Monroe County PA Archives News.....Zadok DECKER's Body Found in Creek Near His Home July 12, 1916
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   Paul Olsson rectorstpaulsmp@att.net April 2, 2007, 9:59 am
   
   E. Stroudsburg Morning Press July 12, 1916
   With his hands clutching tightly to bushes on the bank, indicating a struggle 
   for life, the body of Zadok Decker, the aged man who leaped from the second 
   story of his home on Ann street, Stroudsburg, Sunday morning and disappeared, 
   was found by his grandson Lloyd Reynolds, on Tuesday forming in the McMichaels 
   creek not far from the rear of his home. Whether the man fell into the water 
   accidentally or with suicidal intent is an open question.
   When found the body was clad in two shirts and a pair of socks. Coming 
   suddenly on the object in the water, young Reynolds, the 14 year old son of 
   Mr. and Mrs. Harry Trach, of Easton, who had been staying at the Decker home 
   for some time and a friend, Lee Serfass, 13 years old, screamed lustily. Chief 
   of Police Welter, Bert Decker, son of the deceased, and Reuben Phillips were 
   among the first on the scene, a point just in the rear of the James Farry home.
   Procuring a rowboat Decker and Phillips went out in an attempt to rescue the 
   body. It was so heavy from being water soaked that they could not lift it into 
   the boat. Young Decker who is about 20 years old, was unable to stand the 
   strain and Constable A.E. Miller took his place in the boat. After bringing 
   Decker to the shore he together with Phillips towed the body to the rear of 
   the Buzzard wagon shop, where the remains were lifted from the water and 
   placed in charge of Undertaker Randall of East Stroudsburg.
   A coroner's jury composed of Chief Welter, J. Frank Dreher, Moses Phillips, 
   William Walton, and Clark Nase conducted an investigation into the cause of 
   the aged man's death under District Attorney LaBar and Justice of the Peace 
   Gruver, and soon after returned a verdict of "accidental drowning."
   Decker was one of the most widely known men in the eastern section of Monroe 
   county. He was about 62 years of age. The greater part of his life was spent 
   in the vicinity of the Stroudsburgs and Delaware Water Gap and for many years 
   he was a raftsman ...
   
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