Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-06-12
THE FATE OF j. 8. wlvlLL.

THE FATE OF j. 8. Wlvlll,
Remaias Reach Here-PArtlculars OF the
Drowning.
The remains of j. s. Wivill arrived
from Keokuk over the Rock Island
at 1915 o'clock last night in charge
of w. T. Grady. and were taken at
once to the home Of his father, be-
low the city.
The funeral will occur at 9 O'Clock
tomorrow morning from the house,
with services at st. Joseph's church
at 10 O'Clock.
The Keokuk Demo
crat of last evening contains the fol-
lowing account in detail of the dis
aster:
The Mississippi. which every
year claims as its own one or more
unfortunates. found it's first victim
of this season Wednesday night at
10 O'Clock, when James s. Wivill, o.
Rock Island, lost his life in the
waters of the canal just above the
lower lock. Wivill was young man
who has been acting for some time
past as ths clerk Of the United States
government suag boat, Gen. Barnard.
He was the only son of Judge Wivill.
of Rock Island, and was a clerk in
the government offices at that city
up to the opening of this season,
since when he has been engaged upon
the boat. He was recently relieved
of his duties as clerk by G. S. Cramp-
ton and was on his way home. to re-
sumo his former position when the
sad accident cut short his career.
1.-The boat had been down the river
on q southern trip in its regular
work Of removing snags and other
distractions to navigation. 1t was
on its way up the river to st. Paul
and Wivill was to have gone with her
as far as his home and there left her.
The boat came up the river Tuesday
and was tied up just above the lower
lock with a broad barge between it
and the shore. Wednesday evening
Wivill went up town with a number
OF the crew of the boat, saying he
would return about 10 o'clock. He
left his companions there and about
that time he came down the hill, &C
companied by his dog. Whistling
for the animal, which had run up the
hill. he stepped from the shore to
the barge and then walked across it
to the boat.
Drowned In Sight of Help.
''Just then a splash was heard pom
that side Of the boat. and all grew
still again. The captain Of the boat.
David Upton, suspecting that some
thing was wrong, called to the
Waterman, Barney WaItzem, to in
vestigate. BY the light of
lantern. the Waterman searched
carefully and found that Wivill, APP
parently stunned and unconscious,
had fallen between the boat and the
barge. and was lying in the water
drowning. Captain Upton, Clerk
Champion, c. B. Durham and the
rest of the crew came running to the
rescue with the greatest speed and
ropes were quickly brought. To
venture between the barge and the
boat was too hazardous an under
taking, and with ropes they tried
their best to rescue the drowning
man who seemed perfectly helpless.
The ropes were thrown within his
very grasp. but he was powerless to
seize them for his strength and life
seemed gone. For about twenty min
utes they worked hard TO save the
young man from a watery grave,
while he was drowning before their
very eyes, and when at last they did
succeed in drawing his body out of
the water. it was lifeless one. 1t
is supposed that in trying to pass
from the barge to the boat, he
stu bled and fell, at the same time
striking his head upon a projecting
bolt and was made unconscious by
the fall. since his forehead was badly
cut and bruised. DIR. J. G. Hughes
had been called to the scene, and for
a long time. strove by every means
in his power to bring the body back
to life once more. but without sue
cess. The young mans father,
Judge Wivill, was notified by tele-
graph OF his sons sudden death and
the remains were taken to Hawkes. &
Ackley's undertaking establishment,
where they we're prepared for
burial"
Mr.. Grady states that Mr.. Wivill
bad gone up town to get his hair cut
and that when he returned he was
whistling and calling to the dog
which was following him, and that il
was while thus engaged that he
his footing in stepping from
the barge to the boat.
Obituary.