The Hawaiian gazette., 1912-01-30
Wife Of Colonel Stamper Found
Drowned in Less Than
Foot of Water.
FOUND BY HER HUSBAND
Pathetic Details Are Many-Her
Sister en- Route From New
York for Visit.
(From saturday Is Advertiser }

A story with features distresslngly
tragic is that of the death of Mrs.
Stamper, wife of Lieutenant Colonel
Wilson Y. Stamper, U. s. Army, at
Leilehua, yesterday morning. Mrs.
Stamper' g body, lying in the shallow
water at the edge of Wahiawa reser-
voir, was discovered by her husband
and youngest son Furman, shortly after
noon, the two Searching for her to take
her to lunch. The water In which the
body lay was but foot deep, leading
to the theory that she slipped at the
edge of the reservoir and, falling, struck
her head upon stone, being rendered
unconscious and unable to save herself.
During the nte morning, Mrs. Stam-
per left her home, camera IN hand,-
going olt to take some pictures. Her
mornings were often spent in this way
and when she kissed husband and boy
goodbye she remarked that as usual she
would be back before the luncheon
hour. Little Furman accompanied his
mother a short distance, received final
kiss and returned to the house.
With the non-arrival of wife and
mother at the luncheon hour, Colonel
Stamper and his son started in their
auto to pick her up some where upon
the road and bring her home AS his
wife was not in the most robust health,
Colonel Stamper, believed she might
have become fatigued and sat down
in some spot along the road leading to
the reservoir.
Asking his father where he thought
''mama could be,'' as they sped along
the bank of the reservoir, little Fur
man s eyes suddenly caught sight of
something in the water, near the bank,
and called attention to it.
A fear came to Colonel Stamper's IS
heart as he alighted from the car, and
in another moment father and son were
weeping over the silent form of Mrs.
Stamper. The Colonel made immediate
attempts at resucitation and help was
summoned, but it was apparent to all
that life had fled, and the remains were
taken to the stricken home.
The sad news spread quickly through
out Schofeld Barracks and In brief
time the Stamper cottage was filed
Wlth RilCNihS VI IuO uudu anu
living. Officers and their wives, while |
extending to the bereaved husband and
the motherless child such tender sym
pathy as words may convey, were
stunned with grief at the sudden blow
dealt by the grim reaper.
AS soon as Colonel Stamper could
control his voice he called up Homo
lulu friends by telephone and told the
said news. He requested one of them
to send his son Hamilton, lad of thir-
teen studying at Oahu College, out to
Leilehua by the first train but to with
hold the reason for his coming.
This friend sought the boy out at
Oahu, and took him by motor to
Schofiell Barracks. And only upon his
arrival there did Hamilton learn of his
mothers sudden and pathetic demise,
On the way thither his healthy, buoy
ant spirits gave him happiness in the
braeing air and the strain upon his
fathers friend in keeping back the sor-
rowfIl news may better be imagined
then described. Another son, some
years Hamilton's IS senior, is at school in
New York.
1t would seem as if almost every cir
cumstance In this near at hand tragedy
to make of it, if possible,
more strikingly pathetic and sad, for at
this hour sister of Mrs. Stamper is
on the way here from Syracuse, New
York, to pay long deferred visit.
She win sail from San Francisco
within few days and unless news
paper report has already reached her,
does not as yet know of her sisters
death.
The body of the dead army wife and
mother was brought to this city last
evening by Major Alfred l.. Pruden,
chaplain of the Second Infantry, Col
onel Stamper's regiment. 1t will be
embalmed aud placed in vault here;
there to await the sad arrival of the
sister whose journey of 5000 miles was
inauguarated for the making of that
tOo-long deferred visit.
Funeral services will be held and in
terment made at Mrs. Stamper's g New
York State home.
-s$-s---