The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-12-26
JOHN HARLAN OF
NO. BENNINGTON
DROWNED
Body Found in River After Long
Search
MISSING SINCE THURSDAY
WelI-known Mechanic Apparently
Wandered into Stream While on
the Way Homo

Of age, who had been missing since
Thursday evening, was found in the
Walloomsac river just opposite the
cobblestone school house near Ben
nington Falls shortly before 8 o'clock
Sunday evening.
Harlan was in this village Thurs
day evening and attended one OF the
moving picture theatres. 1t was his
custom whenever he came here in
the evening to take the o'clock car
for his home about a mile north OF
Haynes Corners.
Thursday night it was unusually
dark and it is presumed that when
Harlan left the car at Haynes Cor
ners he took the road TO the left in
stead of the right and after walking
a short distance stumbled into the
l. rye hole In the bend of the river.
his hole is IS or 20 feet deep and
IS been made by the action OF the
lter around the bend where there
is a reinforcement OF stone to keep
the stream from cutting through the
highway. There was at one time O
fence at this point but 1t has disap-
peared during recent years.
The missing mans family naturally
became anxious over his prolonged
absence but it was not until Saturday
evening that any clue which it was
believed would lead TO his finding de-
veloped. Friday noon hat was dis
H.. al nssAf Inn hn
flume at the Fillmore & Slade paper
mill The hat was in good condition
when raked from the rack and was
taken into the mill. The finding OF
the hat became the subject OF CONVEX
sation during the remainder of the
day and on Saturday, but it was not
until toward Saturday evening that
some one remarked that Harlan was
missing and that the hat might be-
long to him The hat was taken TO
the Harlan home and identified as
the property of y missing man.
An attempt y s made to start a
search of the ! err Saturday night.
but 1t was gi' up until Sunday
morning whe number of men be-
gan to drag the river. With boats
and garden rakes they worked
during the entire day over
the stream below the deep hole
where Harlan is believed to have fall
len into the water. When :
became dark they tempo .dy
gave up the search but renewed II
later with the aid OF torches. In the
evening they began to work further
down the stream and at about S:45
the body was found where 1t had
been caught under some alder stubs.
Harlan had been u lifelong resi-
dent OF Bennington and had been en-
ployed for many years as millwright
by the Stark Wall Paper company
which operates a mill at North Ben
nington village and another In -
locality known as Sodom in the
town of Salisbury He learned his
trade with Leander N. Towslee who
disappeared from his home in this
village last winter and whose body
was found months later in an unused
barn in the western section OF the
town. When the older man gave I'D
the position he was succeeded by
Harlan.
During the unusually hot weather
that prevailed lasl summer Harlan
sustained severe attack OF heat
prostration and had never fully re.
covered On the night of his dlsap.
pearance, however, he appeared TO
be perfectly rational. He took the
car at the Valentine street crossing
and during the trip 10 Haynes Cross.
ing conversed with Conductor John
Shanahan and some OF the passeng.
ers. II is general belief that the un.
fortunate man became bewlldered
when he left the car, took the wrong
direction and in the darkness went
over the steep bank Of the stream in.
to the river.
Harlan was a man who was gener.
ally liked in the community for his
quiet, kindly ways. II was the uni.
versal comment OF his acQuaintances
when they learned OF his death that
he was never heard TO speak IN OF
anyone, His family relations are
known to have been more than usual
~ harmonious and the sympathy n,
the community goes out to the widow
and children.
lie leaves a widow, four sons and
daughter John who is married and
resides IN Schenectady, Thomas. vii
liam and Charles who lived al home
and Mrs. Joseph Cunning who lives
on Putnam street in this village. The
funeral was held this morning AZ
o'clock at the ST. John the Bapt,s,
church In North Bennington and ths
burial took place at Hoosick Fails