Martin Otis - Revision history

MWanner: Text replacement - "Paul Smith's" to "Paul Smith's"

2026-07-12T21:41:29Z

Text replacement - "Paul Smith's" to "Paul Smith's"

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:41, 12 July 2026
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	Saranac Lake, Feb. 2—Two women and a young man were drowned Wednesday morning when the sedan in which they were riding across the [[Back Bay\|Back Bay]] region of Upper Saranac lake dropped through the ice and sank in 35 feet of water. The driver, after a futile attempt to release the others from the car in which they were trapped, broke a window and swam to the surface.		Saranac Lake, Feb. 2—Two women and a young man were drowned Wednesday morning when the sedan in which they were riding across the [[Back Bay\|Back Bay]] region of Upper Saranac lake dropped through the ice and sank in 35 feet of water. The driver, after a futile attempt to release the others from the car in which they were trapped, broke a window and swam to the surface.

	The dead: Mrs. [[Arthur L. Otis\|Arthur Otis]], 56, and Mrs. [[Tess Lemay\|Tess Lemay]], 43, both of the settlement near [[~~Paul Smith's\|~~Paul Smith's]] known as [[Otisville\|Otisville]] and [[Warren McClatchie\|Warren McClatchie]], 21, of Saranac Lake.		The dead: Mrs. [[Arthur L. Otis\|Arthur Otis]], 56, and Mrs. [[Tess Lemay\|Tess Lemay]], 43, both of the settlement near [[Paul Smith's]] known as [[Otisville\|Otisville]] and [[Warren McClatchie\|Warren McClatchie]], 21, of Saranac Lake.

	The driver of the car was Martin Otis, son of one of the victims and caretaker of Camp Sunrise, located a mile from [[Saranac Inn]] on Upper Saranac Lake. Mr. McClatchie was also a year-around employee at this camp,		The driver of the car was Martin Otis, son of one of the victims and caretaker of Camp Sunrise, located a mile from [[Saranac Inn]] on Upper Saranac Lake. Mr. McClatchie was also a year-around employee at this camp,

MWanner: Text replacement - "Saranac Inn" to "Saranac Inn"

2026-01-15T14:32:47Z

Text replacement - "Saranac Inn" to "Saranac Inn"

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:32, 15 January 2026
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	The dead: Mrs. [[Arthur L. Otis\|Arthur Otis]], 56, and Mrs. [[Tess Lemay\|Tess Lemay]], 43, both of the settlement near [[Paul Smith's\|Paul Smith's]] known as [[Otisville\|Otisville]] and [[Warren McClatchie\|Warren McClatchie]], 21, of Saranac Lake.		The dead: Mrs. [[Arthur L. Otis\|Arthur Otis]], 56, and Mrs. [[Tess Lemay\|Tess Lemay]], 43, both of the settlement near [[Paul Smith's\|Paul Smith's]] known as [[Otisville\|Otisville]] and [[Warren McClatchie\|Warren McClatchie]], 21, of Saranac Lake.

	The driver of the car was Martin Otis, son of one of the victims and caretaker of Camp Sunrise, located a mile from [[~~Saranac Inn\|~~Saranac Inn]] on Upper Saranac Lake. Mr. McClatchie was also a year-around employee at this camp,		The driver of the car was Martin Otis, son of one of the victims and caretaker of Camp Sunrise, located a mile from [[Saranac Inn]] on Upper Saranac Lake. Mr. McClatchie was also a year-around employee at this camp,

	Otis and his three passengers had driven from Camp Sunrise to the postoffice at Saranac Inn at 11 o'clock in the morning to get their mail. Otis then drove down on the ice of Back Bay at the rear of the hotel and stopped at the fishing shack of Jim Jackson. There he bought some frozen smelt and after storing the fish in the car started for Camp Sunrise.		Otis and his three passengers had driven from Camp Sunrise to the postoffice at Saranac Inn at 11 o'clock in the morning to get their mail. Otis then drove down on the ice of Back Bay at the rear of the hotel and stopped at the fishing shack of Jim Jackson. There he bought some frozen smelt and after storing the fish in the car started for Camp Sunrise.

