Ransom, Arthur

- 1954

• Name	Ransom, Arthur
  Gender	Male
  Accident	28 Dec 1954	Hickox, Genesee, Potter, Pennsylvania, USA   [1]
  	Drowning. The body of a Hickox man missing since Dec. 28 was discovered about 4:00 p. m. Thursday in the Genesee River, less than a mile from his home. Arthur Ransom, 78-year-old partial cripple, apparently was a drowning victim. The full clothed body, in remarkably good state of preservation, was discovered along the river bank at the rear of the home of Donald Worden, employe of a Wellsville factory. It was Mr. Worden who saw the body of the man lying in the water.
  	20180710 Center Park- The Potter Enterprise 03 Mar 1955, Thu P1 Clipped by wetzupdoc 20240506GHLn- Body of Missing Hickox Man is Found in River Near His Home The body of a Hickox man missing since Dec. 28 was discovered about 4:00 p. m. Thursday in the Genesee River, less than a mile from his home. Arthur Ransom, 78-year-old partial cripple, apparently was a drowning victim. The full clothed body, in remarkably good state of preservation, was discovered along the river bank at the rear of the home of Donald Worden, employe of a Wellsville factory. It was Mr. Worden who saw the body of the man lying in the water. Break-up of ice in the river led to the discovery. Mr. Worden had gone to the rear of his yard to check on a jam at a fork in the stream which he had noted the day before. The body of Mr. Ransom was lying close to a three-inch thick sheet of ice swept against the bank. The water in the stream was higher than usual because of snowmelt and thawing ice. Coroner Earl A. Brown issued a certificate of death from drowning. State police, who were summoned by Mr. Worden, saw nothing untoward in the death of' Mr. Ransom who was last seen by the woman he lived with between 11:00 and 12:00 midnight on December 27. Scores of Genesee and Hickox men and boys searched the river for days in the belief Mr. Ransom may have stumbled into the water and drowned shortly after leaving his home. Firemen of Genesee led about 85 searchers working under the direction of Frank Hurd, a deputy sheriff, on the final day of the organized hunt. Belief was expressed that the body had been concealed by the ice covering the stream until the break-up the road leading to a bridge over the Genesee near Mr. Ransom's home was ice covered and difficult to negotiate in a car. Their story heightened the belief held from the beginning that the aged man might have slipped and tumbled down the bank into the water. Nothing New to Deputy After 45 Years Tragedy in the Genesee area is nothing new to Deputy Sheriff Frank Hurd. In the 45 years he has served as deputy, he has had a hand in the investigation of 22 or 23 deaths attributable to mishap or self-destruction, he said Thursday. "I have seen a lot of this sort of' thing around here in my time," said Mr. Hurd, now retired from gainful employment. "You get used to it after a while." According to Mrs. Ransom, who is said to be a blood relative of' the drown man, her husband crept out of the house as she slept in a chair. Apparently, there had been a quarrel and Mrs. Ransom was reported as saying that when "he is found he'll have a black eye and a cut on his knee." Examination of the body disclosed an injury of the right eye but no marks on either knee. A wallet found in Mr. Ransom's hip pocket contained $8.00 in bills and 63c in change. A safety razor was found in another pocket. Coroner Earl A. Brown ruled out an autopsy after two pathologists said Under direct examination,... ---------------
  		At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.
  		At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.
