The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1895-07-20
FELL OVERHEARD
Such is the Report Regarding the
Sad Death of Sylvester
Kinney
BODY HAS BEEN RECOVERED
1t is Thought That the Unfortunate
Man Was Stricken With
Heart Failure.

When the S&d news reached this city
last Saturday morning that Sylvester
Kinney was drowned in Green Bay the
previous evening, about two hundred
copies of THE SENTINEL were printed.
consequently the announcement could
not be made In tho entire edition
No further particulars could be learned
at that time, save the fact that ne was
dead and none have since been received
aside from the following account which
we take from the Green Bay Gazette, OF
last Saturday:
The body OF Sylvester Kinney. who
was drowned Just outside Grassy island
last evening. had not been recovered up
to o'clock this afternoon. ;he steamer
John Denessen having been engaged in
dragging for it all day. About O'Clock
this afternoon the hooks caught on some
heavy object which was drawn nearly to
the surface of the water when 1t slipped
from them and went down. When the
hooks were drawn up to the boat on one
side Of their prongs was a small piece OF
cloth evidently torn from coat lining.
Shortly after this piece of rope became
entangled in the steamers wheel and
she had TO go to the lighthouse at the
cut where the obstacle was removed
Dragging was then resumed at the spot
where IL was thought the body had been
located, but without success as yet. The
steamer will return to the city at @
O'clock.
Mr.. Kinney. accompanied by his wife
and two of their children. was among
the party OF about lifty eXcursionisis.
who were spending the evening on the
bay on the steamer John Denessen. At
between 300 and 500 yards north OF the
cnt at Grassy island aud almost directly
On the range OF the two lights there.
rhe party were just completing their
luncheon, IL being .hen about $3.50
o'clock. Mr.. Kinney. who had formed
one OF a party at the bow Of the boat.
left them and walked slowly aft on the
Tower deck of the boat along the star
board side. When opposite the door OF
! the engine room he fell sideways oyer
the low rail OF the boat without tripping
| sound plunged head foremost into the
water. jeff. DenesseD, the engineer,
was standing at his. post In the engine
room. aud saw him as he went over
| board. Grasping the reversing lever OF
the engine he threw it over and opened
the throttle wide, at the same time
| notifying the captain through the speak
| ing tube that omebody had fallen over
board. Grasping the lifeline which is
kept convenient of access the engineer
leaped to the side Of the boat and
plainly saw the body OF the unfortu-
nate man. 1t was lying face dewnwards
10 the water and perfectly motiouless.
A coil of the line was thrown directly
upon him but not an effort was made to
grasp it. The line was hurriedly drawn
| 10 aud again thrown over aim with the
same result.
Capt. Theodore Denessen, who had
Immediately grasped life preserver
| aud ran aft along the hurricane deck
when the alarm was given, witnessed
| the helplessness of the drowning man
and without hesitating sDrang into the
water from the upper deck OF the boat
The headway of the craft had been
stopped and Capt. Dsnessen struck the
water within few feet OF the body.
lie caught hold OF II once, but in doing
so his life preserver slipped from his
hand. In reaching to recover this he
lost his hold Of the body, which sank
from sight and did not reappear. Capt.
Denessen swan around the srot for
several minutes but to no avail and was
picked up blythe steamer.
The scene among the excursionists
when the accident became known was
one OF confusion, and IL was with the
utmost difficulty that Mrs. Kinney could
be restrained from leapinR inte the
water after her husband. Life preserv-
ers, lines and everything that could be
picked up were thrown overheard. The
crew of the tug Godfrey, which was
lying 10 the cut, heard the alarm, and
going out in the yawl Joined 10 the
search.
/ Upon getting on board his boat after
his plunge into the water, Capt. Denes
sen had sounded call for assistance b,
means Of the boats whistle aud this wa,
responded to by the tug NettIe Denss