The Anaconda Standard (MT), 31 July 1895
Two Inmates of the Orphans' Home Drowned in the Beaverhead. The Mothers of Each Supposed to Be in Great Falls
Twin Bridges, July 30--An accident occurred here yesterday afternoon which resulted fatally to two inmates of the State Orphans' home. From the evidence developed at the coroner's inquest, it seems that it had been the custom, since the warm weather set in, to allow the elder boys to bathe in a slough near the home and bathing in the river was prohibited by Superintendent Comfort. On this occasion, however, during Mr. Comfort's absence at Dillon, Frank Waters, one of the attaches of the institution, took the boys to a bend in the Beaverhead river, about three-quarters of a mile distant from the home, and, as he testifies, sent Adolph La Plante, one of the youngsters who was drowned, out in the stream to try the depth of the water and strength of the current. He gave the boy one end of a rope, himself holding the other end on the bank. The boy waded out to a riffle with a sandy bottom where the water was about breast high, and, letting go of the rope, shouted that he had got a "bully place." He was at once followed by Patrick Croghan, another lad about the same age, and together they began wading around, when they suddenly stepped into a deep hole on the lower side of the riffle and immediately sank. Waters, who was still on the river bank, seeing the mishap, divested himself of his clothing and went out to the riffle but, although he was close to the boys when they came to the surface for the last time, he was either too much confused or too timid to go into the hole to rescue them, and they were drowned in plain sight of their comrades and playmates. Word was sent to Twin Bridges for assistance and a number of men went to the scene, but could do nothing to rescue the bodies as the water was so roilly that no object could be seen beyond a very short depth. A boat was procured and quickly paddled down to the place of the disaster, where the men dragged the hole, which was about eight feet deep. They soon found one of the bodies and in a few minutes more the other body was discovered.
Adolph La Plante, the eldest of the two boys, was 13 years of age, and was committed to the home from Lewistown, Fergus county. He was received in February 1895. His mother is living and is believed to be a char woman in Great Falls. He was accounted one of the best boys in the institution, and was a trusty messenger on all occasions.
Patrick Croghan was 11 years old, sent from Great Falls, Cascade county, and admitted March 1895. His mother, who is supposed to be in Great Falls, engaged in similar work as Mrs. LaPlante.
They will be buried in the plat which has been segregated from the Twin Bridges cemetery for the burial place of state orphans at 2 o'clock tomorrow.
Two Inmates of the Orphans' Home Drowned in the Beaverhead. The Mothers of Each Supposed to Be in Great Falls
Twin Bridges, July 30--An accident occurred here yesterday afternoon which resulted fatally to two inmates of the State Orphans' home. From the evidence developed at the coroner's inquest, it seems that it had been the custom, since the warm weather set in, to allow the elder boys to bathe in a slough near the home and bathing in the river was prohibited by Superintendent Comfort. On this occasion, however, during Mr. Comfort's absence at Dillon, Frank Waters, one of the attaches of the institution, took the boys to a bend in the Beaverhead river, about three-quarters of a mile distant from the home, and, as he testifies, sent Adolph La Plante, one of the youngsters who was drowned, out in the stream to try the depth of the water and strength of the current. He gave the boy one end of a rope, himself holding the other end on the bank. The boy waded out to a riffle with a sandy bottom where the water was about breast high, and, letting go of the rope, shouted that he had got a "bully place." He was at once followed by Patrick Croghan, another lad about the same age, and together they began wading around, when they suddenly stepped into a deep hole on the lower side of the riffle and immediately sank. Waters, who was still on the river bank, seeing the mishap, divested himself of his clothing and went out to the riffle but, although he was close to the boys when they came to the surface for the last time, he was either too much confused or too timid to go into the hole to rescue them, and they were drowned in plain sight of their comrades and playmates. Word was sent to Twin Bridges for assistance and a number of men went to the scene, but could do nothing to rescue the bodies as the water was so roilly that no object could be seen beyond a very short depth. A boat was procured and quickly paddled down to the place of the disaster, where the men dragged the hole, which was about eight feet deep. They soon found one of the bodies and in a few minutes more the other body was discovered.
Adolph La Plante, the eldest of the two boys, was 13 years of age, and was committed to the home from Lewistown, Fergus county. He was received in February 1895. His mother is living and is believed to be a char woman in Great Falls. He was accounted one of the best boys in the institution, and was a trusty messenger on all occasions.
Patrick Croghan was 11 years old, sent from Great Falls, Cascade county, and admitted March 1895. His mother, who is supposed to be in Great Falls, engaged in similar work as Mrs. LaPlante.
They will be buried in the plat which has been segregated from the Twin Bridges cemetery for the burial place of state orphans at 2 o'clock tomorrow.