  Death	28 Dec 1954	Hickox, Genesee, Potter, Pennsylvania, USA   [1]
  	20180710 Center Park- The Potter Enterprise 03 Mar 1955, Thu P1 Clipped by wetzupdoc 20240506GHLn- Body of Missing Hickox Man is Found in River Near His Home The body of a Hickox man missing since Dec. 28 was discovered about 4:00 p. m. Thursday in the Genesee River, less than a mile from his home. Arthur Ransom, 78-year-old partial cripple, apparently was a drowning victim. The full clothed body, in remarkably good state of preservation, was discovered along the river bank at the rear of the home of Donald Worden, employe of a Wellsville factory. It was Mr. Worden who saw the body of the man lying in the water. Break-up of ice in the river led to the discovery. Mr. Worden had gone to the rear of his yard to check on a jam at a fork in the stream which he had noted the day before. The body of Mr. Ransom was lying close to a three-inch thick sheet of ice swept against the bank. The water in the stream was higher than usual because of snowmelt and thawing ice. Coroner Earl A. Brown issued a certificate of death from drowning. State police, who were summoned by Mr. Worden, saw nothing untoward in the death of' Mr. Ransom who was last seen by the woman he lived with between 11:00 and 12:00 midnight on December 27. Scores of Genesee and Hickox men and boys searched the river for days in the belief Mr. Ransom may have stumbled into the water and drowned shortly after leaving his home. Firemen of Genesee led about 85 searchers working under the direction of Frank Hurd, a deputy sheriff, on the final day of the organized hunt. Belief was expressed that the body had been concealed by the ice covering the stream until the break-up the road leading to a bridge over the Genesee near Mr. Ransom's home was ice covered and difficult to negotiate in a car. Their story heightened the belief held from the beginning that the aged man might have slipped and tumbled down the bank into the water. Nothing New to Deputy After 45 Years Tragedy in the Genesee area is nothing new to Deputy Sheriff Frank Hurd. In the 45 years he has served as deputy, he has had a hand in the investigation of 22 or 23 deaths attributable to mishap or self-destruction, he said Thursday. "I have seen a lot of this sort of' thing around here in my time," said Mr. Hurd, now retired from gainful employment. "You get used to it after a while." According to Mrs. Ransom, who is said to be a blood relative of' the drown man, her husband crept out of the house as she slept in a chair. Apparently, there had been a quarrel and Mrs. Ransom was reported as saying that when "he is found he'll have a black eye and a cut on his knee." Examination of the body disclosed an injury of the right eye but no marks on either knee. A wallet found in Mr. Ransom's hip pocket contained $8.00 in bills and 63c in change. A safety razor was found in another pocket. Coroner Earl A. Brown ruled out an autopsy after two pathologists said Under direct examination,... --------------- Drowning. The body of a Hickox man missing since Dec. 28 was discovered about 4:00 p. m. Thursday in the Genesee River, less than a mile from his home. Arthur Ransom, 78-year-old partial cripple, apparently was a drowning victim. The full clothed body, in remarkably good state of preservation, was discovered along the river bank at the rear of the home of Donald Worden, employe of a Wellsville factory. It was Mr. Worden who saw the body of the man lying in the water.
  		At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.
  		At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.
  Incident	Abt 26 Feb 1955	Hickox, Genesee, Potter, Pennsylvania, USA   [1]
  	Drowning. The body of a Hickox man missing since Dec. 28 was discovered about 4:00 p. m. Thursday in the Genesee River, less than a mile from his home. Arthur Ransom, 78-year-old partial cripple, apparently was a drowning victim. The full clothed body, in remarkably good state of preservation, was discovered along the river bank at the rear of the home of Donald Worden, employe of a Wellsville factory. It was Mr. Worden who saw the body of the man lying in the water.
