The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1877-06-21
The Accident at. Eagle Lake, Town
OF Dover, Racine County Wis.

= OF Bower, Racine County,, Wis.
) On the morning of June 14tll,, 1877
= the shores of Eagle Lake were lined
!, with a merry and happy crowd Of
I men, women, and children, intending
D to spend the day in joyous manner
. visiting those who had been separated
by miles for many months, lunchian
| on dainties prepared by willing hands
r enjoying the swing put up in the
strong old oaks by stalWart arms, and
: boat-riding ON the beautiful, placid
J lake, on whose face was not one sign
r of it's notwithstanding embrace. These
merry pleasure-seekers were members
and patrons and friends of three Sab
bath-schools. 1t has been the custom
of many people in Racine and Kenosha
Counties to repair yearly to this lake
for days of merry1naking, to enjoy
the passing hours in forgetfulness Of
the busy world about them, so full of
sorrows and; troubles of every kind,
and was it strange that this beautiful
morning dawned full Of happy antici-
lpatioTts?
With all these happy ones, was one
unbidden guest. No che recognized
him,nor were they in any way mindful
of his presence, but he remained among
them, Intending ere the day closed to
claim his chosen yictims;, he picked
out fouTsof the happy, young, and fair
est Of the throng OF females.
Dinner was over, and many had
been out OH the lake riding, and some
had repeated their rides; such was the
case with one Of these victims; Mrs.
Ellen Gilbert, a young and beautiful
woman, twenty (20) years Of age, had
been out ON the lake, but was anxious,
as she sa5d to her husband, to take
6 one more boat-ride-" She desired for
Eher companions Mrs. Marcia Collett,
lher sisterin-laW, aged tWenty-fouG
t(24,; J ~ennie Collett, the infant daugh-
tier Of Mrs. Marcia Collett, aged four
Fteen (14 months and thirteen (1s)}
Edays; Miss Olive Gilbert, anotherssis-
aged twelve (12) years and
her husband. MI Oliver A. Gilbert
with whom she felt secure if he Would
only row them.
Olive Gilbert did not wish to co.. be-
cause she NEW that her parents OBJ
iected to her going out ON the water,
Fand, in painting with her mother that
morning, shssthrew her arms about her
mothers neck, kissed her, and said she
would not go ON the lake. Her last
words to hertmother We're: :" Good bye.
.na, I'll be back at six o'clock"
Olive wass urged by her sister and
sister-in-laW to. 60 with them, and
finally, with great reluctance, she;
yielded to their elntreaties and Went,,
never to return alive. Mrs. ColEett was
asked by number of persons TO leave
the baby on shore, but she said no, and
her husband told nae she said to him.
IF I do not come back Z suppose yous
wish me to take the baby with me p.
LEe replied yes. little thinking these
words were the last ones.
The boat, Fam informed, was n old.
Cne, but had been used by others that
day, III comraoni with three others on
the Lake; aa hole in the stern 'of the
boat had been, stopped UP with piece
of wood, which WAS, afterWaGsl found
to have cOm80ut~
MI. Gilbert was In one end of the
boat alone, rowing, while LIS wife,,
sisters and. niece were irL the
other end, and thus. the weight
twas not equally balanced. MIR. Collett
Epushed the boat off the shore, and all
left behind. We're watching them as
lthey went out. When a Ettle more
| than half way across the lake, Mr.
Gilbert saysshis sister Marcia, who had
her baby in her arms, looked down I'M
the bottom afthe boat and said: " Why !!
the water is seeming in the b0atp' and
in the same breath exclaimed, "TheI
boat is sinlSingp' and at that instant
the bow of the boat few up into the
air, the stern went down, and the oc--
cupants were precipitated into the
water. The boat turned over, and Mr..
Gilbert managed to get On to it. Mrs.
Collett and baby went down and never
rose. Mrs. Gilbert camp up three
times; once her husband grasped her
dress-sleeve, and, it being made of thin
white muslin, and his sister Olive was
clinging to her, the weight being SO.
great the sleeve gave way. Other boats
fastened to the rescue, and one, when
very near, became disabled by the
breaking Of the rowlock, and of course
was necessarily delayed until it was
too late. An oar was held out to Mrs
Gilbert as she came up the last time.
and she grasped it, but it was so slip
J perry and her strength so diminished
that her fingers relaxed their hold, and
she sunk to rise no more. MI. Gilbert
was barely saved. EVERYTHING that
human aid could do was done to aid
, them, but all of no avail. This took
7 place between 2:30 and 3 p. m. They
= were obliged to go quite distance, to
Kansasyille, to have grappling-irons
Emade, and most Of the night was spent
T ere these irons were completed. AS
E soon as daylight appeared, the work of
searching for the bodies was com
menced, the efforts after a time being
!, cuoooccfu1 Tho bo1inc yvnrn found