Raft Capsizes, Youth Drowns

Crawfordsville, Ind – (UP) – The body of Baxter Weber, 20, Olney, Ill believed drowned last night (Sunday, February 25, 1951) when a raft was swept over an 8-foot dam, was sought today in flood-swollen-Sugar Creek.

Weber, a Wabash College junior and Tom Henderson, 19, Houston, Tx, were riding in the home-made rubber raft when it capsized.

Henderson was taken to Culver hospital in serious condition from shock and exposure. A third youth, Robert Pillard, 20, Valparaiso, Ind got off the raft just before the accident. Pillard ran to a power plant nearby and workers telephoned police and firemen who rushed to the scene with lights, a few minutes after the tragedy occurred at about 8:30 last night.

Both Weber and Henderson clung to the raft for about 30 minutes as a strong undertow near the dam sucked them under several times. When the raft broke loose and shot downstream, Pillard waded in and pulled Henderson to safety. Weber lost his grip and was swept down by the strong current.

Lights were played on the creek all night as 250 persons covered both banks about one mile from the scene of the accident. Police, firemen and approximately 150 other persons continued the search this morning but found no trace of Weber’s body.

The Republic (Columbus, IN) – Monday, February 26, 1951

Among the hundreds of persons who lined the banks of the stream was Dr. Bernard Weber, father of the drowned youth. Dr. Weber arrived here yesterday accompanied by his wife and Dr. and Mrs. C.L. Jordan, also of Olney.

The raft which carried Weber to his death was constructed by the three students earlier in the day. It consisted of a tractor innertube tied to ropes with a flimsy piece of plywood. It was about four feet across.

The raft was put into the stream north of the light plant dam after the three youths had driven to the creek bank in Weber’s car. Pillard and Weber had planned to make the trip downstream but at the last minute Pillard changed his mind and Henderson took his place. Weber when last seen was struggling in the swirling waters about 100 feet below the dam.

Henderson was pulled to safety by Avery Newlin, who left a sickbed to go to the scene.

The Indianapolis Star (Indianapolis, IN) – Tuesday, February 27, 1951

National Guardsmen yesterday joined in the search for the body. As the search entered the sixth day, scores of volunteers worked with state Police, city police and city firemen in dragging the stream and patrolling the banks

The Indianapolis Star (Indianapolis, IN) – Sunday March 4, 1951

The body of Baxter Chenoweth Weber, Wabash College junior pre-medical student, 20 years old was found in Sugar Creek yesterday just nine weeks after he fell off a home-made raft here.

The Olney, Ill student’s body was found under an overhanging tree branch, a mile downstream from the dam over which the raft was swept.

The discovery was made by Fire Chief, Elmer Dickman, who personally has conducted an almost constant search through the nine weeks. He had been working yesterday with a professional diver, Woodrow Rigsby, Fort Wayne, hired by Weber’s family.

The Indianapolis Star (Indianapolis, IN) – Monday, April 30, 1951

Graveside services at Haven Hill Cemetery were held this afternoon for Baxter Chenoweth "Dick" Weber  with the Rev. H. C. Peterson officiating.

Dick, the twenty year old junior student at Wabash College at Crawfordsville, IN, the popular son of Dr. and Mrs. Bernard A. Weber of Olney, was drowned Sunday, February 25th (1951) in Sugar Creek at Crawfordsville, IN and the discovery of his body at 4:30 yesterday afternoon culminated a nine week search of the swift stream.

Groups of Olney and Richland County men had participated in the search almost every weekend.

The tragedy occurred after Dick, a junior at Wabash, and two other students had launched a homemade raft in Sugar Creek near the city light plant Sunday evening February 25th.

Dick, a fine young man, is survived by his parents, two brothers, Bernard Weber, a student of the University of Illinois and Ben Weber of Olney, two sisters, Louise Weber, a student at Indiana University, Bloomington, IN and Ann Weber of Olney and his maternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Baxter Chenoweth of Taneytown, MD.

Published in the Olney Daily Mail (IL) - April 30, 1951