The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-09-09
browns AT VINEWOOD
George a. Miller Perishes in Deer
Creek
WHILE TRYING TO SAVE HIS son

Boat is Overturned and Both HhFo"h
Into the Water-The Boy keScae0
by Michael HanIey-
George A. Miller was drowned In deer
creek at Vinewood last evening While
attemnting to save his 12-year-old son
from a similar fate. Mr.. Miller was
foreman of the crew of Rock Island pile
drivers now at Mcfarland and had come
home to spend Sunday with his wife ana
children.
In the afternoon Mr.yand Mrs. Miller
with their son and daughter went out 10
Vipewood to attend small picnic given
nv the Democratic 1ambeau club. Dur
inc the afternoon Mr.. Miller took his
family for boat ride. Upon returning
to the landing his son asked to go again,
go. after landing Mrs. Miller ana thelr
daughter, the father and son started
down the stream again.
They had gone but very short DIS
lance when the boat was overturned
Michael Hanley and a young lady were
also out boating and Mr, Hanley's com
panion was the first to see the capslzeo
boat. She saw the boy rise and SINK
Hanley Immediately jumped into. the
water with all his clothes on and SWAN
to the boat, When the boy rose again
Hanley grasped him and by great exer-
tions managed to bring the drowning
boy to the shore.
The little party which had gathered
on the bank never supposed that MI
Miller was in danger, as all of their ef-
forts were concentrated in saving and
reviving his son. AS soon as he could
speak he said pitifully, pointing to the
water, "Papa's down there"
In a moment half dozen young men
A flor .1h nTTf
five minutes work they succeeded In find
ing the object of their search.
Mr. Miller was five feet eight inches
tall and weighed about 200 pounds, and
it required all their strength to get him
out of the water upon the bank
Every effort was made to resuscitate
thu unfortunate man, but he must have
been in the water nearly ten minutes
His face and neck were purple, and all
attemps to bring back life were useless
Police headquarters were notified, and
the body was at once removed to the
undertaker's. The accident occurred at
about $3.50.
While no one saw the accident, the
opinion prevails among those present
that Mr.. Miller died in attempting to
keep his son from drowning. The
water is from seven to nine feet deep
where the boat was overturned, but the
stream is very narrow. One of the oars
caught in the bank and raised that side
until the boat capsized Mr.. Miller was
unable to swim, and in trying to keep
his sons haad above water he was showed
under and never camp up.
The dead mans home was two miles
north of town on the Kansas avenue
road at what is known as the Wendell
place He had formerly lived in the
city, but had removed to the country
last spring.
Mr. Miller was 39 years of age. He
has been in the employ of the Rock
Island as foreman of the pile drivers
since June '87, and had lived in Topeka
that long. He came from the Union
Pacific and formerly resided in Omaha.
He was foreman of the bridge gang that
built the bridges on the B. s. NJ, west
from Pawnee City, Neb, during its con-
struction. He was very popular among
the employees of the Rock Island, and
was known to every section hand and
trainman on the division. He came
home Saturday night from Mcfarland
and would have returned there last
night.
The deceased was a member of Star
lodge, A. O. U. W.. 331, and Amity lodge
231, Knights of Pythias, both North side
lodges He carried $4,000 worth of in
surance in the A. .. U. W., and a $4,000
accident policy in the Travellers of Hart
ford, Conn, but no insurance IN the
Z. P's.
The funeral will be held on Wednes-
day, the time to be announced later
Either one or both of the lodges of which
he was member will have charge of the
funeral