The herald., 1895-04-01
SAW THEM BOTH DROWNED
A WOman's Terrible Experience
at AZuSa
HER HUSBAND DIED FIRST
Then Her Daughter Also Fell Into
the River
In Attempting to Cross the San Gabriel
River, John Husser and His Little
Daughter Meet Death

Coroner Campbell went out to Azusa
yesterday to investigate the drowning ol
John Husser and his little four-yearold
daughter. During the inquest he listened
TO one of the most pathetic stories that
he had ever heard, and since he has been
coroner his experience has not been
limited.
Husser was man of middle age. He
lived at Sierra Madre. and was regard ed
as one of the most intelligent and indus
trious citizens of that community.
Recently he and lawyer of Los Ange-
les entered into contract to plant 500
acres on the other side of the San Gabriel
river with trees. On Saturday he hitch ed
up his horse, put some bedding and cook
ing utensils into the wagon, took his
wife and two younger children. boy of
six and girl of four, and started for
where he was going to plant the trees.
When they reached the ford at the San
Gabriel, his wife begged Husser not to
attempt the crossing. The water was
churning down through the boulders and
the stream was a good deal higher than
ordinary. But Husser was anxious to get
to work, and said that he thought there
would be no danger and started across.
Everything went well until the opposite
bank was reached There the horse was
unequal to the task of pulling the wagon
up the bank. Husser started him up sew
eral times unsuccessfuly and then con-
cluded to so further up steam where the
bank was not so steep. He turned too
sharply and the current caught the wagon
and overturned it. throwing the four oc-
cupants in the water.
Husser's head must have struck on a
boulder, for he never made any attempt
to rise, and his body was whirled off down
the river. Mrs Husser clu lg to the
wagon seat and tioated abouy 100 yards.
when she managed to grasp Il boulder
upon which she secured a seat. The two
children were also fortunate enough to he
washed against rocks which they mounted.
The screams of the unfortunate woman
brought to the scene a man who was
travelling in a buggy. He did not seem to
be able to do anything to rescue the
stranded people, and IL never occurred to
him to seek aid. The little four-year-
girl after she had gained a seat on the
rock, began playing in the water and did
not seem frightened in the least She
must have become dizzy from looking at
the rushing current, however, and about
sundown fell off into the river and was
drowned. This caused Mrs. Husser to
scream louder than ever and some work
men near by, who had not heard her be-
fore, came to the scene. Nearly crazy by
seeing her husband and daughter
drowned, while she was urable to help
them, the poor exhausted woman and her
son were taken to the bank
Husser was formerly a hardware mer-
chant in Minneapolis and accumulated
fortune OF 500, 900. a partners indis-
cretion almost rdined him. Coming to
California with $4,000 he settled in
Shasta county, where he was very unfor-
tunate. When he came to Southern Cali
fornia he had but 5000. At first he lived
at Compton but two of his children died
there and he moved to Sierra Madre.
The widow is left nearly destiti.te
with four children. On Saturday night
the neighb1rs took collection of S75.
which will suffice for her present nee DIS.
Today the bodies of the drowned man
and Child will be brought to Los Angeles.