Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1921-07-14
Find Lost Babe
AfterSearch of
Thirty Hours
$50 PERSONS HUNT FOR JOHN
SON BOY, WHO WANDERED
FROM HOME

After search of thirty hours, dur
ing which he was lost in the woods
and had neither food nor drink,
Eugene johnson, 2-year-old son of
Mrs. Ethel johnson, teacher of the
McCarvel school, on Joseph plains,
was found last Friday. The child had
wandered away from the home Thurs
day morning at IL, and was found
only after an organized search, in
which approximately $50 persons par
ticipated.
MOTHER AT SCHOOL
While the mother was teaching
school, the little fellow, who was at
the home of his grandmother, Mrs.
Anna Lord, on the Art Wright place,
wandered away when the grandmother
was busy with her homework.
The boy and his dog were playing
near pump, 200 feet from the house,
when last seen by the grandmother
Ten minutes later, they were gone.
Mrs. Lord made a hasty search for
Eugene and his dog, calling as she
went. But the babe made no reply
She saw his little footprints in the
road and traced them for a short dis
tance, when they were lost in the
field. On the south side of the road
is pine thicket. On the north side
of the road, the pines had been slash
ed and left lying on the ground, but
it was impossible for the grandmother
TO trace the child in either field.
CALLS FOR HELP
Believing that, alone. she could do
nothing to find the babe lost in the
woods, Mrs. Lord went to the near
est neighbor, a half mile away, and
called for help. 1t was shortly after
II in the morning. Neighbors re-
sponded, and the search was conduct
ed throughout the afternoon, but the
child was nowhere to be found. More
persons joined the party, and all
that night the search was pressed.
At 1850 at night, the dog returned
home, but the babe was still missing.
An effort was made TO induce the
dog to return to the child, but he
refused to do so.
By daybreak, Friday, the alarm
had been spread afar and men nd
women came from Camp Howard,
Snake river, Salmon river, Doumecq
and the highway camps, until $50
persons were on the scene.
An organization was effected, a
captain chosen and the search re-
sumed. The crowd formed a long line
and marched forward. At 10 o'clock,
the baby's tracks were found in a
field on the Andrews place. The
march was continued. until an area two
miles square was covered, but still no
babe.
Finally, the crowd returned to the
place the tracks were seen, and
formed line hand in hand. Thus
they advanced, and the area was again
covered.
FOUND BY KEENER
When making the last lap of the
Andrews field, Price Keener reported
he had heard the cry of child in
the adjoining field. The captain of
the searching party instructed Keener
to take companion with him and
enter the adjoining field. quarter of
a mile from the marching line, they
found the missing child, standing
in patch of timothy.
Five shots were fred. as signal
the babe had been recovered Deaf
ening cheers rose from the weary
throng.
The little fellow was unhurt, save
for the fact that his face, hands and
legs were scratched from him having
passed through brambles. Tt was
4:30 p. m, when he was found. He was
a mile and half from home, and had
two hog-tight fences.
SAFE IN HER ARMS
Mrs. Lew Brust took the child TO
his mother, who for thirty hours had
been waiting for her babe, momentar
lily expecting he would be returned TO
her, either dead or seriously hurt.