  	20180710 Center Park- The Potter Enterprise 03 Mar 1955, Thu P1 Clipped by wetzupdoc 20240506GHLn- Body of Missing Hickox Man is Found in River Near His Home The body of a Hickox man missing since Dec. 28 was discovered about 4:00 p. m. Thursday in the Genesee River, less than a mile from his home. Arthur Ransom, 78-year-old partial cripple, apparently was a drowning victim. The full clothed body, in remarkably good state of preservation, was discovered along the river bank at the rear of the home of Donald Worden, employe of a Wellsville factory. It was Mr. Worden who saw the body of the man lying in the water. Break-up of ice in the river led to the discovery. Mr. Worden had gone to the rear of his yard to check on a jam at a fork in the stream which he had noted the day before. The body of Mr. Ransom was lying close to a three-inch thick sheet of ice swept against the bank. The water in the stream was higher than usual because of snowmelt and thawing ice. Coroner Earl A. Brown issued a certificate of death from drowning. State police, who were summoned by Mr. Worden, saw nothing untoward in the death of' Mr. Ransom who was last seen by the woman he lived with between 11:00 and 12:00 midnight on December 27. Scores of Genesee and Hickox men and boys searched the river for days in the belief Mr. Ransom may have stumbled into the water and drowned shortly after leaving his home. Firemen of Genesee led about 85 searchers working under the direction of Frank Hurd, a deputy sheriff, on the final day of the organized hunt. Belief was expressed that the body had been concealed by the ice covering the stream until the break-up the road leading to a bridge over the Genesee near Mr. Ransom's home was ice covered and difficult to negotiate in a car. Their story heightened the belief held from the beginning that the aged man might have slipped and tumbled down the bank into the water. Nothing New to Deputy After 45 Years Tragedy in the Genesee area is nothing new to Deputy Sheriff Frank Hurd. In the 45 years he has served as deputy, he has had a hand in the investigation of 22 or 23 deaths attributable to mishap or self-destruction, he said Thursday. "I have seen a lot of this sort of' thing around here in my time," said Mr. Hurd, now retired from gainful employment. "You get used to it after a while." According to Mrs. Ransom, who is said to be a blood relative of' the drown man, her husband crept out of the house as she slept in a chair. Apparently, there had been a quarrel and Mrs. Ransom was reported as saying that when "he is found he'll have a black eye and a cut on his knee." Examination of the body disclosed an injury of the right eye but no marks on either knee. A wallet found in Mr. Ransom's hip pocket contained $8.00 in bills and 63c in change. A safety razor was found in another pocket. Coroner Earl A. Brown ruled out an autopsy after two pathologists said Under direct examination,... ---------------
  		At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.
  		At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.
  Person ID	I86947	WETZEL-SPRING

  
  

• Event Map

  Accident - Drowning. The body of a Hickox man missing since Dec. 28 was discovered about 4:00 p. m. Thursday in the Genesee River, less than a mile from his home. Arthur Ransom, 78-year-old partial cripple, apparently was a drowning victim. The full clothed body, in remarkably good state of preservation, was discovered along the river bank at the rear of the home of Donald Worden, employe of a Wellsville factory. It was Mr. Worden who saw the body of the man lying in the water. - 28 Dec 1954 - Hickox, Genesee, Potter, Pennsylvania, USA Death - 28 Dec 1954 - Hickox, Genesee, Potter, Pennsylvania, USA Incident - Drowning. The body of a Hickox man missing since Dec. 28 was discovered about 4:00 p. m. Thursday in the Genesee River, less than a mile from his home. Arthur Ransom, 78-year-old partial cripple, apparently was a drowning victim. The full clothed body, in remarkably good state of preservation, was discovered along the river bank at the rear of the home of Donald Worden, employe of a Wellsville factory. It was Mr. Worden who saw the body of the man lying in the water. - Abt 26 Feb 1955 - Hickox, Genesee, Potter, Pennsylvania, USA  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Photos		logs & folks, no date or loc FB190819LNKeCrFo 20190924HAv-, 20210828GHLn- photo re-saved & reworked. Lanny Nunn? Kettle Creek and Cross Fork Remember When Admin · August 19 · 2019 18You and 17 others Like Comment ______________ 20210828GHLn- photo re-saved & reworked. Lanny Nunn · 28 August 2021 · Potter/McKean S.A. Hart, Genesee; F.F. Ransom, Genesee, L.F. Whitaker, Genesee; L.E.…
