Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-10-08
A FISHERMAN'S FATE.
August Ntessen Drowned near Sears
Dam Saturday Night--The Circum-

August Niessen Drowned near Sears
Dam saturday Night--The Circum-
stances.
August Niessen, dyer in the cotton
mills in Searstown, was drowned
In Rock river shortly after 10 o'clock Sat
urday night, while fishing near Sears
mill. Just how or when Niessen met his
death is not exactly known. He was
fishing with others near the dam Satur-
day night, being in skiff anchored near
the middle of the river to which he had
a trout line attached, while torch sta
toned in the bow of the boat furnished
illumination. The supposition is that he
went to asleep and fell out of the boat
into the water. His home was
in sight of the boat, and his
wife awakening shortly after midnight,
and looking out saw the torch in the boat
still burning. went out and called to her
husband with the intention of notifying
him of the lateness of the hour. No an
swer came, and not seeing him in the boat
she apprehended his fate and gave the
alarm. Neighbors and fishermen further
down the river responded and it was soon
found that Niessen had been drowned.
The river was dragged yesterday morn
ing and the body recovered near where he
fell in.
Coroner Halves held an inquest yester-
day morning. summoning Jury COM
posed of Chas. E. Hodgson (foreman)
VIM. Sears, Silas Whitehead, W. l.,
Sweeney, E. D. Cheney and Henry P
Hurley. The facts developed by the in
quest furnish the best idea of the circum.
stances of the affair:
VIM. Clark was the first witness. He
testified that he was coal MINER forty,
eight years of age, residing in Searstown.
| About 5 O'Clock Saturday night witness
saw the deceased alive. He was on the
road between Milan and Searstown
About o'clock yesterday morning wit
ness was notified that Niessen was
drowned. Went over to Sears dam il
Rock river and proceeded with Wn
Thompson and others to drag tie river
At 1045 Mr.. Thompson found the BODY
and it was towed to the shore near tn
cotton factory and the coroner was tele
phoned for.
Vim. HOfer testified that his age wa
thirty>One and he worked in the cottor
factory. About Z o'clock Saturda
night witness went with deceased over I
Milan to get minnows and then returne
and baited the trout lines Decease
went to his house, filled bis torch and re
turned and with witness engaged IN fish
ing until about 1890, when witness WEI
to his house and retired. Witness il
tended to 90 down to the river again bI
fell asleep. Witness left the deceased Il
right and gave it as his idea that he wei
to sleep and fell out of the boat.
\ John Quinlan testified that he was
blacksmith by trade, thirty>eIgl
years of age and living in Roc
| Island About O'Clock Sund'
morning in company with anothe
t was fishing in the canal when woman
voice was heard screaming near the CO
/ ton mills. Witness and companion wei
r up and the woman said she thought b.
. husband was drowned. She pointed o
IS the light, and getting boat witne
e rowed out to the skif, found the tro
e line over the end of the boat, the Zig
; all right but Neissen was missing, al
e witness impression was that the man fl
It out of the boat and was drowned.
t. J. c. Thompson testified his age W
IS thirty six, and he was tesmster by {
re cupation. Came down to the cotton u
IL about O'Clock Sunday morning, havi
at previously been told that Niesson "
II drowned. In company with Hof
- dragged the river and recovered t
'e bod y.
lie After hearing this testimony the ju
lg returned q verdict that deceased Ca
I'd to his death by being accidently drown
N while ifs hing near Sears dam"
ID Niessen leaves wife and five childre
oil and the unfortunate mother is about
Is become the mother of sixth Deceas
MS was very dissipated, and it is understo
We that Saturday night he traded off an or
nd Manager Warner had given hi m in g
We ceries for whisky.