Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1908-06-03
Tragic Drowning in North River
of Two Students

rag hh ava VA
of Two Students
Messrs. Paul Roderick Dunn and
Lee M. Sutton, students Of Wash
ington and Lee University, were
drowned in North River last Sat-
urday afternoon, and their bodies
were not recovered until Tuesday.
The circumstances of the drown
ing were peculiarly sad. The last
seen of the young gentlemen alive
was Saturday afternoon shortly
after three o'clockwhen they pulled
up the river from the boat house,
intent on an afternoons sport.
Just when they went to their
watery grave or where is not
known, as no one witnessed the &C
cident. The supposition is, how
ever, that the boat was taken TO
the old Leyburn dam through the
mill race, as the river was consld-
erably flushed from recent rains,
and no doubt as they pushed out
into the river at that point the
rush of the water swept them over
the dam to their death.
The young gentlemen left the
boat house with the expectation
of returning about six o'clock
This information was given
friend as they pulled out. Some
alarm was felt that night at their
boarding house (the Misses Lar
rick when they did not return
and late in the night some of their
student friends instituted search.
Nothing was known of their alb
.ence generally until Sunday morn
ing. when rumors were spread
through town that they were mis-
sing, and even then nothing serl'
Gus was thought of it. Sunday
afternoon searching parties were
organized and the river was ex-
amjned from Browns hole to the
dam. a distance of about half a
mile Late in the afternoon the false
bottom of the boat used by the two
students was found near the dam,
iard shortly afterward two peirs OF
1 trousers we're discovered near the
same place. These discoveries
confirmed the suspicion that the
Young men were drowned. Mon
day morning Systematic search
was made ali along the river and
dynamite was used. The searcn
that day was unsuccessful. Al
night lanterns were placed along
the river, and fraternity mates OF
: the missing men kept watch
throughout the night. AS pre-
, caution wire netting was stretched
, across the rapids below Brown.
hole, to catch the bodies ehouIc
they float down the river.
The body of Mr.. Dunn wal
found Tuesday morning about
, o'clock. 1t was first discover(
, foati ng just under the surface IL
/ Browns hole by Mr.. Fred. Sut
ton of Kinston, N. c., brother o
f Mr.. Dunn's companion. In
BODY was brought to town ant
! prepared for burial. The searcl
was continued, and about 3 o'clocl
| in the afternoon the body of Mr.
Sutton was found floating som
one hundred and fifty yards from
where Mr.. Dunn's body was mrs
q seen. 1t also was brought t.
8 town and prepared for burial.
, The funeral of Mr.. Dunn wa
held from the Lee Memorla
Chapel at 8 O'Clock, conducted b.
q DR.. j r. Howerton of the faculty
g assisted by Rev. W. Cosby Bell 0
/ the Episcopal church. The re
!, mains were taken to Raleigh, n
# c.. for interment, leaving Lexlne
ton overithe evening chesapeake
). and Ohio train. Mr.. L. C.Witten,
f fraternity mate of W. L. u, an
d Mr.. W. H. Dunn of Raleigh,
brother of the deceased, accom-
r panied the remains from Lexinf
}. ton. The faculty and students
# Washington and Lee and the CT
n diets of the Virginia Military IL
m stitute, escorted the remains
the depot, accompar led by larE
crowd of citizens end ladies.
The funeral of Mr.. Sutton Wa
At held In the chapel this morning
" 8:45 o'clock, conducted by Re
h, W. Cosby Bell, DR.. Alfred
at Graham and DR.. j. X. Howerto
Il The remains were taken to tf
d, morning CHEESE peake and On
q train and started on their journt
lie to Kinston, n. u, where thoy WI
J.. be buried. Accompanying the r
~ mains were his brother, Mr., Ere
Sutton, student at the Unlvers
D. ty of North Carolina, and h
o. brother-in-law. Mr.. B V. Booth
Clifton Forge. Mrs. Booth join,
l., the party at Balcony Falls II
e. faculty and students OF Washin
ed ton and Lee escorted the body
k the depot, and the cadets attend
It. the funeral at the chapel.
ee The young gentlemen were pop
Ter young men at the Universit
,s- Mr.. Dunn was member or I
in Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity a
sss Mr.. Sutton of the CHI Tau Omeg
ill Their fraternity mates were tait
n full friends in assisting to
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