The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-07-12
Because Augustin Bedia Had
Shown He Could III.
Swim
DROWNING OCCURRED
IN STEVENS BRANCH
Several Companions We're
Near-Body Was Not Re-
covered for Two Hours

Stevens branch claimed its first bath
: ing victim of the season Sunday after
: noon when Augustn Bedia, a Young
Spanish granite cutter who made his
home in clearinghouse at rs West Pat
terson street, was drowned i'm swim
ming pool at the rear of George Z. Me-
Farland's residence on upper South Main
street. Four of Bedia's coun5rymen were
in bething with him, heard. his cries for
help and saw him disappear 20 feet from
the bank. The remains Were recovered
with the aid of grapplilg hooks and
were taken to the Perry &. Noonan under
taking establishment on Depot square.
| Soon after the Sunday dinner hour
Bedia and his friends started for the
| branch and within a short time thev
were in the water. IL was around $3.50
o'clock when the young man struck out
for the opposite shore ard as he was
| swimmer of fair ability, n one of his COM
panions needed his attempt. Two other
bathers were near him and. according to
his friends. he was swimming slowly and
of onlookers seated on the bank above
the pool. Suddenly he was heard to crv
for help and for the moment il was
thought that he was jesting. Apparent
". however. he had been seized with
cramps and before any OF the swimmers
could reach his side, he had gone down.
For some unexplainable, reason he did
not come TO the surface again and then
began long search in an effort to To-
cate the body.
Police headquarters was notified and
DR.. c. NJ. Scribner OF South Barre was
summoned to the scene. crowd quick
ly collected and for the better part of
two hours men were diving into the pool
TO locate the body. A row boat was pro-
cured and set of ice hooks from T. NJ.
Ward & Cos. icehouse nearby was
brought TO the spot Chief Sinclair of
the police department directed the search
and shortly before 80 o'clock the body
was found. 1t was brought TO the sur
face with little difficulty. Previously the
divers had made many futile trips to
the uneven bottom OF the branch only 10
return with the report that the muddy
prevented them from dis
cerning any object after going few
feet below the surface The remains Law
on the bed of the little river between a
log and a pile OF branches. as near as
IN after-exsmination of the bottom
would indicate. Evidently the body had
gone down stream a few feet from the
spot where Bedia disappeared II was
90 late for resuscitstion. I'm the alb
ience of Health Officer DIR. J. ". Stewart.
-harles oliver of Division street Of the
,oard Of health viewed the remains and
yave permission for their removal in an
ambulance TO the undertaking rooms.
The dead man was a native Of Spain.
iaving been born in Santander around %
ears ago. He had been a resident Of
larrc two years and was lately employed
4 the plant Of Littlejohn. Odgers a
iilne in the south end His parents
i've in Spain. where brothers and sisters
I the deceased also reside His cousin.
'eter Bedia. lives on South Main street
nd another cousin Is employed a. a
uarrvman in Graniteville. Redia was
opular among the Spanish people of
iarre and Barre Town and his tragic end
at q deep gloom over the Spanish peo.
le here.
The funeral will be- held At the Perry
Noonan undertaking parlors Tuesday
fternoon AZ > O'Clock Compatriots or
edia in Barre. Barre Town. Northfeld
nd Montpelier are planning 70 escort
le remains 20 the cemetery.