Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1925-02-25
CAVE TUNNEL is
TOMB OF COLLINS
Recovery of Body Vetoed
as Too Great a Risk;
Funeral Held.


above Sand cave this afternoon his
family and friends held funeral serv-
ices for Floyd Collins. There was no
casket, no corpse, no grave, and no
marker. Sixty feet underground in
the Sand cave trap which closed upon
him eighteen days ago lay the body Of
Collins, discovered few days too late
by the rescuers. Rather than risk the
lives of any # the tireless volunteers,
his family chose to leave him IN the
cave for his last sleep.
Physicians his friends and officials
of the rescue party crept down into
his narrow tomb today to gather the
legal evidence that Floyd was buried
there and that he was dead. None Of
his family could take last look, but
the thought that Collins would have
chosen such spot, among his beloved
caves. comforted them.
Parents Sit Silently BY
Mr. and Mrs. Lee Collins were there,
silent in the last earthly rites of their
son. The aged couple sat side by side
in small chairs near the edge of the
same stone ledge under which Sand
cave disappears. Behind them, stand
ing on large boulders overlooking the
valley below. were a dozen members of
a choir gathered from among residents
of Cave City
Mr.. and Mrs Collins listened with
bowed heads while the soft chords of
Nearer My God to Thee" drifted over
the hill as the services opened.
The Rev Roy Biser of Glasgow,
neighboring community, climbed to
stump to open the scriptural service,
and a motion picture camera started
to whirr At the outer fringe of the
group stood a sentinel with his rifle.
Huge rocks were the benches of the
outdoor chapel. Men who had spent
days in the struggle, unshaved and
muddy in appearance, barred their
heads in the chilling breeze.
The prayer was offered. The little
gathering of one hundred and fifty
men and women heard the Rev Mr.
Biser tell them they were standing
on this precipice in the midst Of
death" and listened to him give
thanks 'for the brotherhood of man
as manifested by those who have
risked their lives on this site"
Dead to Days
Floyd Collins had been dead when
his body was reached yesterday from
three to five days. Dr. w. H. Hazlett
of Chicago, today decided after he
had made a careful and detailed exam
inatiOn.
That means that his last breath was
gasped out last Friday or Thursday
or Wednesday.
And last Wednesday was a week
and day after the last bit of nour-
ishment and the final drop of mois-
ture had passed his lips.
Eleven days he had been held cap
tive in the channel when he was WIS.,
tied by Everett Maddox, the last re-
lief worker to get to him.
During the eight days or nine or
ten during which his life lapsed away
during these long midnight hours
soundless except for his own moan
ings, Collins had just one consolation
with which to ease his agony. That
was his conviction that he had been
accepted into the arms of his God and
that God was waiting to receive him
in a land where there is light instead
of darkness and where thirst and
hunger and cold can not be-
coroner's Jury Gives Verdict
Collins came to his death "frOm ex-
posture caused by being accidentally
entrapped in what is commonly known
as Sand cave" cOroner's jury de-
clared after each member of the jury
had inspected Collins Body.
The verdict was read into the record
of the military court of inquiry which
has been seeking to establish the
identity of the imprisoned man beyond
any doubt.
Investigation has shown that any
attempt to get out the rock imprison-
ing Collins would have caused the roof
to crush the man endeavoring to eff
feet the rescue, it was testified by H.
T. Carmichael, In charge of rescue
work