The Marshall republican., 1911-11-16
Out All Night
In the Blizzard.
Terrible Experience of Hunt
ing Party

bensOn, Ol SldteT' odtuTuhg nlsHs
and Sunday.
All kinds of stories were current
Sunday night and Monday morn
ing regarding party Of hunters
frozen to death on bar near New
Frankfort and there was good
ground for the rumor. II was a
great relief to our people there
fore when Attorney Com. p. Storts
announced his brother safe and
gave out the particulars Monday
morning while here on court busi-
ness.
As will be remembered, Saturday
morning the weathcr was unusu1l-
ly balmy and Messrs. storts and
Benson and two others went for
a days duck hunt on the island or
rather sand bar several miles
above New Frankfort. Here they
built n blind OF cornstalks and laid
behind IL watching for ducks.
Soon after noon Saturday sharp
wind suddenly came up and they
decided TO 60 ashore. But the
wind was 80 strong that their lit
tie skiff was upset and they were
compelled to wade back 10 the bar.
II was then decided that two OF
the men should try to go ashore
In the skiff and secure help for
the Others. The two succeeded In
getting TO land safely but failed to
get help, as there were no large
skiffs and the river was becoming
} more dangerous every minute. A
gasoline launch was sent for at
} Glasgow, but the owner was afraid
TO venture out and no one dared
, go out in n skiff.
In the meantime the men were
making the best OF matters. Their
0 clothes had frozen stiff and Ben
son was without n coat until n
light one was founI In the skiff
0 before Il departed and was given
TO him. He is naturally frail and
Mr.. Storts laid him behind the
/ blind to get what protection IL
offered. He also found n gunny
0 sack AMI covered him with II al
though Il was like n chunk OF ice
s Mr.. Storts Is n strong, robust mar
and kept up most OF the time al
though walking was very diff
10 cult as he was In danger OF being
blown into the river. The water
on the bar was so near the sur
face that digging a trench wat
10 out OF the question. Not seeing
Mr.. Benson those on shore thought
he had succumbed TO the blizzard
10 A reward OF hundred dollar'
was offered by the Wolfskill Bro
to any one that would 60 aftel
% the men. And Jud' Wolfskill ant
Rufus Gwinn went 10 New Frank
so fort to get a motor boat and som
OF the men started up the rive
bank after a large skiff. TIL
motor boat was started from Ne'
90 Frankfort and when about tw
miles up the river the engine Wen
dead and the men started back af
90 ter a large skiff. About 10 o'cloc
r. II. Carr and Homer Gillian cam
10 tho river and at once said the
100 would go to the rescue Of the fro
en- men. Everybody tried to pei
100 suade them not to go, as everyor
thought they would drown. b,
$50 they got into their skiff and II
trip TO the island was made
)25 safety. On arriving at the islam
- Storts and Benson were found
-. bad condition. Mr.. Benson wi
I'd almost frozen to death. He sal
ay afterwards he could not have live
ir. two hours longer. Mr.. Storts WI
of still able to walk. Their clothir
on had been wet and was frozen sti
a their boots had frozen to their fe
tut They had no gloves with them ar
ole Mr.. Storts had torn up handke
he chief and wrapped his fingers al
gh torn up an old frozen sock to wri
is Mr.. Benson's hands. They hi
re had nothing to eat since 5 o'clo'
pg. Saturday morning. Messrs Ca
led and Gillian got the men in Il
~ skiff and brought them safe
across.
Mr.. Carr and Mr.. Gillian refus
to take the reward. They said tn
OF had done what they felt was the
rm duty TO do. They deserve the &C
ay. munity's thanks for their bra
act.
pc, A tent had been erected on I
'ic- shore and a physician was preset
ttle1 Mr.. Storts seemed none the woi
urs Tor his experience but requir
in thawing out. Mr.. Benson was r