The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1913-08-04
George Connor, Aged II,
Was Drowned Near Inter-
City Park.
YOUNG COMPANION
NEARLY LOST LIFE
When He Made an Effort
to Reach the Drown
ing Boy.

| The Winooski river claimed another
victim late Saturday afternoon, when
George Connor, the 17-year-old son OF
Mr. and Mrs. William Connor of l2 Cot
tage street, was drowned under the Ia
Dor bridge on the line between Berlin
and Montpelier. Henry Mazzoni, young
son of Mrs. Josephine Mazzoni, of I
Cottage street, who accompanied the
Connor boy to the swimming hole, mar
rowIy escaped the same fate while at
tempting to save his. companion. Con-
nor's body was recovered. with the aid
of boat and large hay rake an hour
after he went down. Badger g. Co.'S am
bulanee brought the remains home at
$3.50 o'clock and the funeral was held
from the lads home this afternoon at
2:30 o'clock. Rev. w. ]. NJ Beattie, rec
tor OF the Church of the Good Shepherd,
officiating,
1t was around $3.50 o'clock IN the aft
ernoon when Connor and the Mazzoni
boy took their bicycles and started for
Intercity park After waiting an hour
or more in the expectation of seeing
one of the carnival performers at the
park figure in a high dive the boys re-
sumed their trip to the swimming hole.
Arriving at the bridge, they found a
quartet of Montpelier lads of their own
age already stripped and in the water.
II was warm afternoon and the two
boys from Barre were not slow in seek
ing relief from the heat. Along about 5
o'clock the Mazzoni boy says, someone
suggested that Connor, who was the
best swimmer in the crowd, attempt
to make the other side, With the ex
ception OF hole in the middle OF the
stream, the water is not considered deep
volye much danger.
Directly under the bridge and half way
from either bank is a huge boulder,
known as the halfway rock among the
boys who frequent the pool at Tabor's.
Connor had little difficulty in making
the rock and after a short rest he com
pleted his swim to the opposite side Of
the river. II was when he was return
ing that he paused in the middle of the
stream to take another rest. just as
he made as If TO grasp a creviee in the
boulder. he seemed to lose his hold and
in the next instant he was sliding from
the slippery side of the rock into the
deepest part of the pool. AT this sea-
son the Winooski is always sluggish,
but there is still slight current and in
the current Connor was borne down
stream several yards. Seeing his COM
panion's plight, young Mazzoni started
to his assistance. Once in the current,
Mazzoni grabbed the boy, and the two
went down together. Connor seems to
have retained a firm grasp on his would
be reseuer, for Mazzon says he was un
able to reach the top until he felt his
feet striking the sandy bottom where
the river becomes more shallow. For
the moment, he thinks, he was uncon
scions for when he realized his position,
Connor was not to be seen. From the
bank the other members of the swim
ming party looked on with horror, for
none OF them was able to swim. Ae-
eording to their version of the affair, |
Tonnor came to the surface but once
after he slipped from the rock. And |
then only the top OF his head could be f.
seen. they say.
With Mazzon safe, the next move was !
10 secure outside help. Before the boys |
gained the bridge, a man came along |
in an automobile. According to the |
story on which the laos are agreed, he |
was told of the accident and asked to |
come below and help search for the |
BODY. The stranger seemed unconcerned /
Is to the fate of the missing boy, for /
lfter surveying the situation for a few
minutes, he started along in his car, the
,ovs saw They didn't see him again.
After several unsuccessful attempts to
ind help in some of the neighboring
arm houses, Frank Cross and a man
lamed Larabee were notified and to-
,ether with two Montpelier physicians
Who were summoned by telephone, they
ecured boat and rake with which to
eareh for the body. The rake came in
ontaet with Connor's left arm after an
iour's hunt down the stream and at 6
,clock the body was taken from the
water. The doctors worked over the re-
mains for some little time, but their
fforts proved futile.
Meanwhile, DR.. O. +. Barr of this city,
or whom the lad worked, had been sum
noned to the scene. Others came and by
he time tne ambulance arrived, con-
iderable crowd had gathered. The
rowning was found to have occurred
N the Montpelier side of the river and
Dr.. William Lindsay, the Montpelier
ealth officer, viewed the remains and
ecIared that death was due to an ac
ident. Beyond slight bruise over the
ight eve, the body was not disfgured.
he theory is held that Connor may have 1
cen rendered unconscious by striking !
is head ON a rock Immediately after he I
ell from the boulder.
Besides his parents, the Connor boy
,aves an elder brother, Charles, and two
isters, May and Blanche. He was born
n Massachusetts. April 2S, 1896, al
hough he had lived in Barre during
he past seven years. He was a student
4 the eighth grade at the Spaulding
rhool. Latterly he had been employed c
I DR.. Barr's veterinary hospital and t
trough his adaptibility he had gained ]
he admiration and trust of his em- {
lover. Ii was his ambition finally to {
arm the profession. Among his play |
elbows. the lad was liked for his sterl- a
1g qualities and genial nature. a
The funeral services this afternoon