Born: 1869
Died: November 24, 1890
Eddie Weller died in a skating accident on Moody Pond. His elder brother died trying to save him. They are both buried in Pine Ridge Cemetery.
Plattsburgh Sentinel, November 28, 1890
TWO BROTHERS DROWNED.
One was Trying to Rescue the Other —Broke Though the Ice.
Two brothers, Samuel and Eddie Weller, were drowned in Moody Pond, near Saranac Lake, Monday morning. The younger, Eddie, aged nineteen years, went upon the pond to skate, against the entreaties of his brother. Samuel sat by the window and saw his brother break through the ice. Rushing to his rescue he reached over to seize Edward, but the ice gave way and both were drowned.
A little boy saw them go down and gave the alarm. They were soon taken from the pond but life was extinct.
Mrs. Weller, the mother, was visiting friends in Hartford, Conn., where a telegram notified her of the sudden death of her only children. Mr. Weller is nearly broken-hearted.
Our Saranac Lake correspondent writes: Our community was greatly shocked on Monday, to hear of the death by drowning of two young men, Samuel and Eddie Weller, well known and well liked by all. The mother of the boys was visiting friends in Hartford, Conn., whom she had not seen for sixteen years. On Monday morning, Eddie, the younger one, wished to skate on Moody Pond near which they lived; his brother protested, as it was not safe, and entreated him not to go. But poor Eddie thought he knew best and ventured out. Sammy sat at the window and soon saw him go down. He rushed out as he was to the rescue, telling Reggie Benham, a boy of ten not to come for he might be drowned too. He reached the place and leaned over to grasp his brother, when the ice gave way under him and he was strangling in the water. Reggie gave the alarm at once, but no help was near, and when taken from the water they were past recovery.
The boys were the only children of their parents. Mr. Weller was distracted when he saw his two boys brought in dead, and had to be removed by friendly force and kept away. Mrs. Weller had one son by a former marriage, and he was drowned when he was seventeen years old.
A dispatch was sent to the bereft mother, and she is expected home Tuesday.
Sammy and Eddie as they were called, had friends wherever known, for they were good sons, and safe companions. Just a few weeks ago, the mother speaking of some act of kindness of theirs to her, said: “If I am not rich, I have good sons, and she was rich in them.” What desolation awaits the parents now, and how little the sympathy of the whole neighborhood can reach their hearts, when they look around the home their dead boys always blessed and cheered. God alone can comfort such sorrow.
M. E.