MWanner: Text replacement - "Upper Saranac Lake" to "Upper Saranac Lake "

2026-01-08T17:59:07Z

Text replacement - "Upper Saranac Lake" to "Upper Saranac Lake "

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:59, 8 January 2026
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	'''Children:'''		'''Children:'''

	'''Martin Otis''' was a [[caretaker\|caretaker]] at [[Camp Sunrise\|Camp Sunrise]] on [[~~Upper Saranac Lake\|~~Upper Saranac Lake]].		'''Martin Otis''' was a [[caretaker\|caretaker]] at [[Camp Sunrise\|Camp Sunrise]] on [[Upper Saranac Lake]] .
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2025-12-23T19:02:45Z

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← Older revision		Revision as of 19:02, 23 December 2025
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	## Comments		===Comments===

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2025-12-23T01:49:18Z

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Migratebot: Created page with " '''Born: '''c. 1908 '''Died:''' '''Married:''' '''Children:''' '''Martin Otis''' was a caretaker at Camp Sunrise on Upper Saranac Lake. ----- ''Ogdensburg Journal'', February 2, 1933

'''3 Drowned as Car Drops 35 Feet Through Ice to Lake Bottom'''

'''Two Women and One Man Fail to Escape; Son Swims to the Surface Tragic Accident Occurs On Upper Saranac Lake Wednesday Noon on Way to Camp Mile..."

2024-07-26T23:05:20Z

Created page with " '''Born: '''c. 1908 '''Died:''' '''Married:''' '''Children:''' '''Martin Otis''' was a caretaker at Camp Sunrise on Upper Saranac Lake. ----- ''Ogdensburg Journal'', February 2, 1933<h3>'''3 Drowned as Car Drops 35 Feet Through Ice to Lake Bottom'''</h3> '''Two Women and One Man Fail to Escape; Son Swims to the Surface Tragic Accident Occurs On Upper Saranac Lake Wednesday Noon on Way to Camp Mile..."

New page

'''Born: '''c. 1908

'''Died:'''

'''Married:'''

'''Children:'''

'''Martin Otis''' was a [[caretaker|caretaker]] at [[Camp%20Sunrise|Camp Sunrise]] on [[Upper%20Saranac%20Lake|Upper Saranac Lake]].
-----

''Ogdensburg Journal'', February 2, 1933<h3>'''3 Drowned as Car Drops 35 Feet Through Ice to Lake Bottom'''</h3>

'''Two Women and One Man Fail to Escape; Son Swims to the Surface Tragic Accident Occurs On Upper Saranac Lake Wednesday Noon on Way to Camp Mile Distant '''

Saranac Lake, Feb. 2—Two women and a young man were drowned Wednesday morning when the sedan in which they were riding across the [[Back%20Bay|Back Bay]] region of Upper Saranac lake dropped through the ice and sank in 35 feet of water. The driver, after a futile attempt to release the others from the car in which they were trapped, broke a window and swam to the surface.

The dead: Mrs. [[Arthur%20L.%20Otis|Arthur Otis]], 56, and Mrs. [[Tess%20Lemay|Tess Lemay]], 43, both of the settlement near [[Paul%20Smith's|Paul Smith's]] known as [[Otisville|Otisville]] and [[Warren%20McClatchie|Warren McClatchie]], 21, of Saranac Lake.

The driver of the car was Martin Otis, son of one of the victims and caretaker of Camp Sunrise, located a mile from [[Saranac%20Inn|Saranac Inn]] on Upper Saranac Lake. Mr. McClatchie was also a year-around employee at this camp,

Otis and his three passengers had driven from Camp Sunrise to the postoffice at Saranac Inn at 11 o'clock in the morning to get their mail. Otis then drove down on the ice of Back Bay at the rear of the hotel and stopped at the fishing shack of Jim Jackson. There he bought some frozen smelt and after storing the fish in the car started for Camp Sunrise.

'''Heads For Camp'''

Otis, according to Jackson and [[Robert%20H.%20Stevens|Robert H. Stevens]], superintendent of the inn, drove his automobile out over trackless ice on the lake, across a section "where no other cars have been this winter, and towards his camp a mile away."

A half mile from the fishing shack he approached a large crack in the ice across the lake from [[Green%20Island|Green Island]]. Visible before the car reached it were soft snow and slush about the crack and some water out on the ice.

Otis apparently disregarded this warning of thin ice and continued straight ahead. Just after he had driven through the slush and water and across the crack in the ice a large section broke away and the car dropped through. It sank to the bottom with the four occupants trapped inside.

From his fishing shack where he was idly watching, Jackson saw it go down and started for the inn to get help.

'''Unable to Open Door'''

Otis said later he tried desperately as the car sank to open the car door nearest his mother in the back seat, pressure of the water was so great however, that he could not budge the door. He broke the window near the driver's seat, cutting himself badly about the head, arms and legs as he did so, clambered out and swam to the surface. He then raced across the ice toward Sunset camp, screaming for help, as Jackson and Stevens started for the spot from shore. The spot where the tragedy occurred was half a mile from Saranac Inn and about the same distance from Sunset camp and about 150 yards from shore and the [[New%20York%20Route%2030|Tupper Lake highway]].

Stevens said the car drove out three-quarters of a mile on the ice to the fishing shack, started back toward the inn and then turned suddenly toward Sunset camp as Otis changed his course.

