The Monongahela river claimed its first victim of this season in the district Monday afternoon;June 3;1936;when a Pricedale boy;swimming with four companions near Belle Vernon;was drowned when he jumped from a raft into water over his depth. Frank Bartus;11;went swimming behind some bushes on the river bank between the railroad station and Second street in Belle Vernon Monday afternoon. With him were Andy Beregi;10;John Long;8 and Sidney Long;5. Frank and Andy mounted a small raft and shoved out from the shore. The latter;who can swim a little;jumped off when the raft reached water over his depth and started for the bank. A few seconds later;Frank jumped into the water. Unable to swim;he began to flounder. Andy quickly reached the struggling boy’s side but could not cope with his flailing arms and legs;and Frank went down. Andy;quickly donning his trousers;ran for the police;and Charles Johnson;a substitute officer;answered the call together with several fireman and volunteers. A crowd of over 800 was attracted to the river bank and quite a number of persons assisted in the search. They immediately began to drag the river bottom with grappling hooks from two boats;but their efforts were without avail until after 5 o’clock when the body was discovered close to the bank. Frank had gone down about 3:30. It was useless to attempt resuscitation and the body was immediatly removed to the Melenyzer funeral parlor to be prepared for burial. Frank less than a year ago was discharged from a hospital where he had spent nearly two years recovering from injuries received when he was struck by an automobile. A fractured leg nearly crippled him. He was a pupil in the fifth grade of the Rostraver Township school. He is survived by his parents;Mr.and Mrs.Joseph Bartus;three brothers;Albert;Steve and John and a sister;Mary. Funeral services will be held Saturday morning at 10 o’clock;from St.Sebastian Church. Interment in Belle Vernon Cemetery.

James Burrows;Jr.aged 28 years;of Belle Vernon;employed as a meter reader for the People’s Natural Gas Compnay in Monessen for the past ten years;died Sunday afternoon;May 31;1936;at 1:15 o’clock in the Charleroi-Monessen Hospital. Death resulted from complications;which followed an operation three days ago. Surviving are his wife;Mrs.Madeline Burrows;two children;James;3 years and Dorothy;6 months;his parents;Mr.and Mrs.James Burrows;Sr. and four brothers;Walter;Edward;Howard and Clarence;all of 301 Roley St.;Belle Vernon. The deceased’s father is also employed by the People’s Natural Gas Company. Funeral services will be held at the late home;301 Roley street;Belle Vernon;Wednesday morning followed by Requiem High Mass at 9 o’clcok in St.Sebastian’s Catholic Church;Belle Vernon. Rev.D.N.Murphy will be in charge. Interment will be in Belle Vernon Cemetery.

Henry Byron died Thursday morning;May 28;1936;at 6:30 o’clock at his home;903 Graham street;North Belle Vernon;after a short illness. He had been a resident of Belle Vernon for the past twenty-five years and during that time was employed at the Pittsburgh Steel company in this city. Surviving are his wife;Mary Ann Byron;three daughters;Mrs.Willaim Jodan;Mrs.Peter Horan and Mrs.Glenn Mills;all of Monessen;also seven sons;John;James;William and Harry Byron;all of Monessen;Edward Byron; of Colver;Pa.;Robert Byron; of Blairsville;and Earl McCall; of Belle Vernon. Two sisters;Mrs.Elizabeth Hays;of Pratt City;Alabama;and Mrs.Margaret Twist;of Pittsburgh;Kansas;also survive;along with two brothers;Thomas Byron;of Phillipsburg;and William Byron;of Monessen;thirty-three grandchildren and twenty-seven great-grandchildren. Funeral services are announced for Sunday;May 31;at 2 p.m.from the late home;with Rev.Lester M.Worthy;pastor of the Episcopal Churches at Monessen and Monongahela;officiating. He will be assisted by Rev.H.C.Dunn;of the Union Church at Pricedale. Interment will follow in the Belle Vernon Cemetery.

Robert M.Bell;aged 55 years;died on Monday night;May 11;1936;at the home of a son;John R.Bell;of Linwood;following a week’s illness.  The deceased;for a number of years;was associated with the Belle Vernon Construction company.  He is survived by two sons;John R.and Robert;three brothers;Samuel;of Belle Vernon;William;of Charleroi;and Cyril;of Pittsburgh;also three sisters;Mrs.Myrtle Fishel and Miss Mildred Buckle;of Altoona;and Mrs.Jennie Ripple;of Orbisonia.  Funeral services will be held  at 2 o’clock;Friday afternoon;May 15;1936;from the home of the decedent’s brother;Samuel;of Fells street;Belle Vernon.  Interment will follow in the Belle Vernon Cemetery.