Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1912-05-17
LOST LIFE FISHING
Edwin Walker Drowned Monday
in milestone Brook
Death Toll Of Trout Hole Numbers at
Least Eieht-seectmen viii BE Asked
to Take Preventive Measures.

Brattleboros death trap, the trout hole
in Milestone brook, at the foot of the
bank north of Brook street, claimed
another young life Monday afternoon,
when Edwin N. Walker, 9, was drowned
between 4.30 and 6 o'clock. The body
was recovered by Michael Cavanaugh
and Edward Fecto about $50 that even
ing and was taken to NJ. j. Moran &
Co.'S undertaking rooms 1t was taken
to Windsor Tuesday afternoon and the
funeral was held in st. Francis's church
Wednesday morning and the burial took
place in the Roman Catholic cemetery
there.
The boy returned to the home of his
aunt, Mrs. Henry Fecto, with whom he
lived in the north water cure building,
at the usual time Monday after school
and changed his school shoes for a pair
of rubber boots much too large for him
and told his aunt he was going fishing
in Milestone brook. She warned him
not to fish except near the Elm street
bridge. He left the yard with a boy
about his own age whom Mrs. Fecto did
not know and who has not yet been To-
Gated. 1t is not believed that this boy
remained with Edwin as he was seen
walking on Canal street without a COM
panion and carrying his fishpole and
basket
AS the Walker boy did not come home
to supper at o'clock his sisters, Louise
and Marion, went to Milestone brook
at the trout hole found his pole and
basket, the pole pointing toward the
water and the line moving about in the
swirl of the current. The girls, who
are 13 and IL years old, were fearful
that some mishap had befallen their
brother and they returned to Elliot
street, meeting Policeman Ellis G.. Wor-
den. They told him their story and he
went to the fire department headquarters
and asked several men to accompany him
to the trout hole to help search for the
boy. BY the time they arrived there a
crowd had gathered and Edwin Fecto,
the boys cousin, secured a boat and
dragged the brook and about $40 o'clock
the body was found about 40 feet from
the trout hole in two feet of water. 1t
was taken to the top of the hill near
Brook street and examined by Health
Officer Henry Tucker and then taken to
Moran & Co.'S undertaking rooms. The
heavy rubber boots evidently became
filled with water and fell off, leaving the
lad in his stocking feet.
Edwin Napoleon Walker was born in
Windsor nine years ago, son of Clin-
ton j. and Emma Lepine) Walker. His
mother died two years ago and last July
he came here with his father. and two
sisters and had since lived with his aunt
Mrs Josephine Fecto. He attended the
Canal street school and was in the Sec
ond grade. His father, who has been
working in Bellows Falls was notified
of the accident and came here Tuesday
morning.
The trout hole is a source of constant
worry on the part of parents in that
locality, at least eight persons having
been drowned there. The current strikes
a ledge in the bank and then turns at a
sharp angle. The continuous wear OF
the water has cut a deep hole in the
bed of the brook. Several years ago, at
the request of the residents of Brook
street and vicinity, the board of select
men filled the hole with stones, but
they have been carried away by the
rushing waters. The top of the ledge
is smooth and every child who has been
drowned there has slipped from its sur
face. The current is strong at this point
and the waters tumble over and over
causing an undercurrent that makes II
impossible for lads with little strength
to combat it successfully. Despite the
danger, the trout hole has a charm for
boys and hardly a day passes that some
venturesome youngster does not tempt
fate by playing about or fishing from
the smooth surface of the ledge. Resi-
dents Of that part of the town will urge
the selectmen to take such steps as will
prevent any more drownings there.