by Laurel | March 8th, 2013
08 March 1915
Find Body in Canal. Drowning of James Kenney Supposed to be Accidental. — The body of James Kenney was found in the third level canal near the head gates of the Franklin Paper Company yesterday morning, the canal being drawn off by the Holyoke Water Power Company to assist in the search for the body. William Murray, who was with some other young men, was on the Cabot Street Bridge over the canal about 8:15 Friday night when they heard a splash as of a body dropping in the canal, the splash being followed by cries for assistance in a man’s voice. They ran to the bridge, where the spur track of the railroad crosses the canal to the Riverside paper company, but aside from a disturbance in the water, could see no one. The police were notified and a request made to the water power company to draw the water from the canal, and the discovery of the body followed.
Kenney had been employed as a laborer in the city and has a wife and son living at 557 Bridge Street, although he have not lived with them for some time. It is thought that the drowning was an accident, the man losing his balance and falling in the water when he attempted to cross the can on the railroad bridge. Medical Examiner Teahan was called and gave permission for the removal of the body and states that in his belief it was a case of accidental drowning.
The body was removed to the John B. Shea undertaking rooms. He leaves besides a widow and a son, Michael, and a sister, Mrs. Frederick Tierney, all of Holyoke, and a sister, Mrs. Mary McGuinness of Waterbury, CT. The funeral will be held at the John B. Shea undertaking parlors tomorrow morning, the time to be announced later.
Will Reprimand Head Nurse — Overseers of Poor Act on Death of Gaspar Mondor. — The board of overseers of the poor have reported to the mayor that they have investigated the circumstances relative to the escape from the almshouse of Gaspar Mondor, January 20, following which he died from pneumonia, and have decided to reprimand the head nurse, Miss Nellie Keyes, for not exercising more care and precaution, and recommend that in the future the instructions of the city physician be followed very carefully. Mondor was sent to the hospital for treatment a few days before his escape and it is claimed that the order for restraining straps to be places on the patient was not carried out. He left his bed early on the morning of January 20 and was found walking up Main Street at 5 in the morning wearing only his nightshirt and socks. He died three days later from pneumonia, but whether his death was due to exposure alone is rather to be doubted.
Camp Destroyed by Fire — Property of Thoms P. Quinn of Springfield at Smiths Ferry Burned. — The camp owned by Thomas P. Quinn of Springfield, opposite the Holyoke Canoe Club House at Smiths Ferry, caught fire and burned to the ground at 1 o’clock yesterday afternoon. Mr. Quinn was working in the garage near by and did not know the camp was on fire until neighbors came to help in putting out the flames. The fire had gained such headway that nothing could be done to save the buildings or remove the contents and building and contents were destroyed, the loss estimated at over $1000, partly covered by insurance. Some water had been left to heat on an oil stove and it is thought that the water boiled over, causing the flames from the stove to spread out and set fire to the side wall of the camp.
Adapted from The Springfield Republican.
