Charles A. Nash was a World War I veteran. He was employed by Harry Blagden as a well-driller. He apparently suffered from shell-shock, or post-traumatic stress disorder.
Advance-News, May 2, 1936
Canton Man Found In Big Woods
TUPPER Lake. May 1.—Charles A. Nash, 43, of Canton, father of four children, was recovering in Mercy General hospital here today after a hectic eight hours' experience in the dense and swampy woodlands two miles from the Stockade Trading Post, a trading post owned by H.H. Blagden, at Upper Saranac.
The man, a well driller employed by Blagden at Upper Saranac, disappeared into the woods about 8:30 Thursday morning and was found eight hours later by a posse of state police and C. C. C. boys from the Barnum Pond camp. He was in a greatly weakened condition and was suffering considerably from exposure.
Mr. Nash was unconscious when found and was carried from the marshy woodlands to the awaiting trooper's car. Upon arriving at the hospital he remained in a coma and it was not until about midnight that he became conscious. He had been in a semi-coma at intervals until that time.
This morning Mr. Nash was unable to remember any of the happenings which ensued from the time he left his parked car by the highway with his wife, Mrs. Ilah I. Nash, in it until he was found at about 4:15 p. m...
Tupper Lake Free Press, May 7, 1936
DISCHARGE NASH FROM HOSPITAL HERE SUNDAY
CANTON MAN WHO DISAPPEARED IN FISH CREEK SECTOR THURSDAY FULLY RECOVERED FROM EXPERIENCE
Charles A. Nash, 43, of Canton, who was the object of a wide search last Thursday when he disappeared — apparently the victim of a temporary dementia — in the Fish Creek sector, was discharged Sunday from Mercy General Hospital, fully recovered.
Mr. Nash, a World War veteran, was shell-shocked during his overseas service and his spell last week is believed to have been due to recurrent effects of that condition. He was found after an eight hour search about 4:16 o'clock Thursday afternoon, leaning against a tree and in a state of coma. Carried from that dense wooded sector, he was removed in a state troopers' patrol car to Mercy General Hospital, where it was several hours before he fully regained consciousness. He was unable to remember anything which occurred from the time he parked his car about two miles from the Stockade Trading Post on the Upper Saranac road Thursday morning, leaving his wife behind, until he recovered at the local hospital. A severe pain in his head of which he complained on coming out of the coma, had disappeared before his discharge Sunday.
Mr. Nash, a well-driller, was in the employ of H. H. Blagden at Upper Saranac. Corporal C. J. McDonough, Trooper R. J. Guilfoyle and a posse from the Barnum Pond CCC Camp led the search.
