The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1915-02-05
Last Camp has been Fouad
on Raft Creek-.-c,.ssl .snsm,ts1 81 at 81
Equipment ph its funet'
me perfectly
!. and every Z
Widow and Zen them that Miss
ing Men q, FrancisctASSISt-
ing ,af ,e tniptes Ht 5.

/ A.
That H. S. 80 pole Gardner, the
missing men fror tes' ,ringfeld, Mass,
were murdered n, their negro SER
want, and their boo S burnt or other
wise put ont of the way, is now pret-
ty generally credited.
Since early last week searching
parties have been visiting all the out
of the way hooks in the mysterious
Ocklawaha river for traces of the
missing men. A party consisting of
Messrs. Gaffney, Greenwood, Harlow
and Capt. Wilcox, who left Welaka
early in the week and who went up
Raft creek, found what all now con-
cede to have been the last camping
place of the Gardners. They tell the
following story:
"We arrived at the mouth of Raft
Creek, which is about eight miles
from Welaka and one of our party
insisted on going up the creek as he
knew that trout fishing there was
very good and that there were a num-
ber of alligators and swamp snakes
which he wanted his Northern friend,
Mr.. Harlowe to see. About one mile
/ up Raft Creek where johnson Creek
crosses at a point known as Fowler's
Camp, we noticed a mattress, pillow
and bed clothes floating on the stream.
Upon looking on shore we saw an
abandoned camp. On landing we found
stove on which stood cooked baked
potatoes and a pot of fish chowder,
showing that a meal had been prepar-
ed, and scattered all around were va
rious articles of provisions such as
potatoes, flour, canned goods, etc. We
also found cooking utensils, new oil
stoves, clothing, two cans full of gas
olene, fishing tackle new axe and
hatchet, and along side the ashes of
a fire was camera case, two
new rolls of fishing line, and the
frame of suit case, all of which had,
to greater or lesser extent, been
burned. There was every indication
off hastened departure, and no doubt
the bedding found in the river was
thrown out of the boat to tighten it
so the boat could float down to the
Ocklawaha, as the tide ia would seem
had lowered since the boat had gone
up, and the articles in the boat made
it settle too deep in the water.
"We casually looked around for
signs of blood or struggle and also
prodded with our oars around our
boat in the water for the bodies but
discovered nothing, and knowing the
story of the missing men we immedi-
ately left the gruesome spot and hast
ened to Welaka to notify the authori-
ties"
Sheriff Kennerly, Judge John E.
Marshall, DR.. Miller and others of
this city, accompanied by E. Pinner of
Welaka made a subsequent visit to
the camp above described and which
they found as represented by the dis
coverers, together with other evidence
which point unmistakably to this be-
ing the last camp of the missing men,
and the place Of their probable mur-
der.
There were numerous empty shot
shells, piece of bottle with the label
'Formaldhyhide," purchased in Mas
in the stove was the frame
of sachel, the burned portions of a
two compasses, tools and va
rious bottles which had been partly
melted in the fire. There was also
d bunch of keys, one of which was the
key to safety deposit box, and which
has been subsequently identified as the
property of A. Gardner. Sheriff
Kennerly also dragged the river in
the vicinity, but found no traces of
the bodies of the men. He did find,
however, a sweater, which has also
been identified as belonging to one of
The missing men. ,g,a
Mrs. A. Gardner, who arr
Palatka Monday, went as ,rnle spalatki
aka with the sheriff's ,t'fp to a yea
vas she who identifi. a,.nAAng his broth
property of her kusbs laundry. Hi!
brother. She WIS Wis, York yester
ield, Indiana, WI kn she !, will be giveI
Ter husbands &sappear:o a burial il
anne direct toPthis CITY custom. HI
'ing at the Howell house. sNrk Masonic
most proposing little won :,
ined appearance. and is - the laun.
With hsS grief and unel yet wher
ho1gh How she has about n death OF
my, hpbe of ever again seq see that
lusbahd. ;kfferance
She has little baby daughta Vef, and
ixteen months old who is W II from
mother in Baltimore. Mrs. G. = known
ays the she has usually accomtDd have
Ter husband on his trips, but cd cit
ime as it was his purpose to ed his
md fish, and as he only intend lessant
,e away some two weeks, she wehy for
'lainfeld instead. Y come
H. E. Gardner, brother of from
Missing men from Washington, D.is are
Of a