Putnam patriot. [volume] (Putnam, Conn.) 1872-1962, 1928-01-19

fAnNtlHAFN from rage ONHJ
after lie long immersion in the river,
that II was removed directly to the
vault la the cemetery in West Thomp-
soa. about three miles south Of where
Il was taken from the water. The
parents Of the young woman claimed
Inc body, Monday, and caused II to be
taken to Raynham Center for burial.
While the parents. Mr.. and Mrs. Al
ban Leonard, were grief stricken over
the affair, and the sight Of their
daughters body upset them tempo
rarity, they we're prepared for the con
elusive evidence Of her death. Her
long absence from home, the knowl-
edge that she was friend OF Shell
don's, and the fact that she came 20
Putnam with him on his fatal ride,
we're known 10 Mr.. and Mrs. Leonard
due 10 the official check-up Of the acct
dent II was therefore somewhat Of
relief 10 the parents TO be able TO
claim the body and give II burial. II
Is believed that the body had been held
at the bottom Of the river when cloth
ing became entangied in some object.
Wien the clothing rotted and gave
way the body came 10 the top.
While the woman was the mother Of
a child and the presence Of milk
bottle and baseball in the car led to
the belief, at first, that child might
have made third occupant and vic
tim. II has been definitely established
the child was elsewhere in the custody
Of relatives.
Formerly Lived in Putnam
The double fatality occurred on the
night Of Thursday, November 10th.
Jerome Sheldon, former resident OF
Putnam. whose father died in this city,
came 10 Putnam 20 close matter con-
corning some property which his IA
Their left and which had been sold
While transaeting the business which
brought him 10 Putnam he mentioned
that someone" was with him.
The last seen Of Sheldon, as far as
known, was when he left the man
with whom he had the business tran
aaction. The following morning per-
son passing by the mill pond north Of
the plant Of Lawrence Keegan a. CO.,
Wilsonville. saw a red light burning
under the water In the pond. An
alarm was given which led 10 the find
ing Of an automobile twenty feet be-
low the surface and the dead body of
Sheldon behind the wheel.
A woman's hat and other apparel
led to the belief that Sheldon had com
pany on his ride. The identity Of
Sheldon was discovered through the
check he had received in Putnam. The
identity Of the woman was learned
after lengthy investigation and
check up. The river was dragged,
the water was drawn on, and the
banks Of the stream were thoroughly
searched as far south as North Gros-
venordale. II was the theory Of the
officers that the woman had been able
TO crawl through the open window Of
the automobile but had been unable 10
reach shore In the swollen stream and
had been carried over the nearby dam
and down the river.
Search Abandoned
The search for the body had long
ago been abandoned on account Of high
water aud other conditions making an
intensive search impossible. Many
people had come to the conclusion that
Sheldon was alone when the car plung
ed into the pond Officers of the Con-
necticut state police at the Danielson |
barracks did not share this view. The
officers were convinced that a woman
was in the car with Sheldon and that
sooner or later the body would come
TO light. The last act in the double I
tragedy confirms the officers belief.
How Sheldon arrived at the scene Of
the accident is mystery. as the spot
Is of the direct line from Putnam TO 4
Webster Even taking the east turn, /
AS he did, there seems no reason for his (
through the fence by the 4
and into the pond.
Mystery also surrounds the fact Of (
the woman having freed herself from I
the car. II was a closed model and 4
the inrushing waters, when the car
went under. makes Il seemingly inn
possible for person 10 have gotten I
out. However, the fact remains that
the woman did get out. In her dead 1
hand was graxped reeds from the wa. /
ter's edge. This leads TO the belief I
that she made a hard struggle and al
most reached the shore. Her strength
must have failed her as she grasped
the slender stems The current took
her over the Wilsonville dam and she
drowned as she was carried down the
swollen stream.