ODDS’N’SODS — The tragic disappearance of OTriple S’ Saxon

Stanley S. Saxon, known affectionately as “Triple S”, was a tall, personable man, as well-known in northern Ontario for the role he played in managing the Aunor gold prospect, near Timmins, as he was for the circumstances surrounding his disappearance.

Though Stan stayed on at the prospect after it was turned into a mine by Noranda in 1938, he soon became a partner in Northland Aviation, a company specializing in servicing remote areas by air.

Ten years later, with Aunor producing nicely and his aviation company operating successfully, Stan was at the apex of his career.

In early 1948, an expanding Northland Aviation was trying to secure the air rights for Lake Temagami, and Stan was looking to establish suitable headquarters nearby. He was contacted by a woman who suggested he look at Rabbit Nose Island, which had a beautiful lodge and fully equipped boathouse, for his operation.

Stan and the real estate agent, who were to be accompanied by another woman, made plans to fly to the small island, after the lake was clear of ice, to take a look at the lodge.

Once there, the trio aired the place out before deciding to catch some rainbow trout for their evening meal. In the late afternoon, with a canoe and fishing gear from the boathouse, they paddled about a half mile out on the lake. But with the first cast, which snagged one of the ladies’ parkas, the canoe tipped over, dumping all three into the icy water. Stan was ordinarily an excellent swimmer, but a hernia operation only three days before the trip compelled him to cling to the overturned canoe. The women tried to swim for shore but one drowned halfway to the island. The other nearly made it to shore, but passed out in the frigid water, her unconscious body washing up on the beach. She regained semi-consciousness, however, and crawled to the grass where she heard Stan, who was still clinging to the canoe, calling for help.

The next morning, two natives discovered the canoe miles from the lodge and, upon returning it, discovered the woman, half-frozen and near death. She recovered enough at the hospital in Haileybury to provide some details of the accident, and search-and-rescue teams were sent to the lake, including Ontario Provincial Police and Noranda personnel. Crews dragged the lake and searched the shores for Stan for more than a month before the operation was called off. Noranda, however, sent Del Baker, an underground stope miner, and me to patrol the lake and the perimeter of every island.

Noranda was supposed to have opened a line of credit for Del and me at the Hudson Bay store on Bear Island, but the surly factor had not been notified of the account we were supposed to have. We needed food, supplies and gasoline and he demanded cash for the goods, refusing both personal cheques and my credit card. We left the store with only gas.

We searched for Stan diligently for three days but didn’t find a trace. We returned to the store for more supplies and received the same treatment as before. To top it off, the factor refused even to allow us the use of the radio so that we could contact the police.

We survived for almost a week on stale bread and the small black bass we caught under the boathouse, but we were miserable. When our replacements didn’t show up on time, we went back to Bear Island where I had another heated argument with the factor. I finally went behind the counter and convinced him to radio the police, as we were getting desperate.

Two days late, our hung-over “relief” showed up, and Del and I went home, still not having uncovered any sign of Stan.

— The author, a frequent contributor to this column, resides in Boyertown, Pa.