Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-10-25
.DRlFTED MILES
IN BOAT WITH
I. HlSS0N'S BODY
Aged Fisherman, Himself
Delirious with Influenza,
Found on River Bank.

Bismarck, ". D.. Oct. 25.-After
travelling 222 miles in an open boat
on the Missouri, with the dead body
Of his son for company on the last
quarter of the trip and himself de-
lirious with Spanish Influenza for a
greater part Of the journey, with just
enough strength left when his boat
struck a sandbar opposite old Fort
Lincoln to drag himself up on the
bank, C.. K. Stearns. a 7~2-year-old
fisherman, was discovered late yester-
day afternoon, after lying a. day and
a night in the rain, and brought to
st. Alexius hospital here, where to-
day he shows signs Of recovery. The
son. who died while the boat wos
drifting with the current between
as Earl Stearns. He had registered
for the draft at Plaza. The mad jour-
ney in an open boa was begun two
weeks ago. There was very little
food. Spanish influenza developed
soon after the father and son set out
on their voyage. whose destination
was Bismarck. For two days both
were d%elirious. and then the boy died.
The father had expected to make the
unconscious when he reached this
point, and his % drifted past un-
noticed in the dusk. Finally the frail
craft brought up on a andba OPP
posite old Fort Lincoln. south of this
city, and after vainly endeavoring to
get the boat inshore. the father left
his boys body lying in the boat and,
taking a thin blanket. waded to shore.
where he lay down in a sheltered
cove to await death. Late Wednes-
day evening his feeble cries attracted
q. fisherman, who rushed to Bismarck
for help.
When Sheriff French and Coroner
Ship reached the scene in the sher-
IFS automobile. Stearns was too weak
to walk. The constant soaking and
exposure had turned his feet and
limbs blue, Inc the feet were so
wollen thai the shoes could not be
removed. He was carried to the car
and hurried to Bismarck. At st.
Alexius r~estoratives were administer
ed, and he DOR was SO far recovered
as to be able to give some details OF
his terrible experience.
The body of Thomas Earl Stearns.
the son, was later removed to a local
undertaking establishment. His
father believes that he died Tuesday,
somewhere between eWashburn and
father vas unable TO handle the boat,
which drifted at will with the cur
rent. Rain began to fall Tuesday
evening, and all of that night and
throughout Wednesday the fisher
man, ravaged by Spanish influenza,
was exposed to a steady downpour.
At times he was wild with fever, and
weird fantasies thronged round him
MS his bark drifted on, with the dead
body of his son lying inert in the
stern. He does not know how long
the boat had been stranded OF the
sandbar when he regained conscious
ness and after ~endeavoring without
success to dislodge the craft, left it
there with it's sombre passenger and
made his way to shore.
The Stearns's have for years piled
no and down the Missouri river as
fishermen. At various times they
have fished at the mouth Of Apple
creek n at other points in the vi
cinity of Bismarck. where they are
we'll known. More recently they
have made their home at Plaza.
Thomas Earl Stearns was 40 years
old and was married. but he and his
wife had not lived together for some
time. He had no children.