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Idaho County Free Press
Thursday, May 15, 1947
BODY ROBT CORNETT (Arthur Lee) FOUND IN SNAKE RIVER
Graveside services for Robert L. Cornett, 53, who drowned in the Salmon River on
the afternoon of April 20 while transporting friends across the stream, were
held Monday, May 12, at John Day with the Rev. Harold Black officiating.
The body of Cornett was taken from the Snake River at 12:35 o'clock last
Thursday afternoon at what is known as Duck Island. Howard Gilliam and Emery
Martin, who were catching driftwood, discovered the body and rowed out and
guided it to the Idaho shoreline. The body was taken to Vassar-Rawls chapel in
Lewiston where it was positively identified by the boots worn and by dentures
and was later brought to Grangeville by the Coroner Glenn Ailor.
Cornett, a veteran of World War I, had made his home in the Riggins area for the
last eight years following the profession of mining and prospecting. On the day
of his death, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Fenton and Mr. and Mrs. U.K. Gill of this
city had gone to visit at the Cornett home. Mr. Cornett had transported the
women and children across the river to his home and had returned to take the men
across but as they neared the middle of the river the cable snapped, throwing
the men into the river. Fenton and McGill, both expert swimmers, managed to gain
the shore after swimming and being carried several hundred feet downstream, but
Cornett went down. The wives of the men witnessed the tragedy from the shore,
but were unable to identify the men while they were still in the water.
Surviving Cornett is his wife, Mrs. Cora Cornett and his son, W.M. Cornett of
Riggins.
Thursday, May 22, 1947-pg. 4: The article in last weeks paper
relative to the drowning of Robert L. Cornett should have read Arthur L. Cornett
*Also surviving him was a daughter, Bertha White.
Submitted by Chris Cornett
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