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• Sources

  [S1993] Newspapers.com: Potter Journal Leader Enterprise-, 03 Mar 1955, Thu p1 Mrs. Claude Fessenden Wins $8,000 Verdict In Suit Against Local Man. 20180710 Center Park-. Edwin Wetzel (1) fact 20230429GHLn- Source added to already-posted Media 20180710 Center Park- The Potter Enterprise 03 Mar 1955, Thu P1 Clipped by wetzupdoc Mrs. Claude Fessenden Wins $8,000 Verdict In Suit Against Local Man. The Potter Enterprise One of Pennsylvania's Good Weekly Newspapers Circulation Week 4183 NET PAID Mrs. Claude Fessenden Wins Verdict In Suit Against Local Man. Mrs. Claude Fessenden, 63-year-old East Second St. woman, was awarded $8,000.00 in a suit asking for $30,000.00 Saturday afternoon. The case went to trial Friday morning. Defendant in the suit was Edwin P. Wetzel, service station worker who lives off East Second Street. A car driven by Mr. Wetzel struck Mrs. Fessenden early on the morning of Sept. 24, 1952 as the woman was crossing East Second St. from her home. An employe of the Coudersport Laundry at the time, Mrs. Fessenden was on the way to work. Mr. Wetzel and Roger Butz, of Ulysses, passenger in the Wetzel car, both testified that the driver made a futile effort to avoid hitting the woman, who suffered an ankle injury. Mrs. Fessenden was threatened (Continued on Page ?) Clipped from The Potter Enterprise, 03 Mar 1955, Thu, Page 1 ___________ 20240506GHLn- The Potter Enterprise 03 Mar 1955, Thu P1 Mrs. Claude Fessenden Wins $8,000 Verdict In Suit Against Local Man. The Potter Enterprise Coudersport, Pennsylvania • Thu, Mar 3, 1955 p1 CLIPPED BY wetzupdoc • Jul 11, 2018 • Circulation Last Week 4183 NET PAID 81ST YEAR--NO. 44 Plaintiffs Win Total of $28,000 In Actions Arising From Accidents Ulysses Man Arrested In Slashing As Sigh Fletcher, of Ulysses, tells it, he was only defending himself when he slashed Lester Short, of Elkland, with a razor blade which he just "happened to have along" when the two men left a car and brawled around near an Elkland cemetery. Arrested by State police of the Coudersport sub-station, Fletcher was jailed in Wellsboro awaiting court action on an aggravated assault and battery and assault with intent to maim charges. He is being held in property bond by Justice of the Peace James Kizer, of Elkland. Recovering from cuts including a three-inch gash above the kidney, Short was treated twice on the day of the incident by an Elkland physician, Dr. Harry Williams. A dispute over route directions reportedly led to the argument. The two men and two minors were returning home from a round of festivities at a restaurant-bar. Fletcher reportedly first pulled a hunting knife from the glove compartment and tried to stab Short while the car was in motion. When that didn't work out, he got his little razor blade -which he said he carried to trim calluses on his feet! Leaving the car, the men rolled around in a field adjacent to Highland Cemetery. It was there that Fletcher allegedly got in his licks with th "bunion peeler." The cutting came to the attention of police when Elkland officer Whitehill learned that Short was being treated by Dr. Williams. Fletcher's arrest followed. William Durst Patient in Hospital At Sayre William Durst was taken to the Robert Packer Hospital in Sayre, Saturday for observation. His condition is not good. He will be brought back to Coudersport the end of the week. John J. Pesock Wins $20,000.00 Award As Result of Crash Near Salladasburg Three Years Ago- Seeks $230,000.00 For Back Injury-Mrs. Claude Fessenden Wins $8,000 Verdict In Suit Against Local Man. Three civil cases were heard during February term of court here, which ended Monday. One case, also a civil action, was put over to May term and another scheduled, to out of come court. un reportedly. A jury of eight women and four men Thursday night awarded John J. Pesock, of Coudersport, $20,000.00 