The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1908-02-21
PROBABLY
WAS DROWNED
Henry Barrett Has Been
Missing Since Sunday.
LAST SEEN In BRIDGE
Where He Was Left by Companions on
Their Return from Chesterfield
Tnp-was Employed as Fireman In
Brooks House-Home in Holyoke.

Brooks House-Home in Holyoke.
Henry Barrett. 81, in all probability
was drowned Sunday night by falling
from the West river bridge near the
Eaton farm. In company with Frank
Bean, jr, Fred Bean, Charles Howard
and John Bowman, Barrett paid visit
TO John Connell's in West Chesterfield
Sunday, leaving the Brooks House early
in the afternoon. Those who saw the
party on their return from Connell' g
say that Barrett was badly intoxicated.
When the men reached the West river
bridge Barrett. some of them say, was
so far gone from the effects Of liquor
that he was left there to sober up. One
Of the young men attempted TO get
team TO take the helpless man home
but was unsuccessful. When the party
left the man he was lying on the west
side of the bridge between the plank
ing near the floor Of the bridge and the
crossbeams that reach from the floor
TO the roof. 1t was thought he would
be- unable in this position to roll into
the road. George Dix, who was watch.
ing the ice in the West river, saw Bar
rett three times shortly after he was
left in the bridge.
In the evening when Barrett did not
return Leon Whitney and Albert John.
son started out in search of him. NOT
finding him at the West river bridge
they proceeded TO the suspension bridge
and back again, one of them picking
up a hat in the bridge which was af-
forwards identified as Barrett's. A
further search was made but no trace
of the man was found and thinking
some trouble would arise over the af-
fair should it become known that Bar.
rett was intoxicated nothing was said
that night. Monday morning how.
ever, searching party went out and
worked all day. Telephones were used,
and every foot of ground was covered
in the vicinity of the bridge. Parties
dragged the river Tuesday and Wed.
nesday and the search has continued
since without success. The party-yes-
terday was in charge of Dominien.
Finn and Leon Whitney. The ice and
high water made a thorough search
almost impossible.
The selectmen were notified soon af-
ter it was believed that the man was
lost. but they considered that nothing
further could be done and took no au-
thoritative action Many advance the
theory that Barrett was picked up by
somebody and taken away from the
scene of the supposed accident. Ground
for this theory is furnished by the
statements of those who saw him last.
They maintain that he was so drunk
that it was impossible for the man to
lift his head and he could not have
gotten up alone and gone to any place
where he could have fallen into the
river. George Dix from all accounts
saw him last and he says that Barrett
was so drunk it was impossible to wake
him and that after giving him Wig
orous shaking Barrett partly opened
his eyes only to close them again and
relapse into deep sleep. Others be-
lieve that he either fell through the
opening made by board that had fall
en- off from the side Of the bridge or
that he got as far as the gateway just
this side of the bridge used by those
who keep boats on the river. If he
had come to this point and slipped,
nothing could have saved him from
sliding into the water below as the
path is steep and covered with glare
ice. Barrett comes from Holyoke,
Mass, and has been in town but two
months. During this time he has been
as fireman at the Brooks
House.
A story was in circulation yesterday
to the effect that Barrett s body had
been found at the site of the dam in
Vernon but this is not true. 1t was also
thought by some that body was float.
ing in the river near the mouth Of
Milestone brook yesterday afternoon
out investigation revealed nothing. A
cousin of the young man arrived from
Mass, yesterday afternoon. 4