TWO FOUND DEAD NEAR MILL POND TUESDAY NOON
Carbon Monoxide Victims Remain There Two or Three Days

This community was shocked and grieved by one of the most tragic accidents occurring here in many years when two young lives were snuffed out by carbon monoxide gas some time between Saturday evening and Sunday forenoon.

The dead bodies of Iris Badger, eighteen year old daughter of Mrs. Arthur Mayhew, of the Currie Farm in Vernon Township and Charles Ackerman, eighteen year old son of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Ackerman, of Wise Township were found in the Ackerman car near the mill dam at the eastern city limits, at about noon Tuesday, by Stanley Parish, who had taken his little son, Jimmy, to this location to try out a new gun Stanley had recently acquired.

Stanley had been out to the mill dam at about the same time Sunday and saw the car there then, but thought nothing of it as young couples occasionally drive out to this spot, but when he went out again Tuesday and found the car still there, he became suspicious and investigated.

Deputy Sheriff James Clute, Coroner Andrew Friz, Chief of Police John Rodabaugh and Prosecuting Attorney Donald E. Holbrook were called to the scene of the tragedy for investigation and the bodies brought to local mortuaries. Dr. B.J. Sanford examined the bodies and testified at an inquest held Tuesday afternoon that the young people had died between two and three days before they were found Tuesday noon and that no signs of violence had been found.

The motor was still turned on when the accident was discovered, but had stopped running when the gas tank became empty, and two breaks were found in the exhaust pipe that showed conclusively that carbon monoxide gas could escape into the car.

The young couple, where last seen alive Saturday evening, had been very close friends and were planning on being married soon, so consequently, when they failed to return to their homes Saturday evening, it was thought they had eloped and would return in a few days. However, the parents had become worried when they had not been heard from by Tuesday, and the parents were planning on notifying police of their disappearance only a short time before the bodies were found.

Close friends and relatives of the accident victims know of no trouble between them and the theory of suicide was entirely discounted by officials.

Funeral services for Charles Frederick Ackerman were held from the Thurston Funeral Home at 2:00 o'clock Thursday afternoon, with Dr. John H. Hall officiating and interment in Cherry Grove Cemetery.

Funeral services for Iris Badger will be held from the Clare Church of God at 2:00 o'clock this Friday afternoon with Rev. Harry Cleveland officiating and interment in the Gladwin Cemetery. (Clare Sentinel – Clare, MI - 13 November 1942)