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Children
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Died:
Easton, PA
The Daily Free Press, Tuesday, July 12, 1892
Accidental Drowning
An Eastonian Loses His Life Near Butz’s Planing Mill.
About 6:30 o’clock Monday evening Maurice Troxell, while engaged in setting outlines in the Bushkill creek near Butz’s planning mill, noticed the body of a man floating in the mill race under the flood gates. He immediately notified Sergeant Snyder and the latter, I company with M. D. L. Shrope, were son upon the scene. The three men succeeded in lifting the body from the water, when the remains were identified as those of Clarence E. Clifton, of Easton.
Coroner Schultz empanelled a jury composed of Charles A. Dennig, William Denning, M.D. L. Shrope, W. H. Gerver, Jacob Bitzer and Maurice Troxell, who, after viewing the body and hearing the evidence of several witnesses, returned a verdict of accidental death.
Clifton had been sick for several days. He was seen near the mill-race Sunday afternoon and as late as eight o’clock that evening. It is believed that he was drowned that night. How the accident happened will never be known. All the circumstances point unmistakably to accidental death. His coat was found in the shed several hundred feet away. The most plausible theory, and one that is borne out by certain facts brought to the notice of the jury, is that the man lost his balance and fell into the water while standing on the bank, washing his hands at the place where the body was found the water is about eight feet deep. The appearance of the body showed that the remains had been I the water some time. Clifton was seen by several persons of Sunday. He was weak and could scarcely walk as a result of his recent illness.
Clifton was a printer by trade, and was about 45 years of age. He was never married. He learned his trade with Col. Hunter while the latter controlled the Argus. The deceased served five years in the regular army, and was first lieutenant of the Easton Blues, a military organization that was called into service during the riots of 1877. He was a son of the late Alexander Clifton, of Easton. He is survived by his mother, Mrs. Sarah Clifton, of New York; six brothers: John Clifton, of Easton, Allen J. and George W. Clifton, of Phillipsburg, N.J., and Jacob, Frank and Charles Clifton, of Denver, Col., and two sisters, Mary L. Clifton and Mrs. William Fulmer, of New York.
The funeral will take place at 2 o’clock tomorrow (Wednesday) afternoon from the residence of John Clifton, on Ferry Street, Interment will be made in the Easton Cemetery. |
