The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1888-10-25
Drowned ma Slough.

rs DRowNEp.
Last Friday evening at about six
o'clock Emil Danken started from
town to 60 to the place of his father
in-law's. Franz Wahldeick's. Several
members Of the Wahldeick family
were sick unto death with typhoid
fever and it was to bring assistance
to them that he started out on this
fatal trip, he being accompanied by
George Urban. who intended to re-
main there fora time. After passing
Mr.. Phelps place they lost the track
and it being dark they drove into 4
slough near Frishy's Lake, toa depth
of about three feet of water before
they discovered where they were. In
attempting to turn out again the
buggy was TIPPED onto the iside and
both were thrown out. Dunken
being on the under side his feet be
came tangled in the wheels. and
Urban being unable toextrioate him.
went for help. but before it arrived
the unfortunate man was dead.
A coRONER's INQUEST
was held on Saturday afternoon. OF
the proceedings of which andthe testi-
mony the following is a curtailed
statement: The jury was composed
of John L. Could. c. O. Croonquist,
L. ]. Moore. H. b. Wolff. A. B..
Steadman and Michael Calvin; and
County Attorney Flaherty conducted
the examination of witnesses.
Urban's testimony. which was
taken at his residence he being con-
fined to his bed by cold contracted
from exposure the night befores
showed the following facts: Arrange
ments having been made with him to
60 to the place of FIR. Wahldick to-
care for some sick persons there,
Emil Dunken was to take him out.
So with single rig, at about six
o'clock they started. I
After passing Phelps place they |
were driving lively, deceased having |
the reins. 1t was quite dark and
suddenly finding themselves In high
rushes and about three feet of water |
Urban exclaimed .'For Gods sake!
where are you going!' Deceased
then attempted to turn out of the
slough to the left and in doing so the
buggy was tipped onto its right side
and both were thrown out. When
witness regained his feet he was in
about three feet of water. Deceased
called to him that lie was stuck. to
come and help him. Deceased's feet
werercaught in the wheels. Witness
tried to lift the buggy but he could
not; the horse was resting on the
shafts, and he had no knife to cut the
harness with. Not being able,
either, to pull him out witness told
him to hold on and keep his head
above water and he would get help as
quick as he could. Witness did not
suppose that there was any dalrgervof
his drowning. He went to Phelpss
and.got JAS. Kennedy to go to the
rescue. 1t was about mile to
Phelps's. When.Kennedy arriyedfhe
went to the edge. of the. water and
called Emil but received no an
swer. Kennedy then started fer
more help. The memory of the wit
ness semed somewhat clouded as to
the rest of what transpired.y While
Kennedy was gone, he testified, that
he fell in a faint and when he recov-
cred he found Darlington Phelps
there, and they had gotten the de-
ceased out and the horse and buggy.
Jas. Kennedy was then sworn and
testified as torthe finding of the de-
ceased. He said: At about OILS
o'clock Urban came after me saying
that Emil Dunken had tipped into
a ditch and was laying under the
buggy in the water. When we 4got
there l went within four feet of
where the horse was. I saw
could notdo anything alone ON ac-
count of the way the horse was foun-
deiing. l had lighted lantern
and could see the horse, next to me.
Beyond the horse was the buggy and
beyond the buggy lay the deceased
with his head out of the water.
] called but could get no answer.
To all appearance he wits dead then.
He was under water from his waist
down. l went for help and
returned in about ten minutes, and
deeeasedswas lying in tne.sameposi-
tion. Then we got him out. He
showed no signs of life then. Could
not say how he was held under buggy
but his legs were fastened in~the
wheel. Deceased could have held to-
the upper wheel, but being fastened
as he was he could not reach it with
out help. Water was hip deep. My
first impression was that the horse
had hurt him. Think it was about
six O'Clock when they passed my
place. 1t was after nine when Urban
came after me.
Darlington Phelps was sworn. 1t
was he who l0osened deceased from
where he was caught, with the help
of Kennedy, Willie Kopitzke and 81.
G Reynolds. and put him in Kopitz
Ke's wagon. which brought the re-
mains to town. Dunken had the
appearance Of being dead for some
time when1witness first reached him.
The men on the shore lifted the
buggy with chain and lie pulled the
body out. 1T Was impossible to get
him out without fitting the buggy.