The Bismarck tribune., 1918-10-24
DRIFTS WITH DEAD FOR DAYS Us.
in OPEN BOAT ON BOSOM 0F
MISSOURI, MAD WITH DELIRlUM
Aged Fisherman Discovered on
Banks Of River After Lying
Two Days in Rain.

After travelling 2222 miles III an open
boat on the Missouri, with the dead
body Of his son for company on the
last half of the trip and himself delir-
ious with Spanish influenza for q
greater part Of the journey, with just
enough strength left when his boat
struck sandbar opposite old Fort
Lincoln to drag himself up on the
bank. G. X. StearnS. a 72year-old
fisherman was discovered late yester-
day afternoon. after lying Il day and
IA night in the rain, and brought to
st. Aleyius hospital here. where to-
day he shows signs OF recovery The
son. who died while the boat was drift
ing with the current between Wash
burn and Bismarck, was Thomas Earl
Stearns. lie had registered for the
draft at Plaza: .-.a -.r5s ''
The mad journey III an open boat
was begun two weeks ago. There was
very little food. Spanish intiuenza
developed soon after the father and
son set out Oh their voyage, whose
destination was Bismarck. For two
days both were telirious, and then
the boy died. That was seven days
ago. The father had expected to make
the Bismarck boat landing, but he
was unconscious when he reached this
point, and his boat drifted past I'M
noticed in the dusk. Finally the frail
craft brought up on sandbar opposite
old Fort Lincoln, south Of thi. city,
and after vainly endeavoring to get
the boat in shore, the father left his
boys body lying in the boat and TAX
ing IL thin blanket, waded to shore,
where he lay down in sheltered cove
to await death. Late Wednesday eve
ming his feeble cries attracted Il fish
erman; who rushed to Bismarck for
help. !, ~ r...
K; SUFFERS FROM EXPOSURE. :
I, When Sheriff French and Coroner
Shipp reached the scene in the sheriff's
automobile. Stelrns was too weak to
walk. The constant soaking and ex-
pOsure had turned his feet and limbs
blue, and the feet were so swollen that
the shoes could not be removed. He
was carried to the car and hurried to
Bismarck. At ST, Alexius restoratives
were administered. and lie soon was
50 far recovered as to be'Able to give
some details Of his terrible experience.
b NIGHTS OF TERROR AND PAIN. 6
The body of Thomas Earl Stearns
the. soll, was later removed TO a local
undertaking establishment. His father
believes that III" died. somewhere be-
tween Washburn and Bismarck. After
the sons death the father was unable
to handle the boat, which drifted at
will with the current Rain began to
fall Tuesday evening, and all of that
night and throughout Wednesday the
aged fisherman ravaGed by Spanish
influenza, was exposed to steady
downpOur. At times he was wild with
fever. and weird fantasies thronged
round him as 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 on
the sandbar when he regained consci-
BUSINESS and after enueavOring with
out success to dislodge the craft left
it there with its sombre passenger and
made his way to shore. ..E' ~
The Stearns' have for years piled up
and down the Missouri river as fish
ermen. At various times they have
fished ut the mouth Of Apple creek and
at other points in the vicinity "f Bis
marck. where they are well knowii.
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.> #& Ilr,