The Anaconda Standard (MT), 31 July 1895
Two Inmates of the Orphans' Home Drowned in the Beaverhead. The Mothers of Each Supposed to Be in Great Falls
Twin Bridges, July 30--An accident occurred here yesterday afternoon which resulted fatally to two inmates of the State Orphans' home. From the evidence developed at the coroner's inquest, it seems that it had been the custom, since the warm weather set in, to allow the elder boys to bathe in a slough near the home and bathing in the river was prohibited by Superintendent Comfort. On this occasion, however, during Mr. Comfort's absence at Dillon, Frank Waters, one of the attaches of the institution, took the boys to a bend in the Beaverhead river, about three-quarters of a mile distant from the home, and, as he testifies, sent Adolph La Plante, one of the youngsters who was drowned, out in the stream to try the depth of the water and strength of the current. He gave the boy one end of a rope, himself holding the other end on the bank. The boy waded out to a riffle with a sandy bottom where the water was about breast high, and, letting go of the rope, shouted that he had got a "bully place." He was at once followed by Patrick Croghan, another lad about the same age, and together they began wading around, when they suddenly stepped into a deep hole on the lower side of the riffle and immediately sank. Waters, who was still on the river bank, seeing the mishap, divested himself of his clothing and went out to the riffle but, although he was close to the boys when they came to the surface for the last time, he was either too much confused or too timid to go into the hole to rescue them, and they were drowned in plain sight of their comrades and playmates. Word was sent to Twin Bridges for assistance and a number of men went to the scene, but could do nothing to rescue the bodies as the water was so roilly that no object could be seen beyond a very short depth. A boat was procured and quickly paddled down to the place of the disaster, where the men dragged the hole, which was about eight feet deep. They soon found one of the bodies and in a few minutes more the other body was discovered.
Adolph La Plante, the eldest of the two boys, was 13 years of age, and was committed to the home from Lewistown, Fergus county. He was received in February 1895. His mother is living and is believed to be a char woman in Great Falls. He was accounted one of the best boys in the institution, and was a trusty messenger on all occasions.
Patrick Croghan was 11 years old, sent from Great Falls, Cascade county, and admitted March 1895. His mother, who is supposed to be in Great Falls, engaged in similar work as Mrs. LaPlante.
They will be buried in the plat which has been segregated from the Twin Bridges cemetery for the burial place of state orphans at 2 o'clock tomorrow.
Two Inmates of the Orphans' Home Drowned in the Beaverhead. The Mothers of Each Supposed to Be in Great Falls
Twin Bridges, July 30--An accident occurred here yesterday afternoon which resulted fatally to two inmates of the State Orphans' home. From the evidence developed at the coroner's inquest, it seems that it had been the custom, since the warm weather set in, to allow the elder boys to bathe in a slough near the home and bathing in the river was prohibited by Superintendent Comfort. On this occasion, however, during Mr. Comfort's absence at Dillon, Frank Waters, one of the attaches of the institution, took the boys to a bend in the Beaverhead river, about three-quarters of a mile distant from the home, and, as he testifies, sent Adolph La Plante, one of the youngsters who was drowned, out in the stream to try the depth of the water and strength of the current. He gave the boy one end of a rope, himself holding the other end on the bank. The boy waded out to a riffle with a sandy bottom where the water was about breast high, and, letting go of the rope, shouted that he had got a "bully place." He was at once followed by Patrick Croghan, another lad about the same age, and together they began wading around, when they suddenly stepped into a deep hole on the lower side of the riffle and immediately sank. Waters, who was still on the river bank, seeing the mishap, divested himself of his clothing and went out to the riffle but, although he was close to the boys when they came to the surface for the last time, he was either too much confused or too timid to go into the hole to rescue them, and they were drowned in plain sight of their comrades and playmates. Word was sent to Twin Bridges for assistance and a number of men went to the scene, but could do nothing to rescue the bodies as the water was so roilly that no object could be seen beyond a very short depth. A boat was procured and quickly paddled down to the place of the disaster, where the men dragged the hole, which was about eight feet deep. They soon found one of the bodies and in a few minutes more the other body was discovered.
Adolph La Plante, the eldest of the two boys, was 13 years of age, and was committed to the home from Lewistown, Fergus county. He was received in February 1895. His mother is living and is believed to be a char woman in Great Falls. He was accounted one of the best boys in the institution, and was a trusty messenger on all occasions.
Patrick Croghan was 11 years old, sent from Great Falls, Cascade county, and admitted March 1895. His mother, who is supposed to be in Great Falls, engaged in similar work as Mrs. LaPlante.
They will be buried in the plat which has been segregated from the Twin Bridges cemetery for the burial place of state orphans at 2 o'clock tomorrow.
Inscription
AGE 10 YEARS
AND A LITTLE CHILD SHALL LEAD THEM
STATE OF MONTANA
ORPHANS
REST IN PEACE LITTLE ANGELS
GOD'S ORPHANS NOW
1995
Advertisement
Advertisement