damages for injuries suffered in an auto mishap in March, 1953 near Salladasburg. Passenger in a car driven by Norman Keck, Easton-Fee Chevrolet Co., Inc. salesman, Pesock, a tannery worker, suffered a spine injury when the vehicle left the road and rolled Pesock brought suit against Easton-Pee for $230,000.00. An earlier hearing of the case ended in mistrial. According to testimony presented at the four-day trial, Mr. Pesock underwent an operation for correction of a spinal injury. He had been in at least two other hospitals for treatment of the injury, it was brought out. Medical bills of $3,110.00 allegedly incurred by the plaintiff result of the mishap included $2,750.00 for the services of Dr. R. H. Kazmierski, local physician and surgeon. Dr. Kazmierski was cross-examined at length by George Linton, Wellsboro attorney and member of the law firm of Linton and Walrath who represented Easton-Fee, as to his qualifications. Mr. Linton questioned the doctor as to his background and qualifications. He brought out that Dr Kazmierski does not practice in the local hospital. --------- Court Session Costs Taxpayers $1,300.00 Plus Last week's session of court here cost Potter County taxpayers more than $1,300.00, it was learned. Salaries of jurors and court officers were the chief items of costs. Three civil cases were heard during the session-one lasting four days. Mrs. Claude Fessenden Wins Verdict In Suit Against Local Man. Mrs. Claude Fessenden, 63-year-old East Second St. woman, was awarded $8,000.00 in a suit asking for $30,000.00 Saturday afternoon. The case went to trial Friday morning. Defendant in the suit was Edwin P. Wetzel, service station worker who lives off East Second Street. A car driven by Mr. Wetzel struck Mrs. Fessenden early on the morning of Sept. 24, 1952 as the woman was crossing East Second St. from her home. An employe of the Coudersport Laundry at the time, Mrs. Fessenden was on the way to work. Mr. Wetzel and Roger Butz, of Ulysses, passenger in the Wetzel car, both testified that the driver made a futile effort to avoid hitting the woman, who suffered an ankle injury. Mrs. Fessenden was threatened (Continued on Page 6) Clipped from The Potter Enterprise, 03 Mar 1955, Thu, p1 __________________ 20180710 Center Park- The Potter Enterprise 03 Mar 1955, Thu p6 Court, continued from Page 1 Clipped by wetzupdoc SIX Court (Continued from Page 1) ... with the loss of her leg for a time a result of the accident, Dr. Herman C. Mosch, her doctor and witness for the plaintiff, testified. The physician-surgeon said Mrs. Fessenden suffered 75% disability as a result. Mrs. Pessenden brought suit for $30,000,00. The balance or $50,000.00 was entered in behalf of her husband for the woman's loss of earnings. Mrs. Fessenden operates a laundry business from her home. She has been unable to work at the Coudersport Laundry since the mishap. John E. Rydesky and William Higie, of Emporium, represented the plaintiff. Berger and Young, Coudersport law firm, was counsel for the defendant. The Emporium lawyers also represented John J. Pesock in his suit against Easton-Fee Chevrolet Co., Inc. A disputed tract of land totalling 100 acres was awarded to Buell Leache, of Rome, N. Y. by a jury Monday. The land had been acquired at a tax sale by Raymond Lamphier, of Westfield, in November, 1951 for $37.85. At the expiration of two years, failure of the owner to pay the back taxes, plus interest and costs, would have given title to the land by Mr. Lamphier. As a result of what was as a clerical omission in the county treasurer's office, Mr. Lamphier was led to believe that the became his property on Nov. 1953. However, it was brought out that taxes had been paid on the property by Mrs. Stanley C. Welfling, wife of the county treasurer. [It's a procedure not without precedent and perfectly proper. Ed.] But apparently, no record of the transaction was made. Mr. Lamphier sued to take title to the tract as direct result. A civil suit against a Potter County potato grower, Edward P. Gagnon, brought by the General Bag Corporation, was withdrawn. The bag company and spud grower came to legal blows over a shipment of textile bags purchased by the defendant. A Suit against Robert Froebel, of Coudersport, brought by James Berry, of Rochester, NY, was put over to May term of court