The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1933-06-23
BIRCH Lake SOLVES MYSTERY
OF PASTORS DISAPPEARANCE
The Body of Rev. Downing Found Floating in Birch Lake
Sunday-Hundreds of People Engaged in the Five Day
Search for Missing Man.

Despite a search participated in by
over 200 persons during which every
foot of several miles of woods were
covered and dragging parties had
patrolled the lake shore with every
available kind of a drag, no trace OF
the missing Rev. w. H. Downing Of
Eveleth was found until Sunday when
the body Of the missing man was found
floating in bay about half mile from
where he had been put ashore by his
fishing companion. The remains were
discovered by Deputy Sheriff Dolenshak
of this city who had been with the
searching parties almost all the time
from early Wednesday morning until
the remains were found on Sunday.
Deputy sheriffs from all the range
towns and Duluth: several hundred men
from Eveleth; Game Wardens Carlson
and Kran and others of Winton; eighty
or more men under direction Of Frank
Grove of the Superior Forest at Half
way; expert woodsmen Charles Neimi
and others, and the dragging crew OF
the Ely fire department under command
of Spike" Erickson, had spent the
week at the scene without unearthing
a single clew which would lead 70 the
finding of the missing man
Rev. Downing with P A. Janisch, q
florist of Eveleth, had gone to the lake
on Tuesday for a fishing trip. Mrs.
Rivard, proprietor of a resort on the
north side of the western end Of the
lake, stated that the men arrived in
the afternoon at about 8 o'clock or
shortly thereafter and at once took a
boat and started fishing Mr.. Janisch
stated that Rev. Downing had not been
feeling well all day and at about
5 o'clock had asked to be put ashore.
Janisch rowed away a short distance
and continued fishing. He returned
about ten minutes later to pick up his
partner but failed to find him. After
searching for some time accompanied
by the young Rivard boy. he gave the
alarm and men came from Eveleth and
Ely at once. Large crews were put in
the woods on Wednesday morning, the
superstition being that he had wandered
away and had lost his direction.
After it was learned that Rev Down.
ing was subject to fainting spells, crews
were also set at work dragging the lake
in the vicinity of where he was put
ashore. As the woods had been most
thoroughly combed and the lake for a
considerable distance had been gone
over with graphing hooks and nothing
could be found, the numbers Of the
crews became smaller and on Sunday
only limited number were left Sun
day marked the fifth day since the dis
appearance and crews were relaxing
somewhat for renewed efforts the fol-
lowing day. The men forming the
searching parties voiced the highest
praise for Mrs. Rivard who had pre-
pared almost all the meals for the large
parties without complaint, working from
daylight to dark and far into the night.
It was with feelings of relief on
Sunday when the news became general
that the man had been found and al
though dead the mysteriousneSs Of the
affair was cleared up. The remains
were taken to Eveleth where a certifi-
cate was issued by the coroner of ac-
cidental drowning. It was the popular
opinion that he had tainted and fallen
into the water. The shore lines in the
vicinity are rocky and rugged and the
water near shore all the way from Is
TO 80 feet in depth.
The funeral of Rev. Downing was
held on Wednesday, Rev. Blaine Lam
bert, district superintendent, conducting
the same. He also conducted the
funerals in Proctor and Duluth on
Tuesday and with the one on wednes-
day had laid away three outstanding
men of the district clergy of the NJ Z.
church, the deaths of all Of whom being
directly connected with the same cause.
The funeral was largely attended, many
of the range and Duluth clergy being
present. The Eveleth Masonic Lodge
was in charge of the funeral He was
also a member of the Odd Fellows
Lodge and the Rotary Club of Eveleth-
He was a native of England and has
been in charge of the Eveleth church
since 1929 He is survived by his
widow and one son.