grave import

Obituary

Just before noon today, friends of AB Binder who had been scouring the island and scanning the river back for clues discovered Binder’s hat snagged on a section of fishnet near shore, confirming their worst fears that he had met death by drowning. Coroner Prugh was notified and the active dragging of the river for the man’s body was stated this afternoon.
Friends and relatives are reported dragging the river along one side of O’Connell island today for the body of Albert B. (Bay) Binder, 49, of 1417 Lincoln Street, who has disappeared and is believed to have been drowned Thursday afternoon while on a fishing trip up the river. According to relatives the probability that Binder was drowned was not discovered until a comparison of notes revealed that he had not remained on the island and neither had he returned home Thursday night.
Binder, who at one time was an employee of the Chittenden & Eastman company, has been unemployed for a number of months. According to his wife, he left home Thursday morning with the intention of fishing in Flint Creek. Later he was reported seen in the Willow Patch, where it is understood he secured a rowboat and rowed to O’Connell Island where he spent the day with Fred Schauenberg and “Beanie” Schauenberg, friends of his who live on the island.
According to reports of the incident, he left the Schauenberg cabin about 4 o’clock intending to get back into his rowboat which was tied to the bank with his day’s catch of fish in it and hoping that a passing launch would tow his boat back to the mainland. The Schauenbergs are said to have paid no attention to him after he left their place supposing he carried out his plans.
His wife says she did not become unnecessarily alarmed when he did not return home on Thursday night, learning that he had gone to O’Connells and assuming that he was spending a few days with the Schauenberg’s on the island. When John Schnizel, a neighbor, returned from a visit to the island yesterday he was asked about Bindere, and when he said Binder was not on O’Connell’s an investigation was started.
The boat Binder used was found tied to the shore of the island with the string of fish inside. The river bank at the point is steep and the theory advanced is that he slipped down the bank and was drowned. It is reported that one of the Schauenberg’s now recalls that he thought he heard a call for help but paid no attention to it.
The last man reported to have seen Binder in the Willow patch before he went to the Island was Jim Moyers and it is understood that Binder rented the boat which he used.
Binder is a native of Burlington and married. Before her marriage his wife was Miss Hazel Van Est. He also has a 5-year-od daughter, Janet Doris, and a number of Brothers and sisters, including Edward, Daniel, and Clara Binder, Mrs. Honna Koch, and Mrs. Mary Suesens.

Article after he was found:
The body of Albert B. Binder, 48, for which the river has been dragged for several days, was recovered shortly before noon at the east side of O’Connell island by Roy Chestnut and his 16-year-old son, Glenn, 649 South Ninth Street after they saw a hand above the surface of the water as they were riding up the river in their launch.
The body was lying in shallow water a quarter of a mile below the place where Binder’s hat was found and where it was believed he had drowned. Rivermen do not believe that the body could have floated to the shallow water from the deeper section and it is thought that Binder may have committed suicide. He is said to have been despondent when he left O’Connell island late Thursday afternoon. This was the last time he was seen.
His fish were found in the boat and for this reason, it is believed that he never returned to the lake. Mrs. Binder thought her husband was spending a few days on the island and did not become alarmed when he did not come home Thursday night. But when it became known that he was not on the island a search was begun and his hat was found in the river. The river was dragged for the body all day Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, and the search was to have continued yesterday.
Binder had previously been employed at the Chittenden- Eastman company but had been out of work since last June.
He was born in Burlington, Oct. 3, 1882, and had lived here all his life. On Dec. 10, 1913, he was married here to Miss Hazel Vanest, who survives. Besides his widow, he is survived by one daughter, Janet, 5; Brothers and sisters, including Edward, Daniel, Gotlieb, and Clara Binder, Mrs. Honna Koch, and Mrs. Mary Suesens.
He was a member of Zion Evangelical church.
Funeral services will be at Prugh’s Chapel Thursday at 2 pm. Burial will be in Aspen Grove Cemetery.
No inquest will be held, Coroner BA Prugh said.