Gunnison news-champion., 1919-06-27
GUNN|S0n BOY
DIES 1T SEA

A ssarch for . nissiag son extend
ing over fifteen yeArs has finally
come TO IN endxan end that brought
disappeintment, heartAche and tears
when the war department 1t WASH
ington informed the relatives Of e.
mer Winters, living in Gunnison, that
the young man had died in the service
Of his country.
It was New Years day, 1902, that
the young man, then . boy Of seven-
teen, left Gunnison to join his father,
the late Frank Winters. in Utah,
where he was engaged In mining.
In July Mr.. Winters returned to Gun
nison. leaving Elmer for the time in
charge Of the property. For some
reason not quite clear. the elder VIM
tiers did not return to Utah. and in the
meantime Elmer had secured . good
Job with a party Of surveyors and de-
cided to remain there for n time.
Later when the same party left for
the northwest and offered Elmer .
cepted. going first to Seattle and later
his parents of his whereabouts from
time to time, in fact he corresponded
with them for about three years, then
suddenly, without any apparent rea-
son his letters stopped entirely, and
all efforts to locate him since have
failed. Occasionally q rumor Of his
location would be heard tor someone
who had seen him would inform rela-
tives, but any letters sent TO him
would eventually be returned to the
sender.
Last September, when the second
draft ruling, raising the age limit Of
those liable for war duty, went eject,
Elmer's sister, Miss Agnes Winters,
knowing that ON account Of his 49,,
IS, he would, il not already IN the
service, be obliged to register for SER
vice, accordingly she wrote to the
War Department for information.
That Was the latter part Of October
and q few weeks later the department
informed her that the young man she
inquired of had died Of lo6ar pneu-
monia, October 6, 1918, and was buried
.At sea- Further e2Xice frp4 Wal.
from the emergency address given ~
the young man when he entered the
service developed that he had en-
listed in 1918; that he was . member
Of Co. A. 319th Engineers. No de-
tails as to his death or the exact place
where he died were given. but Il is
supposed he, with his regiment was
enroute to France when death over
took him. Hoping that it might be
mistake and confusion Of names,
Miss Winters did not inform her
mother Of Elmer's death until this
week, following the receipt Of certain
papers from Washington which ma1e
It necessary that Mrs. Winters be in
formed.
Gunnison folks remember the young
man well, rs he. was born in our city
August 8, 1884. When but baby
his folks moved to Parlins, where they
lived on what is now known as the
Jay White ranch, for several years,
later moving back to Gunnison. The
young man attended our city schools
mn to the time of his leaving for Utah.
He was always well liked by those who
knew him and was spoken of as being
Of . quiet disposition and very good
nAtured.
Just why he SO suddenly stopped
writing home is q mystery and one
that may never be solved. Probably
the chance to see the world and free
dom from home cares got the better
Of his Judgment and he put on writing
from week to week, until they had
heightened into months and the
months into years. The present feel
mgs of his relatives can better be
imagined than described That he
died for the nag is one thing in his
favor that will be remembered, al-
though the fact that he 10 dead will
not mako the manner Of 9ping saly
easier to his family, and in this case.
Il seems like 4 cruel jest Of fate that
sitter ~ long years Of watching and
w1iting for news Of him, his family
should ut last locate him. only to be
told that but few weeks previous he
had been lowered TO his graye-a
grave that never can be visited or
@nnr3ro6