by agreement of both sides. A car driven by Froebel struck and seriously injured injured the Rochester man on Route 6 east of here about three miles. The latter was standing near his stalled car when the eastbound Froebel auto plowed into him, knocking Mr. Berry into a roadside field. ______________ Dr. Arthur Junker Named President of Staff Dr. Arthur Junker, Wellsville dental dental surgeon recently was named president of the Jones Memorial Hospital Medical Staff. Other officers include: Dr. Kurt Zinner. vice president. Dr. Robger Blaisdell secretary-treasurer. secretary-treasurer. secretary-treasurer. Dr. Paul Rockwell, delegate to the Medical Conference of the Rochester Rochester Regional Hospital Conference. Conference. Dr. Leon Roper, Belmont, alternate. alternate. Dr. Leon Roper, Belmont, alternate. alternate. Mr. Junker is the son of Mrs. Julius Junker of Coudersport. Tuesday Hridjre Club At Huston Home Mrs. Harry Huston entertained members of the Tuesday Bridge Club at her home this week. Mrs. Robert G. Grabe and Mrs. Harold H. Bradley Bradley were substitutes. Prizes were awarded to Mrs. George H. Grabe, Mrs. Robert G. Grabe and Mrs. L. R. Brocklebank. Other members present were Mrs. F. W. Gunzburger, Mrs. Adna M. Cole, Mrs. Victor L. Mason and Mrs. Edward D. Fisher. Family Dinner Held At Moshier Home, Roulette Mr. and Mrs. Harry Moshier and family of Roulette entertained for dinner Saturday evening the following following members of their family, Mr. and Mrs. Stewart Moshier of Coudersport, Coudersport, Mr. and Mrs. Roy Moshier cf Roulette, Mr. and Mrs. Claude Kimball of Kenmore, N. Y.. and Mrs. Elizabeth Benson of Coudersport. THE POTTER Gross Family at Seven Bridges Loses Everything as Fire Destroys Home Scores of persons and several or ganized groups including the Red Cross have rallied to the aid of a Seven Bridges family of seven bereft bereft of everything they owned ex cept the clothes they were wearing when their home was destroyed by fire in mid-afternoon mid-afternoon mid-afternoon Thursday. Victims of the fire were Mr. and Mrs. Howard Gross and their five children. Only Mrs. Gross and the children were at home when the fire broke out the head of the family was confined to the hospital here. Local firemen were notified of the blaze shortly before 3:00 p. m. Because of the alleged refusal of Allegany Township supervisors to come to an agreement with the local volunteer department to meet the cost of sending equipment from Coudersport to fires occurring In that township, the alarm was not answered, on orders of the fire chief, John V. Mayers. The warp ing siren was not sounded. Chief Explains Action In Not Responding Allegany Township supervisors supervisors and auditors do not recognize the Coudersport Fire Department, Fire Chief John V. Mayers said Tuesday night. That's why the local fir"emen did not respond to a call for help at a dwelling fire Thursday in Allegany Township Township the Howard Gross home at Seven Bridges. According to a tentative agreement, Allegany Township officials were to split a one-mill one-mill one-mill assessment for fire protection protection three ways with Ulysses, Coudersport and Genesee each to get an estimated estimated $46.00, Mr. Mayers explained. As it worked out, however, Ulysses and Genesee Potter County Red Cross Chapter Seeks $3,371.00 This Month 1!)55 Campaign Plea is Made By Co-Chairman Co-Chairman Co-Chairman Robert W. McNary $1,900.00 Of Goal Is Earmarked For Local Use. f- f- s hmiim "When you join the Red Cross you .join a fellowship dedicated to the re-liei' re-liei' re-liei' of human suffering," said Robert Robert McNary, co-chairman co-chairman co-chairman of the annual annual fund campaign which got underway underway Tuesday. "Your effort and contribution becomes of greater importance importance because it is strengthened and supported by many others who also join and serve." Mr. McNary asked for "all out" support of the Red Cross drive. j Campaign workers of the Potter , County Chapter set out Tuesday morning to call on every household- household- er in the chapter area. Business places and industries will be asked to contribute to the Red Cross. The chapter quota In the month-long month-long month-long fund effort Is $3,371.00, Miss Kathryn English, co-chairman, co-chairman, co-chairman, an