Men and state police from Saranac Lake, Tupper Lake and Long Lake assembled chains, block and tackle with which to grapple for the car after all hope of rescuing the three in it on the lake bottom had been abandoned.

'''Auto and Bodies Recovered'''

The car, which sank about 11:15 a. m., was raised at 4 o'clock in the afternoon after the rescue party had cut a large hole with ice saws. Ice in that area was six inches thick. Most of the lake is covered with a foot-thick layer.

McClatchie's body was found slumped in the front seat while the bodies of the two women were in a heap in the rear. They were taken to the [[Fortune-Keough%20Funeral%20Home|Fortune]] undertaking rooms in Saranac Lake.

Troopers later found Otis at his camp suffering from shock and loss of blood. He was hysterical as he told of trying to open a door of the car and then breaking out a window below the surface of the water. A physician was called to attend him. A brother, [[Joshua%20Otis|Joshua Otis]] of [[Pine%20Needles%20camp|Pine Needles camp]] at [[Coreys|Coreys]] at the other end of the lake, was notified and assisted the grappling crew in raising the car containing his mother's body.

Mrs. Otis lived at Otisville with her only daughter, Mrs. Jerry Hallahan.

Otis' wife and daughter were at Saranac Inn when the tragedy occurred.

## Comments

← Older revision		Revision as of 01:49, 23 December 2025
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	'''Children:'''		'''Children:'''

	'''Martin Otis''' was a [[caretaker\|caretaker]] at [[Camp~~%20Sunrise~~\|Camp Sunrise]] on [[Upper~~%20Saranac%20Lake~~\|Upper Saranac Lake]].		'''Martin Otis''' was a [[caretaker\|caretaker]] at [[Camp Sunrise\|Camp Sunrise]] on [[Upper Saranac Lake\|Upper Saranac Lake]].
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	'''Two Women and One Man Fail to Escape; Son Swims to the Surface Tragic Accident Occurs On Upper Saranac Lake Wednesday Noon on Way to Camp Mile Distant '''		'''Two Women and One Man Fail to Escape; Son Swims to the Surface Tragic Accident Occurs On Upper Saranac Lake Wednesday Noon on Way to Camp Mile Distant '''

	Saranac Lake, Feb. 2—Two women and a young man were drowned Wednesday morning when the sedan in which they were riding across the [[Back~~%20Bay~~\|Back Bay]] region of Upper Saranac lake dropped through the ice and sank in 35 feet of water. The driver, after a futile attempt to release the others from the car in which they were trapped, broke a window and swam to the surface.		Saranac Lake, Feb. 2—Two women and a young man were drowned Wednesday morning when the sedan in which they were riding across the [[Back Bay\|Back Bay]] region of Upper Saranac lake dropped through the ice and sank in 35 feet of water. The driver, after a futile attempt to release the others from the car in which they were trapped, broke a window and swam to the surface.

	The dead: Mrs. [[Arthur~~%20L~~.~~%20Otis~~\|Arthur Otis]], 56, and Mrs. [[Tess~~%20Lemay~~\|Tess Lemay]], 43, both of the settlement near [[Paul~~%20Smith~~'s\|Paul Smith's]] known as [[Otisville\|Otisville]] and [[Warren~~%20McClatchie~~\|Warren McClatchie]], 21, of Saranac Lake.		The dead: Mrs. [[Arthur L. Otis\|Arthur Otis]], 56, and Mrs. [[Tess Lemay\|Tess Lemay]], 43, both of the settlement near [[Paul Smith's\|Paul Smith's]] known as [[Otisville\|Otisville]] and [[Warren McClatchie\|Warren McClatchie]], 21, of Saranac Lake.

	The driver of the car was Martin Otis, son of one of the victims and caretaker of Camp Sunrise, located a mile from [[Saranac~~%20Inn~~\|Saranac Inn]] on Upper Saranac Lake. Mr. McClatchie was also a year-around employee at this camp,		The driver of the car was Martin Otis, son of one of the victims and caretaker of Camp Sunrise, located a mile from [[Saranac Inn\|Saranac Inn]] on Upper Saranac Lake. Mr. McClatchie was also a year-around employee at this camp,

	Otis and his three passengers had driven from Camp Sunrise to the postoffice at Saranac Inn at 11 o'clock in the morning to get their mail. Otis then drove down on the ice of Back Bay at the rear of the hotel and stopped at the fishing shack of Jim Jackson. There he bought some frozen smelt and after storing the fish in the car started for Camp Sunrise.		Otis and his three passengers had driven from Camp Sunrise to the postoffice at Saranac Inn at 11 o'clock in the morning to get their mail. Otis then drove down on the ice of Back Bay at the rear of the hotel and stopped at the fishing shack of Jim Jackson. There he bought some frozen smelt and after storing the fish in the car started for Camp Sunrise.
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	'''Heads For Camp'''		'''Heads For Camp'''

	Otis, according to Jackson and [[Robert~~%20H~~.~~%20Stevens~~\|Robert H. Stevens]], superintendent of the inn, drove his automobile out over trackless ice on the lake, across a section "where no other cars have been this winter, and towards his camp a mile away."		Otis, according to Jackson and [[Robert H. Stevens\|Robert H. Stevens]], superintendent of the inn, drove his automobile out over trackless ice on the lake, across a section "where no other cars have been this winter, and towards his camp a mile away."

