The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-06-30
WORD FROM GRAVE
AlpenstOck of DIR. Bean Found
in Swiss Alps.
Perished With Ten Others Forty
Years Ago.
HAD RELATIVES HERE.
BaItimOrean's Body Only One
Yet Recovered.
Others Sought in Blossoms Gla-
cier DebOuch.

Though the body of DR.. James B.
Bean of Baltimore and Jonesboro,
Tenn, who with ten others perished in
great storm on Mount Blanc, Switzer-
land, forty years ago, was recovered
and buried at Geneva, it will be inter
esting to Topeka friends of Mrs. C. V.
Prather, 315 Polk street, to read today
regarding news dispatches from Balti
more last night to the effect that the
alpenstock of DR.. Bean has been found
in the Swiss Alps by a party of search
ers, who are endeavoring to locate the
bodies of the other victims of the
snOWslide.
It is thought that the bodies thor
oughly preserved may be found when a
further search is instituted. A party
of relatives of Rev. George McCorkin-
dale of Scotland and John G. Randall
of Quincy, Mass, are the persons in
terested in the recovery of the bodies.
They went to ChaminOux, Switzerland,
about eight months ago to await the
debouch of the Blossoms glacier, which
every forty years gives up its dead.
Beams Body Was Found
Until this time the body of DR.. Bean
is the only one that has been recovered.
1t was recovered shortly after the AL
pine tragedy in 1870 when the party of
scientific workers lost their lives. Mrs.
Prather of Topeka is a niece of DR..
Bean and her mother, Mrs. A. P.
Withers of Hastings, Neb., is a sister.
Henry H. Geyer of Ottawa, Kan, is a
cousin. Mr.. Geyer was reunited with
Mrs. Prather and Mrs. Withers after
forty years when last August the State
Journel printed dispatches regarding
the search for the bodies buried in the
Alpine glacier.
Extracts from Dr. Beans diary, made
in the climb and found at the time his
hAf &c 4 4o1I
follows:
Tuesday, September 6.-Temperature
"a degrees F. at a. m. I have made
the ascent of Mount Blanc with ten
persons; eight guides, Mr.. Corkingdale
and Mr.. Randall. We arrived on the
summit at 2:SO o'clock. Immediately
after leaving it I was enveloped IN
clouds of snow. We passed the night
in a grotto excaVated in the snow, af-
fording very uncomfortable shelter, and
was i'll ell night.
DR.. Bean Wrote Note.
Mont Blanc, September IF any
one finds this note book I beg that It
Jonesboro, Tenn, United States of
America.
My Dear Hessie We have been on
Mont Blanck for two days in a terrible
snow storm. We have lost our way
and are in hole scooped out in the
snow at an altitude of 5000 feet. I
have no hope of descending. Perhaps
this book may be found and forward
ed. (1ere were some instructions on
personal matters) We have no food,
my feet are nearly frozen and 1 am
exhausted. I have only strength to
write a few words. I die in the faith
of Jesus Christ, with affectionate
thoughts of my family: my remem-
brance to all. My effects are in part
at the Hotel Mont Blanc, and partly
with me in TWO portmarteaux Send
them to the hotel Schweitzerhof at
Geneva; pay my bills at the hotel and
heaven will reward your kindness.
Below this farewell message were
these last words in nearly illegible
writing:
Morning-Intense clouds; much
snow, which falls uninterruptedly;
guides restless.