Sterling Valley, NY Lake Ontario Drownings, Jan 1929

Fear 2 Lads Drowned In Lake Ontario

Think One Broke Through Ice and Other Died in Rescue.

Fulton, Jan. 15.---Two Sterling Valley youths who have been chums for life are believed to have drowned in the icy waters of Lake Ontario, Sunday.

The youths, Ward Hadley, 10, son of Mabel Simmons, and Robert Cooper, son of Mr. and Mrs. W. A. Cooper, were last seen Sunday morning at 10 o'clock, when they "went for a hike."

The supposition of searchers, who started looking for the boys is that one broke through the thin ice a short distance from shore. The other took off his heavy clothing and jumped in, it is believed, in a futile attempt to rescue his chum.

More than 100 residents of the little lake resort of Sterling Valley, headed by Merton and Wallace Cooper, brothers of Robert, and Gilbert Simmons, step-brother of Hadley, have been searching that section for the two youths since Sunday night when they failed to return to their homes.

Shortly after 7 o'clock last night, the searches after trampling along the lake shore in the sub-zero weather, which was held this section in its grip, come across a bundle of clothing about a half-mile from the Simmons home.

Investigation showed that the clothing was young Hadley's coat, sweater and boots. Although they did not venture out on the treacherous ice, they cold see a hole not too far distant from the shore.

It was decided that they would return to the scene in the morning an with proper utensils go out to the break in the ice.

Dynamite was used yesterday afternoon in the section near where the clothing was found in an effort to raise the bodies, by the elder Cooper [ineligible line].

Sheriff Nichols assumed charge of the searchers this morning, when the party started out at 7 o'clock.

The two youths started out Sunday morning and at nightfall when they had failed to return the two families got in touch with each other. When they had not shown up at 8 o'clock a searching party was instituted.

Syracuse Herald, Syracuse, NY 15 Jan 1929
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Transcribed by Linda Horton. Thank you, Linda!