El Reno American
Thursday, June 11, 1914
Young Man Drowned in Bellamy Lake--RAY E. BAGGS
Companions tried to rescue him but efforts did not avail anything. A gloom
was cast over this city late last evening and this morning when news of the
untimely death of Ray E. Baggs, the only son of John C. Baggs, was made known,
which occurred about 9:30 last evening at Bellamy's Lake. He, with six
other young men, of the city went to the lake to enjoy a swim last evening, and
after half an hour in the lake some of the swimmers went ashore and began
dressing. Young Mr. Baggs was about two hundred feet from shore
when the boys heard him shout "help". Claude Cherry, who was not
a great distance, swam to the unfortunate young man, but he was unable to keep
the young man afloat, though he fought manfully to save him. Young Cherry
was taken under two or three times by the drowning young man, before the others
reached him. Two or three of the others managed to reach the drowning man,
but they were almost exhausted and were unable to swim ashore with him, though
they managed to keep the body afloat and took it about fifteen feet towards
shore. Mr. Baggs never made a struggle after the three men reached him.
They did all in the bounds of their power to save him, but gave up in despair
after being taken under a couple of times. As soon as news of the drowning
reached the city, people began going to the lake, and diving parties began
searching for the young man. Fully one hundred persons were
at the lake tying to aid the divers. The body was located about 12:30 this
morning by Jack Adams, who was swimming about using a fourteen foot pole. As
soon as he found the body, a professional diver by the name of E. L. Regan, of
Romulus, Okla., who came here yesterday, brought the body to the surface of the
lake and assisted in getting it ashore. Ray Baggs was an exemplary young
man, and is the son of Mr. and Mrs. J. C. Baggs. If he had lived until
today he would have been nineteen years of age. The funeral services will
be held tomorrow afternoon at 3:00 o'clock, at the First Baptist church, under
the auspices of the M.W.A. of which order the young man was a member. The
funeral discourse will be delivered by Rev. Bullard, interment will be made in
the El Reno cemetery. The parents and other relatives of the young man
have the sympathy of all during their sad hour.
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