TWO MEN DROWNED
Lue Richard and Thomas A. Barnes
meet With Death in Lake Bennett
Last Tuesday a serious accident took place near the Island about midway of Lake Bennett which resulted in the death by
drowning of Lue Richard and Thos. A. Barnes. They with O. S. Felton and H. M. Buck were on their way to Bennett with Richard's dog team for supplies. When
near the island the party became alarmed at the poor condition of the ice and started toward the shore when the ice gave way; Richard at once sank to the
bottom but Barnes hung on to the ice for about ten minutes and made a gallant stuggle for life, but sank for the last time when the rescueing party had almost
reached him. The accident was seen from the shore by a number of Yukoners who rendered all aid possible and succeeded in rescueing Messrs. Felton and Buck,
who lay flat on a small patch of white ice which barely sustained them. The dog team and sled were lost. All valuables on the bodies were recovered. The body
of Mr. Richard was recovered the next day, but the searching party did not find the remains of Mr. Barnes until the day following. A reward of fifty dollars
was paid for the recovery of the bodies.
The funeral took place on Friday afternoon when Mr. C. A. Walsh read the Episcopal burial service and a choir sang Rock of
Ages and Nearer My God to Thee. A very large attendance of men and a number of ladies were present and contributed a profusion of wild flowers . The burial
took place on the island about forty feet from the water line among a garden of wild roses. Headstones were placed on the graves properly inscribed and a
picket fence will enclose the Island's first cemetery.
Mr. Richard was about thirty-eight years of age, of French descent, and came here from Frenchtown, Montana, in company with
Will P. Brayton, Mike Beaulieu and Charles Bouchard also of Montana.
Thos. A. Barnes was about thirty-five years of age, an Englishman by birth, whose residence was in Axtell, Kan. He was a member
of the Iowa-Alaska Mining company who are in camp here.
