Chester D. Brinkworth

Accidental drowning
C D and Leon Brinkworth
Assistant and Substitute Keeper
respectively, Crabtree Ledge L S ME Oct. 5, 1916

Commissioner of Lighthouses, Washington, D. C.

In accordance with my telegram of the 4th inst. and with reference to Bureau's indorsement of October 3rd in re drowning of Assistant Keeper Chester D. Brinkworth and his brother, Leon, at Crabtree Ledge Light Station, Me.

I have to state that on September 30th P M this office was informed by Mrs. Peasley, wife of the principal keeper, that Mr. Brinkworth, Assistant Keeper, and his brother, Leon, who was substituting for the keeper were missing from the station and it was evident that they were drowned as neither one could be located at station or any where in the vicinity on shore.

At 11 PM September 30th I left Portland on Tender HIBISCUS en route for the above mentioned station arriving there at 11 A M October 1st, and at once visited the keeper Mr. Peasley who I found in bed suffering from inflammation of the throat and had been threatened with pneumonia.

The crew of Tender HIBISCUS at once commenced to drag for the bodies. On account of strong wind and sea the natives in the vicinity could not he persuaded to assist. On October 2nd, was able to engage other boats to assist in the hunt for the bodies and at 9.50 AM the body of the Assistant Keeper was recovered about 20 feet southwesterly from light by Messrs. Ora W. Jordan, George M. Moon, and L S Jordan and turned over to tender's launch and as I had already obtained permission from the Coroner to remove the bodies to their homes same was done so at once and the Coroner so informed. The Coroner viewed the body at 5.15 PM and stated that death was due to drowning. The younger brother, Leon, had been on shore for the purpose of obtaining a small supply of food and as the real facts of this catastrophe will probably never be known it is presumed that after arriving at station and while going up ladder of same with painter of dory in one hand and a few parcels in the other he accidentally slipped and went overboard and being unable to swim hallooed for assistance and his brother Chester, who was at the station, jumped from the balcony of tower and as the riser of dory was broken and bottom started off a little it would appear that he struck the dory before going overboard, possibly stunning him to the extent that he was unable to assist his brother. The Assistant Keeper was considered a good swimmer and boatmen. The light at the station was not extinguished and as a matter of fact its burning until 10 A M on September 30th was the first evidence that there was some trouble there.

As the people in the vicinity appear to be somewhat superstitious it was hard to find anybody who would take the temporary position of caring for light but after interviewing several people was successful in obtaining Mr. Ivory H. Foss. Nomination for his temporary appointment as assistant (Laborer) Keeper for a period not to exceed one month effective October 2, 1916, has this day been forwarded through the Secretary, First Civil Service District. Mr. Crabtree, resident of Hancock Point was employed by keeper to care for the station from September 30th until I arrived on October 1st.

According to an item in October 4th edition of the Portland Evening Express the body of Leon Brinkworth was recovered October 4th.

Carl E. Sherman, Inspector.