Monte Vista journal and Monte Vista graphic-reporter., 1924-11-21
Denver Man Dies
From Exposure on
Culnbres Pass
Diary Kept During
Days of Cold and
Hunger Reveals Fate

Alone for three days facing the ter
rors of n raging blizzard in noun
tain pass in northern New Mexico,
near Antonito, Colo, growing weaker
from hunger and exposure, yet in his
last conscious moments thinking only
of his wife and family and. aS hope
of rescue faded into unconsciousncss
jotting down weakly -scrawlcd notes
of the terrors of slow starvation and
death by cold and exhaustion.
Such was the tragic story revealed
when Mrs George X. Becker returned
to Denver with the body of her nus
band, George Il. Becker. 60 years old.
who had been found unconscious at
the wheel of his automobile early
Thursday morning of last week and
who died before rcscuers could take
him to Antonito.
R.ckrr. n resident of Denver for
the past year and formerly pr"mi-
nently associated with mining in New
Mexico, left Denver last sunday in
Chama. New Mexico. distance of
i25 miles.
He passed thru Antonito sunday
night and then proceeded across the
trcachcrous snow-cappd mountain
range In New Mexico.
Suffering for three days and nights
in the raw cold when he became lost
off the main mountain rnnd and his
car stranded in deep snow drifts,
Becker scribblcd in diary the hor
rors Of the possibility Of being left
to die Of starvation and cold. of his
wife and daughter whom he loved
dearly and who were driven frantic
10y his prolonged absence without any
message and the dim possibility that
rescue ever would reach him.
Rescuers, who finally reached Beck
er after struggling thru the driftcd
snow. found him huddlcd in n blanket
in front seat of the machine with
the grucsome tale OF three days ex-
istence written in the diary beside his
nearly frozen body.
Forced to Eat
Scmi-conscious when found. Becker
was able to utter hut two short gasps
To- his rcscuers:
why didn't You come sooner: I'm
SO hungry so cold"
The desire to see his wife who had
gone To Ant"nito Tuesday to have
rescue parties organized when the
reason Of her husbands prolonged alb
s"ncr was n mystery, was greater than
those of the pangs OF hunger. He
Hut fifteen men. who finally had
found him after searching for two
days a, 80 o'clock Thursday morn.
ing, forced him to eat.
Becker asked t" hc propi-'d up while
hring carried down the pass to Anton.
ito. That was his last word lie died
u moment later
Diary Tells story
TIL" notes Ia the diary told the story
Of his existence pycr those three ter.
ribl- days.
Tn" first notation was dated last
Tuesday aud Rad The ear Is strand.
ed In the SNOW After hours of labor I
hHN, succrrd-d In cktricsting H.
drove number of miles. hut l.,caus.
OF wind and snow los, the road |
got out and tried to walk back tu An.
t"ni,o, but was ior,,'d back {" th.
cnr In the face Of the blizzard aud ia.
deep snow. sit in the mnchin. hop
Ing that n chance pas>crby will find
me"
But aid never came Tuesday. Thru.
out the day aud the long. cold nigh,
Becker sat hudilrd In his ear with the
wind whipping his faor. his hands
nearly numb his body partially par-
hly2cd.
ON "Wednesday lac had given up hops
OF ever being found alive. for hc
wrote In his diary.
Last Thought ot Family
Il have given NJ hoI-r of ever L..
Ing found. 1 wonder why SOMEONE
hns not come To flnd me. ! hoi-. my
wife and daughter. Helen. ARE not
worried. Ny thoughts shall b, with
them until the end
Worried and grief stricken over the
fate of her husband. Mrs. Becker ar.
rived In Antonlto, "Wednesday morn,
INK. Rescue parties already We're out
searching til. mountains, No tracc OF
Becker could be found.
Despite warnings that II would h.
best to remain In Antonito. Mrs
J,cckcr insisted on joining u new
nnrrIIlnr nnrIA unll.I The lnnIrrnnIn