The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1916-04-18
Maurice r. Gray, Age Near
ly 8, Drowned Chasing an
Electric Light Bulb
WHILE HIS BROTH
WAS FISHING n >@4t BY
Boys Were Near Je--ction of
Gunner Brook and
Stevens Branch

After dynamite and graphing irons
| had been used with futile results
throughout the night. three men in a
| boat, w. NJ. Martin, Andrew Larkin and
Erwin Witham succeeded in locating the
| body of Maurice Raymond Gray. seven
! year-old son of Mr.. and Mrs. John A.
| Gray of North Seminary street, i'll the
Smith, Whtcomb & Cook mllpond just
north of the Blackwell street bridge this
forenoon at 10 o'clock The body was
brought to the surface with pikepole
by Martin at point near the mouth of
Gunner brook, eight feet from the shore
of the branch and in 10 feet of water.
The remains were taken to the under
taking establishment of B. w. Hooker &
Co.
The discovery OF the body nearly 50
feet below the spot where he disappeared
followed a search begun soon after the
lad was last seen at Gas O'Clock last
night, which enlisted the efforts of the
police, the street department and large
number of volunteers. Young Gray's fa-
ther and his older brother were on the
bank of the branch when the body was
taken from the water to-day. Dr. ]. w.
Stewart. the local health officer, was
called to Blackwell street and he gave
permission to have the remains removed.
Young Maurice and his brother, Jack,
aged H. left their home at l34 North
Seminary street around $50 o'clock
Monday afternoon. Jack had fishing
tackle and announced that he was to try
his luck in Gunner brook. 1t appears
that the two boys, instead of fishing
along the banks of the brook, went al
most Immediately to the river. Just
above the Blackwell street bridge Jack
dropped his line and continued to fish
until darkness approached As he was
pulling in bis line for the last time, the
younger lads attention was diverted by
an incandescent globe floating down the
branch in midstream. Selling handful
of pebbles, the little fellow started
at the globe. He followed the
target as it loated downstream and just
ais he disappeared around the corner near
the sub b-station of the Consolidated
Lighting company. Jack, seeing his
brother wade into the water shouted to
him. Apparently Maurice did not hear
the warning and in the next moment he
was caught up by the current and borne
down the stream.
The older Gray boy hurried home and
lotifed his parents. Police headquarters
was advised of the youths disappear
lnce and soon afterward Street Supt. j.
= Wilson and his men were asked to
DIN in the search. Clinging to the faint
rope that perhaps the lad had swung
INTO the bank. after rounding the sub
tation corner. and gone up street, a
horough canvass was made of moving
,icture theatres uptown last night. As
he night wore on, however, it became
more and more apparent that the boy
ad lost his life in the river. Until near
V midnight Mr.. Gray and a number of
nen dragged the millpond with grap-
ling irons. Boats were procured from
he icehouse of J. NJ. Ward & Son At
o'clock this morning the police and
elpeSs, together with street department
lborers, again took up the search. They
ere Joined an hour later by Mr.. Gray.
dynamite was used continually through
ut the early morning in the hope that
he concessions would bring the body to
he surface Stevens branch is running
igh at the present time and it was not
lought advisable to let the water ont Of
le dam All through the early fore
oon people gathered along the bank.
,me Of them spelling the boatmen in
leir trips mp and down the pond. Pike
lies were lowered from the bridge and
he graphing irons were dragged over
'ery part OF the pond 1t was not un-
hooked pole in the hands of Mr..
artin caught hold Of the boys coat
at the body was located II is thought
at the under current must have carried
e body toward the bank.
Besides his parents, the GRAY boy is
rvivcd BY two brothers John and Har-
a Gray. the latter aged four, and Eliz-
eth his sister, who is y years old.
aurice would have been eight years old
ID he lived until May s lie was born
Northfeld and latterlv had been
udent in the second grade at the Brook
rect school Funeral arrangements
We not been made.