The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1910-05-20
LOCAL CANOEIST
DROWNED MONDAY
Willard B. Sargent, rs. Victim
Of Accident on the River.
TWO COMPANIONS ARE RESCUED
Mrs. Bessie willor and Leroy Berg
Saved by Prompt Work on the Part
OF Local Telephone Employes-sar.
gents Body Recovered Tuesday.


gents Body Recovered Tuesday.
Willard Benjamin Sargent. IS. wa
drowned IN the Connecticut river neat
the mouth Of the West river about
o'clock Monday evening by the oyerturn
ing ol canoe containing himself and TIVE
companions, Mrs. Bessie Willor Of VII
llams stree, aud Larry Berg OF Newport
y. II. Both Mr.. Willor aud Mr.. Berp
were nearly exhausted when rescued by
Herbert q. Shaw and 4. u. Flower. IT,,
Of the New England Telephone & Telc.
graph company who were nearby in 4
canoe. Mr. Sargent. body was recover,
ed Tuesday morning.
Mr.. Sargent, who was well.known
electrician. having been in the employ Of
Horton ID. Walker for five years, in com.
pany with Mn. Willor. who kept house
Tor him, and Mr.. Berg also an electrician
employed by Mr.. Walker. were slowly
padding down stream when the accident
occurred Mr.. Berg was in the front Of
the canoe, Mrs. Willor was seated in the
middle OF the craft and Mr. Sargent was
using a paddle in the stern. Neither Mr..
Berg or Mrs. Willor are able 10 explain
how the accident occurred. The finding
of broken paddle led many TO believe
that Mr.. Sargent's paddle broke and
caused the accident. Mr.. Sargent was
smoking when the canoe capsized and his
pipe was found in his hand when the
body was removed from the water.
Mr.. Sargent and his party were laugh.
ing and singing when the canoe turned
over. The screams of the woman attract
ed the attention of Mr. and Mrs. Herbert
c. Shaw, Miss Irene Germaine and A. ID.
Flower who were in canoe just entering
the Connecticut river from the West
river. Mr. Shaw landed his wife and Miss
Germaine on the river bank and with Mr..
Flower went to the aid OF the three per
sons in the water As they neared the
overturned canoe they saw that Mr.. Sar'
gent was swimming ashore and believing
that he was perfectly able to care for
himself they padded on to Berg and Mrs.
Willor Both Mrs. Willor and Mr.. Berg
were hanging to the overturned canoe and
the former was nearly exhausted. They
were made to cling to Mr.. Shaws canoe
and he brought them to the shore, where
he rescuers and the rescued learned
hat Mr.. Sargent had gone down with
N few feet of shore. Mrs.
Shaw and Miss Germaine saw Sargent
disappear but were powerless to give
assistance. Mr.. Shaw and Mr. Flower
carried Mrs. Willor from the
place where she was brought ashore 70
he office of DR.. C. s. Pratt where she
vas treated for the nervous shock which
he had underwent. Mr.. Berg accompan-
ed his rescners to this village but was so
,adly dazed that he was unable to give
| very coherent account of the accident.
rbe canoe was the Inflated one from
which Ralph Harlow was tipped out and
lrowned two years ago.
As soon as Mrs. Willor had been cared
or Mr.. Shaw notified Chairman John
calvin of the board of selectmen and
within short time many volunteers were
4 the scene Of the accident attempting
o locate the body with graphing irons
.Iotor boats with searching parties work
d until after midnight when the search |
vas abandoned. II was renewed Tuesday
morning and the body was found about ~
iclock by a party consisting OF Horton
} Walker. Charles III. Cakes: Laroy |
,erp and John +. Brasor The boat con-
aiming this party had been over the spot
nee before and was slowly coming down |
tream when Mr.. Walker thought he saw
hree stones in the bottom of the river
Ir Cakes was using large megaphone |
5 microscope and was of the belief that
he object was not stone. Mr.. walker
ook the MICROSCOPE and discovered the
ody. 1t lay in IL feet OF water about
D feet from shore. The body was brought
own the river in one OF Hayes figelow
ertaking rooms. Mr.. Sargent's watch
,onned at 7.59 showing that the canoe
INST have overturned probably several
,inutes before that time.
II is probable that the drowned man
.as seized with cramps for he was an ex-
ert swimmer and evidently started Tor
,ore to get aid. Before he. left the
verturned canoe he helped Mrs. Willor
, secure a hold on the craft and the
renaissance would indicate that he was
Of unduly excited and apparently dld
ot fear serious consequences for the two
,mpanions he left clinging to the
Mr.. Sargent was born in Brattleboro,
[arch l 1895. being the youngest OF five
,;ldren of Wallace and Maria Anton
10 (Goode) Sargent. He was born IN
70 house on Williams street in when
> made his home, having always lived
,ere. He was educated in the Center.
lie school and was close student or {
ectrical matters, having. spent conslo- !
able money to ground himself IN Ims
ience. His mother died when ne was :
,out one month old and his father died
,o eight years ago. He is survived by
20 sisters. Mrs. David Miller OF West
rattleboro and Miss Flora NJ. Sargent ,
Boston. {
Mr. Sargent was not only an expert
but he was of an inventive
tire and much of his work was done :
,no lines that were strictly original. lie =
d devoted himself to the study OF WIRE e
IS telegraphy and some time ago con.
ructed an apparatus, for, transmlt,h,S
ch messages. He was keenly obser!vant OF y
erytbing pertaining to mechanics ana
,eciaIly concerning electrical equipment, y
being his intention to start in business
himself within few years, a., 7
Funeral services were held in the Meth !
;st church Yesterday afternoon at 2.3O,
w. " + A. Wells officiating. Miss Ger G.
do Matthews sang two selections, Inc Q
arers were E. NJ. Goodenough, Law, n
zoe Hudson. William Schorling. and II
roy Berg Burial was In the ne, FAMILY aos a
Prospect Hill cemetery. The services y
re largely attended and delegations II
re present from Protective grange, brat "
boro camp. Modern Woodmen Of p
,erica. and Bratteboro lodge, N. f. fe
p Of which Mr.. Sargent was mem b
Those from out of town who at tt
ded were Miss Flora Sargent OF Dos el
and Mrs. Frank Sargent and daugh 1t
Gretchen of Albany, N. Y. Ell
Local Fire Protection. 70