Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-05-11
STILL A MYSTERY
Waterbury Men Who Went Fish. ing Are Supposed 10 Be
 Drowned
MANY RUMORS AFLOAT


 John Cummings, Daniel Rafferty and John Brophy, the last named a youth of about 16. They rented a boat from Hank Hendricks, who lives near the pond, and as they failsd to return it up to yesterday afternoon he went out to investigate and found the boat anchored and upturned and the fishing tackle nearby. MT Hendricks reported the facts to Chief of Police Schmidt, and an investigation was immedi- ately commenced and was kept up until late this afternoon, but no traces were found of the bodies. D. J. Rafferty, father of one of the parties, called at the police station here to-day and took the grappling irons kept at the station for such emergencies down there with him. A big crowd congregated about the pond and all sorts of rumors were sent out from the scene of the acci- dent, the latest being that Rafferty was home and that Cummings and the boy went visiting friends. It was also reported that the body Gs Rafferty had been found and that three hats picked up on the water were recognized as the ones worn by the parties when they left home Saturday afternoon. Even at this lac hour many are clinging to the faint hope that the men may be alive. In any case none of the missing men had reported at his home on Luke street up to press hour.
 Long Meadow pond is deep, marshy piece of land covering about 10 acres and for years has been a favorite fishing spot for people from Waterbury and other places. About midnight Saturday it is reported that fishermen some distance from where the boat was found heard cries for help, but the voices were quickly stilled and those who heard the ap- peals thought no more of it at the time.
 The first intimation the families of the victims had that anything serious had occurred reached them this morning when somebody telephoned to Miss Nellie Fruin, who conducts a grocery store at 21 Luke street. the building in which all parties lived, asking if 1t were true that young John Brophy had been drowned. Miss Fruin knew nothing about the fishing party, but the message was so un- usual she immediately spoke of 1t to the women folks and then the seri- ousness of the situation dawned upon them. The two men and the boy left about 6:30 Saturday evening to spend few hours on Long Meadow pond. They expected to return early that night and when they failed to keep their word. remaining away all day yesterday and last night nobody knew what to make of it. They had a presentiment that there was some thing wrong, still they hoped for the best and never gave up until the tele- phone message set them to thinking. The women folks ran this way and that and in a few minutes the whole neighborhood was out to know what was the matter. Many went to Nau- gatuck.
 Daniel J. Rafferty Jr. was a son of Mir and Mrs D. J. Rafferty of North Riverside street He learned the machinist trade at the Farrel Foun- dry & Machine Go. but he hadn't been working at the business for some time past. Besides his parents he leaves his wife and two children. also two brothers and three sisters. Will liam H.. John E.. Mary C.. Rose V and Elizabeth. He was we'll knowr about town and had a host of friends who were shocked 10 hear Of his un- timely death.
 John Cummings worked for the s.reet department and was harm less. inoffensive man. He leaves a wife and three small children. He has a number Of relatives and friends about town. some of whom knew nothing about the accident until told Of it hy a representative of this pa- per
 John Brophy was i $ years of age. and was a nephew of Mir and Mrs Cummings and lived with them When turning the corner of Luke and Baldwin streets Saturday eyen- ing with a can of bait in one hand. some fishing tackle in the other. he remarked to some of the youngsters that he was on for a few hours fishing down tho road and if he had good luck he would bring them back some. HIS parents died some time ago and since that time he has made his home with the Cummings family. Mrs Cummings being a sister to his mother. He was a nice boy and when the news reached the that he vas drowned even the children wept and gath cred around in punches to talk of the affair. [, was he worst thing that ever happened in that part Of the town and upset everybody % that nobody could do anything and the women folks and everybody else spent the Eres CT part of the day fnquiring into the uhy and where fore Of G. Many called al the homes Of the tereaved families and tried 10 rousoIa the hearfbroken wives and children Of the dead nen and the little sis.er of the hoy. who lives fn another part Of the town and hur- rfra over 10 the home uf her hrosher ss soon as she heard of the maurnful event
 Rn~r Trark Gambling
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