The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1894-07-27
DROWNED.
VIM. Menke Finds Watery
Grave in the minnesota
River.
The Sad Ending of Picnic Party
The Body Recovered After
aTwO Hours Search.

day afternoon by the report that
VIM. Menke had drowned in the Min
nesota river back of Sibley mound.
The report was true and there was
soon large crowd on the ground,
watching the efforts of the searchers
for the body
The Daughters of Rebekah held a
picnic on the mound Sunday, and
served a dinner between one and two
o'clock. A number of the Odd Eel
lows were present, and the affair was
in all respects pleasant one, and
was greatly enjoyed. Among the
party were Mr.. and Mrs. Menke, who
might be included in the list of the
most popular young people present.
Immediately after dinner four of the
young men, Mr.. Menke, VIM. Conrad,
Joseph Bienapfi and John Koppen,
went in bathing in the Minnesota
river, less than hundred yards below
the mouth of the Blue Earth river.
Others of the young men sat on the
bank to watch them.
His three companions swan across
the river, which is eight to ten feet
deep on the city side, where the cur
rent sets in, and Mr.. Menke under
took to follow them. Mr.. Conrad
started at the same moment to come
back and told Mr.. Menke not to come
unless he could swim. Mr.. Menke re.
piled that he was coming, and started
to swim across. He had scarcely tax.
en- a stroke when Mr.. Conrad saw
him double up and go down, one
hand being the last to disappear. No
word was spoken and the body did
not come to the surface again. Mr..
Conrad secured a plank used as a
spring board and took it out in the
river, intending to help Mr.. Menke
when he came to the top of the water,
but he had no opportunity to use it.
Search for the body was at once I'M
dertaken, but it was nearly two
hours before it was found. Walter
Fowler, after repeated diving, found
it lying in ten feet of water little
below where the party went in. The
remains were removed to J. Klein &
Co.'S undertaking establishment, and
were today removed to the home
Of the deceased, over his place of
business, on North Front street. The
face was discolored but otherwise
there were no marks or discoloration
on the body.
The cause of the drowning has
caused some discussion. Mr.. Menke
could swim little, according to his
own statements, and was not one who
would easily lose his head in the
face OF danger. The theory that he
was seized with cramps has
been advanced, and may be true, as
the water at that place is several
temperatures, in layers, owing to the
flowing together of the two rivers
here. 1t is perhaps equally reason
able to believe that he was stricken
with heart disease or apoplexy. The
fact that he went into the water
at once after eating hearty meal,
and plunged in at once while warm,
would seem to supply sufficient cause
for such severe shock to his system
as would bring on either of the re-
suits.
Mr.. Menke was born in Germany.
and his father resides there. He was
thirty-two years Of age, and came to
this city two days after the drowning
of P. A. Foster and Robert Lind in
almost the same spot where he met
his death. He came from Salem. S.
d., and started a saloon at Gulden's
place. He located later next to Mich
Lang's, and his saloon is one of the
best appointed in the city and enjoys
a large business. Mr.. Menke started
in life without cent, and by good
business ability and prudence accum-
ulated considerable property, and his
life bid fair to be prosperous and
happy one. Two months ago he mar
ried Miss Title Hoerr, daughter of
Geo. Peter Hoerr. A strange fatality
seems to hang about the marriages
of Mr.. Hoerr's daughters, as the hus-
bands of three of them, each well
known and popular, have met with
violent or sudden deaths within the
past few years. Jacob Flaschsenhar
was killed while overseeing the work
On the Stern block, of which he
had the contract. Harry Walrayen
was murdered last September, and
this article relates to the death of
the third. There is one more daugh-
ter, whose husband is John Miller. a
farmer residing some miles from the
city. 1t is to be hoped that this
third affection completes the list, and