ton party started subscription fund
for the benefit of Mr.. Couture's family
and good.sized purse was put into
Mayor Bigelow's hands to be used for
the relief Of the family.
Mr.. Couture leaves a wife and four
children, the oldest boy of eleven years
and the youngest six months old He
was 81 years Of age and was q carpen-
ter by trade. being a member Of the Car.
penters Union Of Burlington and was
highly regarded by his associates. A re-
markable coincidence in connection with
the Incident was the fact that Couture
he'd taken out a policy yesterday morn.
ing in the Peerless Accident company
for $500. The fact that he met death
bv drowning will eutitle his heirs tc
double the amount insured for.
The band placed the money which they
were TO receive for their services in the
hands Of Mayor Bigelow for the benefit
OF Mr.. Couture's widow.