	A half mile from the fishing shack he approached a large crack in the ice across the lake from [[Green~~%20Island~~\|Green Island]]. Visible before the car reached it were soft snow and slush about the crack and some water out on the ice.		A half mile from the fishing shack he approached a large crack in the ice across the lake from [[Green Island\|Green Island]]. Visible before the car reached it were soft snow and slush about the crack and some water out on the ice.

	Otis apparently disregarded this warning of thin ice and continued straight ahead. Just after he had driven through the slush and water and across the crack in the ice a large section broke away and the car dropped through. It sank to the bottom with the four occupants trapped inside.		Otis apparently disregarded this warning of thin ice and continued straight ahead. Just after he had driven through the slush and water and across the crack in the ice a large section broke away and the car dropped through. It sank to the bottom with the four occupants trapped inside.
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	'''Unable to Open Door'''		'''Unable to Open Door'''

	Otis said later he tried desperately as the car sank to open the car door nearest his mother in the back seat, pressure of the water was so great however, that he could not budge the door. He broke the window near the driver's seat, cutting himself badly about the head, arms and legs as he did so, clambered out and swam to the surface. He then raced across the ice toward Sunset camp, screaming for help, as Jackson and Stevens started for the spot from shore. The spot where the tragedy occurred was half a mile from Saranac Inn and about the same distance from Sunset camp and about 150 yards from shore and the [[New~~%20York%20Route%2030~~\|Tupper Lake highway]].		Otis said later he tried desperately as the car sank to open the car door nearest his mother in the back seat, pressure of the water was so great however, that he could not budge the door. He broke the window near the driver's seat, cutting himself badly about the head, arms and legs as he did so, clambered out and swam to the surface. He then raced across the ice toward Sunset camp, screaming for help, as Jackson and Stevens started for the spot from shore. The spot where the tragedy occurred was half a mile from Saranac Inn and about the same distance from Sunset camp and about 150 yards from shore and the [[New York Route 30\|Tupper Lake highway]].

	Stevens said the car drove out three-quarters of a mile on the ice to the fishing shack, started back toward the inn and then turned suddenly toward Sunset camp as Otis changed his course.		Stevens said the car drove out three-quarters of a mile on the ice to the fishing shack, started back toward the inn and then turned suddenly toward Sunset camp as Otis changed his course.
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	The car, which sank about 11:15 a. m., was raised at 4 o'clock in the afternoon after the rescue party had cut a large hole with ice saws. Ice in that area was six inches thick. Most of the lake is covered with a foot-thick layer.		The car, which sank about 11:15 a. m., was raised at 4 o'clock in the afternoon after the rescue party had cut a large hole with ice saws. Ice in that area was six inches thick. Most of the lake is covered with a foot-thick layer.

	McClatchie's body was found slumped in the front seat while the bodies of the two women were in a heap in the rear. They were taken to the [[Fortune-Keough~~%20Funeral%20Home~~\|Fortune]] undertaking rooms in Saranac Lake.		McClatchie's body was found slumped in the front seat while the bodies of the two women were in a heap in the rear. They were taken to the [[Fortune-Keough Funeral Home\|Fortune]] undertaking rooms in Saranac Lake.

	Troopers later found Otis at his camp suffering from shock and loss of blood. He was hysterical as he told of trying to open a door of the car and then breaking out a window below the surface of the water. A physician was called to attend him. A brother, [[Joshua~~%20Otis~~\|Joshua Otis]] of [[Pine~~%20Needles%20camp~~\|Pine Needles camp]] at [[Coreys\|Coreys]] at the other end of the lake, was notified and assisted the grappling crew in raising the car containing his mother's body.		Troopers later found Otis at his camp suffering from shock and loss of blood. He was hysterical as he told of trying to open a door of the car and then breaking out a window below the surface of the water. A physician was called to attend him. A brother, [[Joshua Otis\|Joshua Otis]] of [[Pine Needles camp\|Pine Needles camp]] at [[Coreys\|Coreys]] at the other end of the lake, was notified and assisted the grappling crew in raising the car containing his mother's body.

	Mrs. Otis lived at Otisville with her only daughter, Mrs. Jerry Hallahan.		Mrs. Otis lived at Otisville with her only daughter, Mrs. Jerry Hallahan.