NEWSPAPER ARTICLE ABOUT THE DROWNING OF MRS. COOPER, MRS. ROSE, AND HALLIE ROSE Transcribed and submitted by Judy Landauer, copyright 2006 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- KSGENWEB INTERNET GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY COPYRIGHT NOTICE: In keeping with the KSGenWeb policy of providing free information on the Internet, this data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format for profit or other gain. Copying of the files within by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged. Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other means requires the written approval of the file's author. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [Note: This article appeared in the local Anderson county paper circa September 19, 1890. Mrs. Dr. Cooper was Mary Latishaw Cooper, the wife of Dr. George Cooper. Dr. Cooper was a founder of Garnett and had served under two U.S. Presidents as the U.S. Examining Surgeon. He was also the editor of the Garnett Journal. Mrs. Rose was originally Anna Powell. Hallie was the Rose's only child. The incidents described in the article happened on 13 September 1890, and all are buried in the Garnett cemetery.--TL] DROWNED IN SOUTH FORK The Potawatomie Claims Three More Victims. About 1 O'clock Sunday afternoon a gentleman residing near the James White ford on South Potowatomie, brought a large bay mare to the city and stated that he had found the animal in the timber, down the creek from the ford, and also that a buggy lay in the creek which had evidently been carried down a few rods below the ford. The horse proved to be George F. Rose's buggy horse, and when it was learned the Mrs. Rose, accompanied by Mrs. Dr. Cooper and Hallie Rose had started early Saturday morning for a visit at Jas. E. White's farm, the friends of the families at once comprehended the fearful calamity that had befell the occupants of the buggy, and the alarm soon spread over the city. At first the report could hardly be credited, but when the primary facts were learned there was hurrying to and fro securing conveyances to the scene of the tragedy. The White ford is located on South Fork, about four or five miles northeast of Garnett. It is situated on a road that branches off of the Greeley road at the Judy Cemetery, and is principally used by those living east of the creek as a short cut to the Greeley road. The road approaches the ford in a half circle and the road is cut down in the bank, so that one approaching the ford does not get a good view if it until in the stream, and as it is all the way around the half circle down grade, a heavy loaded team will more than likely be urged into a trot and run into the stream at the ford before --------- checked up or turned ---------. (In the case) of those drowned Saturday it is supposed they went by the ford as they were accustomed to take that road, Hallie, the nine- year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Rose driving as he usually did. Not seeing the ford and not understanding that the creek had not run down from the rise of the day before, they drove down into the stream before seeing their danger. According to those acquainted with the stream the water must have been some five feet deep at the ford at the time they attempted to cross, and possibly the horse might have forded the stream in safety had it not been for a sunken stump of large dimensions which was found lodged in the roadway when the water subsided. This stump undoubtedly turned the horse and caused it to leave the narrow roadway, and as the crossing is made at an up stream angle the horse naturally turned down into a very deep hole just below the ford; however this is supposition, for there was no witnesses to make a correct report. The only facts know are that they left early Saturday morning to visit at Mr. White's and were not heard of until noon Sunday. A man by the name of Wagoner reported Sunday morning that he could see buggy wheel sticking from the creek below the ford. This lead to an investigation and the horse was found in the timber with part of the harness on, so it will be seen that the accident must have occurred about 10 o'clock Saturday morning and it was nearly noon the next day before any suspicion was aroused that all was not right. IT might be here explained (that) Mr. Rose had left the day (before on) a business trip to Colo-(rado) --------- there was no one at his ---------er at the non-arrival of --------------- in the evening of ---------------- rted out. Dr. Coop-- ------------------------ wondering why his ---------------but her absence -------------- one to be seriously alarmed until the horse was returned. Then there was plenty of stir in the streets and soon after a string of vehicles were seen going as fast as horses could go for White's ford. It seems that the people residing in the neighborhood had been making a search for the bodies, but none were found until after 2 o'clock, when the little boy's body was discovered about 200 yards down the stream. laying on the bank partly out of the water, where the corpse had settled when the high water had subsided. His mother, Mrs. Rose, was found some two rods further down, with one shoulder sticking partly from the water, where she had lodged against a snag. Mrs. Cooper's body was found still further down stream some 300 or 400 yards from the ford, but not until a boat had been brought out from Garnett and the stream thoroughly dragged from the ford to where the remains were found. The details that followed are of no interest to the reader. One of the saddest features of this extremely sad affair is the fact of Mr. Rose's absence from home and the telegraphing of the accident to him. The telegram found him at Coolidge, at the west end of the line of the state, and he arrived on his return home Monday evening. The funeral services over the remains of Mrs. Cooper took place at the Presbyterian Church Monday afternoon, and were attended by a large concourse of sympathetic friends. The funeral services of Mrs. Rose and son, Hallie, were held at the family residence Wednesday afternoon, the postponement being made to await the arrival of near relatives from Indiana and Illinois. It is not a pleasant duty to chronicle such sad events, and we trust that we will never have another occasion, but a full and plain statement of the facts and the theories presented are demanded by the public. Our work in now done, except to say that no language can express the sympathy the people of our city entertain for the two gentlemen who lost all they held dear on that fatal Saturday morning. They have not one of their own left to comfort them in their sorrow.