Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1913-07-03

water and the sudden stopping OF the
propeller turned the boat turtle and
the occupants were thrown into the
water. The boat started down river
and two OF the party were seen hang
ing on to the side.
| When the launch was over turned
| all the occupants were seen swim
ming and floundering about in the
water. Mr. and Mrs. Case managed
TO grab the boat as the current head
ed it down stream. The others, Ro-
| den Hooper and his wife and Mr.. and
| Mrs. Merrideth and Mr.. Prayton,
struck out for shore. Eye witnesses
saw the men gather the women in
their arms and with strong strokes
make an attempt TO save their lives
and the lives of their loved ones
The current was too swift and with
the struggling women i'll their arms
the men sank within a short distance
from safety.
Meanwhile Everett Case and his
wife were still clinging frantically to
the edge Of the boat; the bow was
slightly tilted and emerged from the
! water :, trihe. Gradually Mr.. Case
reached the bow and had a firm hold
on it. Clinging desperately he
reached back to assist the woman who
had been his bride for only a few
weeks, but she was gone, overcome
by the cold and swift water.
Mr.. Case raised himself on to the
bow of the boat and looked about
him 1t is said that he saw the others
making a desperate effort to reach
land. They were within twenty feet
OF the shore. He looked away and
when he glanced back they were
gone. The rescuing party took Mr.
Case from off the launch a few min
utes later.
According to the statement of an
employe of the boat house from
which the ill-fated launch was taken,
it was about fifteen minutes after the
party left in such gay spirits that he
heard calls for help. We Immediately
started out in another boat and went
straight to the scene of the accident
and ran up and down for several
hours but found no trace Of the
drowned persons.
Others on the bank stated that
they were not aware that the boat
was injured or of the seriousness of
the accident until they saw the occu-
pants OF the boat cast into the water.
They said that they saw the men
jump up and throw off their coats
and shoes, but this did not awaken
them TO the fact that a great catas-
thophe was about 10 occur. One of
the men said that he thought that
they were only fooling and made such
a statement to his companion.
Searching parties were sent out inn
mediately and the river is being
dragged under the direction OF the
police, but as yet the bodies Of all lie
somewhere in the Saskatchewan river.
\ statement reached here the first of
the week to the effect that there was
little encouragement of regaining the
bodies at least until the river re-
ceded considerably. The Saskatche-
wan was exceptionally high and swift
occasioned by the recent heavy
storms in that region.
Roden c. Hooper was born in Alma
on the Riverside farm just west OF
the city limits He attended the Alma
public schools through the grammar
grades, when he registered as a stu
dent at Alma College Academy,
which then provided a four years
course. Mr.. Hooper did not finish
his education, but left the academy
and went to Portland, Oregon, where
he became connected with the Mar
shall Wells Hardware company. He
left Alma in 1903 His rise was rapid
and at the time OF the accident he
was manager of the Marshall Wells
Hardware company's branch house at
Edmonton. Roden was married to
Miss Florence Mems Of Seattle
Wash, October II, 1911. He was the
OF Philadelphia, and nephew of the
late Ammi w. Wright. Mr.. Hooper
was member of the Episcopal
church of this city and Of St. An
drew's Brotherhood. He is survived
by his parents, Mr.. and Mrs. Hooper,
three sisters, Mrs Essay Hooper
Sidebotham, of Brooklyn, Mich, E
Maude Hooper and Ruth Hooper, and
one brother, w. Allen Hooper, who
graduated from Alma college, June,
1913, and was looking forward to a
business career with his brother, Mr.
and Mrs. Ed. Hooper and family of
this city, Mrs. A. w. Wright, Miss
Emily Case, Miss Elizabeth Case and
John Marchmont, besides host of
old friends and schoolmates.
Mr.. F. w. Hooper, father of Roden,
left Alma for Edmonton Immediately
1non RECENT of the telegram