Tragedy on Panther Mountain | Turning Back the Pages | Sun Community News One Hundred Years Ago

One Hundred Years Ago – October, 1914 Tragedy on Panther Mountain John Thompson, of New York City, was accidentally shot in both feet by Walter Young, of Chestertown, Thursday afternoon, Oct. 1, 1914, while the two were hunting on Panther Mountain near that village. The left foot was the most seriously injured and it is feared that amputation may be necessary, though every effort to save it is being made by the surgeons of Glens Falls Hospital, where the young man was taken after the accident. Thompson had been in Chestertown several weeks recuperating from a long siege of ill health. With Young, a resident of the village, he started out partridge hunting shortly after noon. After roaming through the woods for three hours, the young men started home and on reaching a clearing near the base of the mountain, sat down to rest and clean their guns. Thompson sat with his feet crossed and directly opposite his companion. Young was carrying a Winchester repeating shot gun and in some manner as he opened the barrel to throw out the unused cartridge, his finger pressed the trigger and the gun was discharged, the contents of the shell passing through the center of Thompson's left foot and the side of his right foot. Terrified at the wound he had inflicted upon his chum, Young rushed at top speed to the nearest house and summoned aid. The youth was carried to the Chester House (hotel) and two Chestertown physicians attended him there. They agreed that the wound was so serious that it might be necessary to amputate the left foot and ordered the young man's removal to the Glens Falls Hospital. He was taken there in an automobile and a consultation of doctors was held almost immediately after his arrival, but no decision has yet been arrived at. One bullet, two wounded J. Frank Waldron, a well known contractor of North Creek, Friday morning, Oct. 9, 1914, shot both himself and his wife, with one bullet from a revolver which was accidentally discharged, he says, while he was cleaning it. The bullet first passed through Mr. Waldron's right hand and then struck his wife in the head. Neither wound was serious and both victims are recovering in the Glens Falls Hospital, where they were taken by Dr. Lee Somerville immediately after the shooting. H.G. Wells dazzles readers Famous British author H.G. Wells has written an original story entitled, "The World Set Free, a Story of Mankind," which will appear in segments in the Warrensburgh News. The story will detail what he believes will be Europe's Armageddon, the last of all wars, which will wipe out all dynasties and to be the end of all crowns and thrones to become a world of one nation forever. This is a story of the ongoing "Great War" that is taking place in Europe today. Readers will be thrilled and marvel at the accuracy of this illustrious author's vision. (Note – Herbert George Wells is best remembered for his science fiction stories such as the popular 1895 fantasy, "The Time Machine." and in 1898, "The War of the Worlds." He was a great advocate for world peace and detested World War I, which was raging in Europe.) Noble lady passes away Mrs. Fred Filkins, 26, passed away Friday, Sept. 18, 1914, at the home of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Chauncey Millington, at Riverside. The funeral was held at the Methodist Episcopal Church in Johnsburgh the following Monday, the Rev. Frank D. Lawyer, of Fort Plain, officiating. Internment was in the cemetery at Johnsburgh. Death was due to tuberculosis. Mrs. Filkins is survived by her parents, several brothers and sisters, her husband and two little children, Ernest Filkins, aged 4 and Margaret Filkins, 3 years old. She was a woman of rare nobility of character. Early on she gave her life to Christ and united with the Methodist Episcopal Church when she was about sixteen years of age. The refining and ennobling influences of the spirit of her Master were evident in all the relations of her life. She was a true helpmate of her husband and an affectionate and devoted mother to her children. The influence of her noble life abides. She looks for that city that hath foundations. Area maple trees in England Dr. Lee Somerville, of North Creek, has bought the first growth maple on about 1,000 acres of timber land in the southern part of Warrensburgh owned by John H. Lockwood of this place and Patrick Moynehan, of Glens Falls. He is now lumbering it and will ship the logs to North Creek where they will be worked up into mangle rollers in his mill at that place. The entire product of the mill will this year be shipped to England. Last season part of it went to Germany, but this market is now cut off because of the great war that it now going on in Europe. The golden days of autumn The gorgeous colors of the autumn foliage now adorn the landscape and awaken the admiration of all lovers of the beautiful. The leaves of the village maples are, however, failing rapidly and the trees are beginning to show their bare limbs. This serves to remind us of the near approach of old King