nounced, Tuesday. xji me loiai, $1,906.00 will be retained by the Potter Potter County Chapter for local use, with the balance going to national headquarters. Miss English is directing directing the drive in rural areas and communities outside of Coudersport. Mrs. William I. Leete is chairman of the drive locally. Sub-chairmen Sub-chairmen Sub-chairmen are Mrs. Edward Fisher, First Ward residential; Mrs. Harold H. Bradley, First Ward business; Mrs. Howard Kisner, Second Ward residential; Mrs. Kenneth Rexford, Second Ward business, and Mr. McNary, clubs and industries. Heading the campaign in other communities are: Austin By The Austin a prayer president. the group Mrs. accompanist. Secretary were read award outstanding The 4th for having parents Mrs. announced given to pre-school pre-school pre-school W. G. representative for the pack who which Mrs. the guest president She spoke in relation school. Mrs. chairman of assisted There next Lad of Honored Mrs. vited a her. home her son eighth was which ice cream Douglas Baldwin Austin; stine, Clipped from The Potter Enterprise, 03 Mar 1955, Thu, Page 6 The Potter Enterprise 03 Mar 1955, Thu P6 - Court, continued from Page 1 wetzupdoc · 10 Jul 2018 The Potter Enterprise One of Pennsylvania's Good Weekly Newspapers Circulation Week 4183 NET PAID 20240506GHLn- Body of Missing Hickox Man is Found in River Near His Home The body of a Hickox man missing since Dec. 28 was discovered about 4:00 p. m. Thursday in the Genesee River, less than a mile from his home. Arthur Ransom, 78-year-old partial cripple, apparently was a drowning victim. The full clothed body, | in remarkably good state of preservation, was discovered along the river bank at the rear of the home of Donald Worden, employe of a Wellsville factory. It was Mr. Worden who saw the body of the man lying in the water. Break-up of ice in the river led to the discovery. Mr. Worden had gone to the rear of his yard to check on a jam at a fork in the stream which he had noted the day before. The body of Mr. Ransom was lying close to a three-inch thick sheet of ice swept against the bank. The water in the stream was higher than usual because of snowmelt and thawing ice. Coroner Earl A. Brown issued a certificate of death from drowning. State police, who were summoned by Mr. Worden, saw nothing untoward in the death of' Mr. Ransom who was last seen by the woman he lived with between 11:00 and 12:00 midnight on December 27. Scores of Genesee and Hickox men and boys searched the river for days in the belief Mr. Ransom may have stumbled into the water and drowned shortly after leaving his home. Firemen of Genesee led about 85 searchers working under the direction of Frank Hurd, a deputy sheriff, on the final day of the organized hunt. Belief was expressed that the body had been concealed by the ice covering the stream until the break-up the road leading to a bridge over the Genesee near Mr. Ransom's home was ice covered and difficult to negotiate in a car. Their story heightened the belief held from the beginning that the aged man might have slipped and tumbled down the bank into the water. Nothing New to Deputy After 45 Years Tragedy in the Genesee area is nothing new to Deputy Sheriff Frank Hurd. In the 45 years he has served as deputy, he has had a hand in the investigation of 22 or 23 deaths attributable to mishap or self-destruction, he said Thursday. "I have seen a lot of this sort of' thing around here in my time," said Mr. Hurd, now retired from gainful employment. "You get used to it after a while." According to Mrs. Ransom, who is said to be a blood relative of' the drown man, her husband crept out of the house as she slept in a chair. Apparently, there had been a quarrel and Mrs. Ransom was reported as saying that when "he is found he'll have a black eye and a cut on his knee." Examination of the body disclosed an injury of the right eye but no marks on either knee. A wallet found in Mr. Ransom's hip pocket contained $8.00 in bills and 63c in change. A safety razor was found in another pocket. Coroner Earl A. Brown ruled out an autopsy after two pathologists said Under direct examination,... --------------- At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld. At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.

  
  

TEST MARKER

TNG ID: I86947