Two Men Drowned in the Methow Trying to Pull a Ferry Rope Across the River

Joseph Henderson, brother of J. Henderson of the Cow Butter store in this city, and of Thomas Henderson, a merchant of Everett, was drowned in the Methow about 4 o'clock in the afternoon of May 4. A man named Johnson perished with him, while Dunigan, the third of the party, clung to the dugout canoe in which they had been riding and was saved.

The accident occurred in sight of Henderson's cabin, near the mouth of Squaw creek, ten miles above the junction of the Methow with the Columbia. It was brought about by the three men attempting to stretch a ferry rope across the river and losing control of the boat, which was dashed by the angry waters against a rock.

The sad intelligence of the drowning was conveyed to Mr. Henderson yesterday by letters from T. J. Davis and Dunigan, the man who escaped. The latter told a graphic story of the tragedy:

"We were half way across the river when we were caught in the rapids, and the boat was swamped and turned over. At the same time we held to the boat, and then went over another rock and turned over again right side up. Joe started to get to shore and called on us to come. The other man caught Joe's hand, but I was swept past them, holding on to the boat.

"I got out about half a mile below with the help of another man. I sent him up the river right away, but he did not see anything of them. Joe might have got ashore if he had not tried to help the man. The man that went down with Joe could not swim, and chances are they are together. We are looking along the shore for them, as it is impossible for a boat to stand it. I got out more dead than alive."

Another account received yesterday from Wenatchee says that both Henderson and Johnson were good swimmers and immediately started for the shore. Dunigan, while clinging to the boat, drifted rapidly down the river, and as the canoe whirled around he saw his two ill-fated comrades apparently standing together on a bar several hundred feet below, holding to each other; but the water was so swift that they were soon washed from their footing and were never seen again.

Henderson was 40 years old and leaves a widow and four children at Pittsburg, Pa. He had been in Washington eighteen months and had a ranch of 160 acres, of which thirty were in cultivation. He was also owner of four good mining claims in the Squaw Creek region — the Happy Joe, Wilful Sadie, Lucky Mike and Cousin Joe.

Mr. Henderson of this city and his brother of Everett will leave today for the Methow to discover, if possible, the remains of the drowned man and to secure the property for the widow and children of their unfortunate brother.