Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1895-01-10
DOWN TO DEATH.
Two Young People Drowned While Skat-
Ing.
One a Former Resident of This
County.

In speaking of the death of Miss
Dills and her lover, Henry Clemens,
who were drowned In the Maumee,
near Independence, on New Years
day, the Defiance NeDs says:
New Years day, 1895, will always
be remembered by the families OF
Nicholas Clemens and William Dills,
of Independence with regret.
Last evening member of each of
these families passed to the great be-
yond almost in the twinkling of an
eye without previous warning.
At the home of the Dill's a daughter,
Lilly lies cold in death, and at Mr..
Clemens the death of son, Henry is
mourned.
The young man was "a years old
and the young lady 81. They had
been much together of late and had
formed an attachmentfor each other,
which would perhaps have resulted
in marriage.
Last evening the young couple were
skating on the Maumee rivernearth the
dam. They had for companions Miss
Rachel Rose and Miss Dilps younger
brother.
The skaters were enjoying the rare
sport in the keen bracing atmosphere
and their merry shouts rang out over
the ice. About $50 Miss Rose says
she had taken off her skates to go
home. The ill fated couple were only
short distance from her skating
hand in hand. Suddenly she heard a
noise which she knew instinctively
was the breaking of the ice. Miss
Dills shouted RACHEL" 1t was her
last word, as the couple had skated
into a hole and disappeared. Miss
Rose says they did not come to the
surface although she was not near
enough to have heard struggling in
the water.
The frightened girl ran to the resi-
dence of her father, Stillman Rose
and informed him of the sad occur
ance, and in short time many oftht
neighborc were at the river. On the
ice was found Miss Dilrs hat and one
of her mittens, which told unmistak
ably that the young lady had gone
down to death.
The place where they were drowned
was in hole about 80 feet wide and
about so feet from the shore. The
water is about ten feet deep at this
point and there is no current.
The ice was taken out by the Dill
family and strange to relate, youne
Clemens assisted, having worked
there yesterday forenoon. Blocks O
ice had been set up at the corners O.
the hole to warn skaters, and it Seems
strange the young man should skate
into it. 1t is belived, however, tha-
he did not remember the exact loca
tion and thought he was far enough
out in the stream to miss it.
I AS soon as possible the neighbour
gather at the spot and within thirt,
minutes both bodies were recovered
with pike poles. Young Clemens wal
brought to the surface first and with
in tenfeet of where he was found th,
body of Miss Dills was recovered. A,
it was clear to all how they metdeath
Miss Dills body was taken to hel
home near by and the body of th,
4 young man was taken to his uncle's
only short distance from the seen,
of the drowning, and the coroner wal
then notified.
| Young Clemens was an exper
swimmer and o strong one. He dit
not wear an overcoat, which woult
hinder him in his efforts to save him
self, and it is query in the minds o
y many why he did not save himself
and the young lady. They were
probably chilled by the water, ant
as the unfortunate young woman hat
him by the hand tits just possible sh
clung to him, although they wer
some distance apart when taken from
the water.
| VIM. Dills, father of the dead girl
died some time ago, and this is th
third death in the Dills familyin thre
years. The family formerly reside,
in this city, and the young lady is wei
known here.
1 The unfortunate young man was
cousin, of William and Adam Clemen
of this city. Both the young peopl,
were loved and resp ected by all VIII,
knew them and their untimely death
have cast a gloom over the com
munity in which they resided.
VIM. Dills and family formerl,
4 lived in this county, in Marion town
ship, previous to their removal to De
4 fiance, county. Their old acquaint
ances in Henry county deeply sympa
thize with the stricken family in thei
manifold Affections.
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