Reed, Charles W. "Billy"

Miami was startled and shocked Saturday evening about 8 when a phone call reached Millner and Fribley's undertaking establishment with the gruesome announcement that C. W. Reed, one of the best known and most popular mine operators in the Hattenville Oklahoma camp, had been drowned in the Neosho River about 8 miles northwest of Miami, near the Bigham farm, at a point where the gas pipe line crosses. After the close of business Saturday, Mr. Reed and a part of his employees, including his ground boss and foreman, drove out to this place for the purpose of fishing and camping over Sunday close to nature and getting away from the cares of business. There were perhaps fifteen in the party, including Sam Moss and Jess Short. [not Jess M. Short of Joplin, as was at first supposed] Having arrived at the fishing ground and pitched camp they proceeded to fish. Several drags of the net had been made and some good catches were bagged. It was then proposed to stop and have a fish fry for supper and most of the party favored it. Mr. Reed, however, wanted to make another drag and volunteered to do the work. He went into the water and was manipulating the seine. Asked by his companions how he was getting along his response was "all right." when attention was next directed to him he had disappeared. Apparently he sank beneath the water without giving an outcry or signal of distress of any kind, and it was some little time before he was missed by his companions on the shore. It was about 7:30 and getting dark. A search was immediately made but it was fully an hour before his body was recovered by use of the drag net. He had drowned in about eight feet of water apparently without a struggle. Whether he sank from sheer exhaustion or whether he was suddenly seized by cramps or heart failure will probably never be known. His body was taken ashore and a call sent in for Mr. Fribley to come at once with his ambulance and being it to this city. It was near 12 when he arrived at the undertaking rooms. Deceased had a father, W. H. Reed, and sister, Mrs. Berry, who reside at Gashland Missouri, near Kansas City. Mrs. Berry and a niece, Miss Mabel Byrne of New York, were in Miami week before last, vising their relative, Mr. Reed, and they were having a fine time. John Beland, L. I. Beland and Dr. W. E. Furrow of Guthrie, were his business associates in the ownership of the Midas Mine and have been wired to come and protect their interest. J. F. Todd, secretary of the Emma Gordon Mining Company, and John H. Capelli, a member of his wife's church, both of Webb City Missouri, spent Sunday in this city directing preparations for the disposal of the remains. Local Elks, of which order he was a member at Vinita Oklahoma, watched over the body while it remained here. Deceased had no children. The remains were buried in the family lot at the Webb City cemetery the latter part of the week. A message was received from Mrs. C. W. Reed from Portland Oregon, Monday evening to the effect that she would leave there at 4 that evening, arriving in Webb City sometime the latter part of the week.