Winter. Chestnuts are ripe and there is a bumper crop which has appeared in the local market. Drought continues for some time and a heavy rainfall is badly needed. Seth A. Reed, on his place on Ridge Street, Warrensburgh, raised an apple that weighed half an ounce less than a pound. It is known as the Alexander and is certainly a beauty, a big, red, rosy cheeked beautifully shaped specimen. (Note – We all need to be grateful to John Chapman (aka "Johnny Appleseed") for spreading those European apple seeds on American soil. In 1899 Seth Reed built a fine greenhouse near his home on Ridge Street and legend has it that he had a great affection for carnations. He died in 1953.) Six local hunters, B.B. Bibby, Don H. Heath, Fred W. Hall, Edison Granger, E.C. "Kid" Manzer and Herbert Smith, spent the first two days of the hunting season at J.D. McSweeney's Mountain View House at Minerva, returning with two bucks. The largest weighed 189 and a half pounds and was killed by Mr. Hall. Don Heath got the other one. Love and marriage Newspaper ad – "Marry – send for free description and photos of marriageable ladies, many beautiful and wealthy. The Pilot, Hampton, New Jersey." The Rev. Archibald McGlashan, a former pastor of the Baptist Church, in Horicon and Mrs. Florence Hammet, of Rochester, were married Sept. 10, 1914 at the bride's home. Miles C. Culver, of Chestertown and Miss Charlotte Hayes, of Adirondack, were married at that place on Sept. 19, 1914 by the Rev. W.S. Johnson, of Horicon. They went to Glens Falls for their honeymoon, remaining there for two weeks before returning to Adirondack where they will reside for the present with the bride's parents, Mr. and Mrs. H.B. Hayes. George Hughes Lockart, of Lake George and Miss Jane Marie Owens, of Fort Ann, were married the afternoon of Oct. 7, 1914 at the home of the bride's sister, Mrs. G.R. Lander, 98 Ridge Street, Glens Falls. The bride was dressed in a tailored suit of blue French broadcloth and wore a hat to match. After their honeymoon, they will reside at Dunham's Bay, Lake George. George Bennett and Miss Fannie May Olden were united in marriage, Oct. 14, 1914, at the residence of Eugene Morrison on Schroon Avenue, Warrensburgh. The ceremony was performed by the Rev. Thomas J. Hunter, pastor of the Baptist Church. Arthur Hayes, of Athol, town of Thurman, was granted an interlocutory degree of divorce by Justice C.C. Van Kirt in Supreme Court at Saratoga Springs. Sweet and sour notes The things you did yesterday do not relieve you of your duties of today and more than the things you plan to do tomorrow. The old John Moon farm house on Hudson Street, Warrensburgh, purchased by D.E. Pasco at auction sale last spring, is undergoing extensive repairs and improvements both inside and out. (Note – This house is today standing at the north corner of Hudson Street and First Avenue.) Alonzo and Lodema (lyng) White have a lovely little three year old daughter, Mabel S. White who was born March 27, 1911 in Stony Creek. (Note – Mabel S. Thomas, 103, the widow of Francis S. Thomas, died Sept. 26, 2014 at her home in Stony Creek. Mrs. Mary Sage, of Darrowsville, Chestertown, who is 105 years old and still spry and chipper, is enjoying a few days visit with her daughter, Mrs. Rufus D. Hastings. The Woolen Mill, on Milton Avenue, Warrensburgh, was shut down on the night of Oct. 7, 1914 for repairs to the dam. The Pants Factory was run by steam during that period. The roadway on Elm Street, from the brow of the hill near the residence of Dr. A.J. Pitcher to the Osborne Bridge, is being improved by a covering of hardpan. (Note – Dr. Alfred J. Pitcher, a veterinary, was supervisor of Warrensburgh from 1908 to 1911 and he, his wife, Lydia and two daughters, Bertha and Ada, lived in a house on Elm Street, behind the bandstand. He died in 1943.) William G. Hayes of Lewisville, Warrensburgh, has traded his residence property here with Joshua Baker for a farm in Thurman. Unconfirmed reports say that Mrs. Lewis Everts, of Warrensburgh, while in Horicon recently, sold her farm to Joseph Persons. D.C. Remington and Stillman F. Town are painting R.T. Woodward's house on Hudson Street. After 25 years of quiet life, Mrs. Edgar Gregory, of Horicon, is happy over the arrival of a baby girl, Helen Gregory, born Sunday night, Sept. 27, 1914. A son was born to Mrs. Bert Bateman on Friday, Sept. 25, 1914 in Sodom. A son was born to Mrs. Robert Russell on Sept. 27, 1914 in Bakers Mills. Harvey Bryant, 47, died Saturday, Sept. 26, 1914 after a week's illness of pleura-pneumonia. He leaves a widow and one son, Lewis Bryant. Burial was in the Warrensburgh Cemetery. Mrs. Louis W. Emerson left Oct. 14, 1914 for Lindsey, California where she will spend the winter on her orange farm. Mrs. Edmond Aldrich and Mrs. Frank Clute, both of Stony Creek, picked twenty-five quarts of raspberries recently. Readers are welcome to contact Adirondack Journal correspondent Jean Hadden at jhadden1@nycap.rr.com or 623-2210.

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Tragedy on Panther Mountain | Turning Back the Pages

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