Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1888-08-02
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DEATH IN THE WATERS.
Adam and Fred Rohrig, Father and
Son, Two of Abilene's Citizens, Lose
Their Lives in the Smoky Khf
River While Bathing-A Pecuiar
ly Sad Accident. y ~

ly Sad Accident. y 81
We are called upon today to chroni-
Gle one of the saddest accidents that
has ever occurred in this city. By it a
happy home is made deSolate by the
loss of father and son, and poor
wife and-aarghter- driver almost
frantic with sorrow.
1t seems that about o'clock in the
, 'hftefh6bn yesterday Mr.? Rohrig and
Fred, feeling the extreme heat, drove
down to the river for bath. They
J vent to place just below what is
known as Humbarger's ford, and were
accompanied by J. E. Brown, Geo. w.
Lloyd, Chas. w. Hill and L. Lipps,
with whom they took bath and swim
in the river. cd
What took place can perhaps be best
told in the language of the four sur
vivors who gave their testimony before
the coroner's jury this morning.
j. E. Brown: 1.-The river was muddy
on the north side and two OF US, Fred
ROhrig and myself, swan to the south
bank where the water was not so deep
and was clear. We were on that side
for some time when Fred said, Let us
60 and get my father and Mr.. Hill and
bring them over We went across,
wading all the way. While returning
With Nh, Rohrig weistepped into hole
and lost our balance. Mr.. ,Rohfig
caught me around the neck and called
for Fred who at once came to his. as
sistaaee He then let loose of me and
caught Fred and both went under TO-
gether. l went under as well. They
were seen no more until found at the
bottom of the river. When Mr.. r. let
go of me | was almost exhausted and
could scarcely get to the bank. Fred
was found within fewfeet of where
he went down and his father about
thirty feet farther down stream. 1t
was about half past three, when the
drowning took place. q L was on my
back when Mr.. ROhrig seized me so /
could not aid him.Ny - -sfFi's7 'i'" ]
Lewis Lipps: 81 stayed on the
north side with Mr.. Lloyd, who could
not swim, for fear Of an accident while
bathing: The others came across and
when We saw the three start to return
we left the river and started to dress.
On looking around we saw them within
perhaps ten feet of the bank and heard
Mr. Brown cry for help. / ran to the
bank bQtsYtleD ! got there, not q ripple
was to besssenS Mr.. Brown afterwards
came up and swan to shore but the
other two did not: We were all the
best of friends and there had been no
harsh, words that afternoon Mr..
Rohrig was found lodged against log;
Fred against a snag, about four feet
from the bottom" sh,.,-, ,..o-, +
Chas. Hill: a was. about 80 feet up
stream when the accident took place.
Could not help them as l am a poor
swimmer and had all l could do to get
across myself, .t.,R II = .'.,s,2a.
Mr., Lloyd gave similar testimony,
corroberating the story given by Mr..
Brown and Mr.. Lipps in every particu-
lar. ia M. s,el s..r,r--i to
The coroner's jury which was, COM
posed of Geo. Ogden, Richard Waring,
\. S. Seeds, Geo. E, Sherer, NJ. p,
SheareE and Dr. j.. w. Felty brought in
a verdict of o.'desth by accidental
drowning.?lhr"'e-> ~ 'a~""h s''''''.'.''
AS soon as the news was brought to
the city yesterday afternoon, hundreds
drove to the scene ofthe accident. The
bodies were carried to Eicholtz's under
taking rooms where they have remained
until today. sjouTA u
The news was carried to the home on
Vine street. The wife and mother, a
delicate Ratursd.l lady, upon hearing the
sad tidings, tainted awayaHd has spent
the hours ever since Tin meaning and
weeping in half delirious manner over
her great serrow. Grave fears are ex-
pressed lestthe blow may prove dan
gerous to her life, ''a. T.. los. &C.,
The, whole burden of the grief thus
falls upsnthesoldest daughter at home,
Katie, VINO with a brave spirit seldom
Witnessed in one Of her years, is carry
ing the load of grief and caring for the
little ones of the family and watching
over the stfickenmother.t .'g ii'o'
Adam Rohrig was SIS years old. He
was born in Baden, Germany, Fand had
lived in. this country about 30 years
For % years his home was in GTiggs-
vile, IL, being married in that State.
Then in 1886, he moved to Abilene,
where he has since resided, carrying on
one of theIpriucipal barber shops in the
city. He leaves family of nine child
ren-two.of. thenqmarried.t There are
at home to mourn the loss of a kind
and indHlgent father three girls and
three boys. the younger members Of the
family being aged six, ten, thirteen and
sixteen years respectively.
FredericR Rohrig was aged Is years
and sixmenths. He was born in ILL