The following account of the tragic death of F. F. FRENCH, together with a well-deserved tribute to his memory, is from the Sistersville (W. Va.) Daily Review of June 17, 1907: Frank FRENCH is dead. This was the startling news passed from lip to lip at an early hour yesterday, June 16, and small groups of men could be seen standing here and there discussing the horrors of the awful tragedy. While out frog hunting, Frank FRENCH, on the best known and most highly respected citizens of this city and the business head of the French Torpedo Company, and a big oil operator, was drowned in Middle Island Creek. The accident occurred about 1:30 o'clock yesterday morning. Together with his business associate, W. G. AGNEW, and Fred KENNEY, and J. P. SWEENEY, Mr. FRENCH was in a john boat. Mr. AGNEW is a very corpulent man, and he weighed down the one side of the boat and in the darkness the boat was upset. The party was in Middle Island Creek, which is a small stream, but is deep at the point where the boat was upset. Al struggled in the darkness in the water, and the three escaped with difficulty. Mr. KENNEY and Mr. SWEENEY swam to the shore after a struggle. Mr. AGNEW went to the bottom twice before he finally got hold of the boat, and finally managed with help to get to shore. Mr. FRENCH went to the bottom for the third and last time before he could be reached. Mr. FRENCH was aged 53 years. He was the first oil operator to use the torpedo in shooting wells, and for this reason was regarded as the foremost torpedo man in the United States. There is hardly a torpedo man or an oil man in the country that does not know him intimately. He was popular throughout the oil fields of Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia. He was one of the pioneers of the Bradford, Pa., oil field, and was well known in McDonald, Pa., where he formerly resided. He was also a resident of Marietta, Ohio, at one time. Several years ago he was badly injured in a boiler explosion, and about two years ago he suffered a stroke of paralysis which left him badly crippled and almost helpless. Mr. FRENCH had been in the torpedo business for twenty years and had been very successful. He has been a resident of this city ever since the early oil excitement here and everyone who knew him loved, honored and respected him. He was a member of Garfield Lodge F. & A. M. of McDonald , Pa., of Carnegie Commandery Knights Templar, of Syria Temple Nobles of the Mystic Shrine of Pittsburg, Pa., and Allegheny Lodge No. 339, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. The funeral services were held at the home at 4 o'clock Monday afternoon by Rev. T. A. ANDERSON, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, and the music was rendered by the choir of that church. The remains were taken to Corry, Pa., and a Knights Templar funeral service held in that city at 3 o'clock Tuesday afternoon. The deceased leaves a wife but no children, four brothers and two sisters, and friends without number. The home of the deceased was an almost solid bank of flowers, hansom tributes from McDonald and Sistersville lodges and Messrs. SWEENEY and AGNEW, his partners in business and from other friends and neighbors. We doubt if there is a man now living in Tyler county who was more loved and admired than Frank FRENCH. His universal kindness to the poor and needy, his charitable and sympathetic heart for the unfortunate, his unswerving sense of honest of purpose, his devotion to his wife, his loyalty to his friends and his great love and regard for the well being of his fellow citizens made him the ideal man. But he is dead, and though ripe in years and honors, he died all too soon; into the quiet of his home death entered unannounced and his spirit drifted away on the bosom of that dark and shadow river that flows with resistless sweep into the shoreless sea. "Good night brave heart, The evening shadows fall." To the bereaved wife, whose grief knows no bounds, and to the other relatives and friends who mourn today beside his bier, we extend our most heartfelt sympathy and join in the prayer which his hosts of sorrowing relatives and friends wait to heaven today that his spirit may rest in eternal peace. "There is no death-the stars go down, To rise upon another shore."