The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1909-06-29
TWO DROWNED
IN RED RIVER
Canoe Capsized and Before
Help Could Reach Them
They Sank

Winnipeg, June ga boating &C.
cident in which two young men lost
their lives, occurred on the Red river,
about two miles above Elm park yes
terday afternoon. The victims were
William G. Thompson, % years Of
age, and Samuel McCoughey, aged 21.
They were members of a camping
party of seven camping near the river
oppisite Elm park.
The fatality occurred when the par
ty was returning from a bathing ex-
petition. They left camp about noon
In two canoes and rowboat and af-
ter those who could swim had had a
dip In the river, started to return
down stream towards the camp. The
rowboat was in the lead, followed by
a canoe in which were James Thomp-
son, Tom Thompson, brothers of one
OF the drowned men, and Thomas
Miller. The canoe which was padded
by the victims brought up the rear.
and by some means, which will prob
ably never be explained, the craft
was upset and the two young men
thrown into the water. Miller and
Thompson heard their cry for help
and turning about padded to their
assistance. Both the. men could swim
but Thompson only slightly, and af-
ter brief struggle they grasped
their capsized craft.
Thought They We're Safe.
The occupants of the other canoe
thought they were safe and encourag-
ed them with their shouts, but had
not approached near enough to rem
der assistance when in endeavoring to
climb onto the upturned bottom of
their canoe they lost their grip and
almost Immediately sank. The occu-
pants of the other canoe appear to
have been too excited to effect a res
cue and almost upset themselves.
They threw their paddles to the
drowning men, and after they had
disappeared, Thomas Miller, who was
the only good swimmer in the party,
to find the bodies, but unsuccessfully.
All this happened within forty yards
of the west bank of the river, where
the two canoes soon after drifted
ashore.
When the news of the drowning
spread along the river, large num-
ber of boats and canoes went to the
spot and men dived for the bodies,
but without finding them. A Calder
wood and s. Graham dragged the
river with graphing hook and
about o'clock recovered the body of
Samuel McCoughey. Coroner Inglis
had been telephoned for, and on his
arrival the body was removed to
Thomson's undertaking parlors. The
provincial authorities had also been
appraised of the affair, and Detective
Mackenzie and another officer soon
afterwards arrived in launch with
graphing hooks for dragging the
river. Hooks were operated from
several boats, and at o'clock the
second body was recovered close to
the spot where the drowning took
place. The coroner was again sum-
moned and the body removed to
Thomson's undertaking parlors.
Brother Tells of Mishap.
James Thompson, one Of the BROTH
ers Of William Thompson, was seen
by a reporter shortly after his
brother had been taken from the wat
er, and his grief was very evident.
I've were padding home," he said,
when we heard splash, and look
ing back saw that the boys had up
set. We turned round and padded
toward them, but they appeared to
be able to look after themselves and
got hold of their canoe. Then they
tried to climb up on to it, and the
canoe turned over and filled with
water and they never got hold again
but went down. I was excited, and
we got some water in our canoe and
lost our paddles. We we're in time
to help them, but my brother Jim
and could not swim, SO what could
we do? Tom Miller could swim and
he jumped in but they were gone
under by that time and he could not
find them"