The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1899-03-17
DROWNED
PAUL MORGAN, OF MECHAN-
ICSBURG, DROWNED AT
THE RESERVOIR.
His Cousin, Stewart Morgan
Narrowly Escaped.

Monday, two young men from Me-
chanicsburg, Paul Morgan and his cou-
sin, Stewart Morgan, went to the Lewis
town Reservoir to hunt duck.
They stopped at the Indian Lake hotel
and Thursday morning about five O'Clock
went out on the lake to hunt.
Going north to the North Miami inlet
they hunted till about nine O'Clock,
when they started back for breakfast.
Bsing in good spirits they began rock
ing the boat, and made it dip water;
but the young man, Horace Dunson,
VINO was rowing the boat, warned them
against it and they desisted, and he
rowed on toward the Lake.
When within two or three hundred
yards of the Lake, coming down through
the inlet, the boat ran onto log, throw
ing the bow up, and the stern began to
take water and the boat soon sank.
Paul Morgan jumped out first, and
started towards the logs, some fifty feet
away. He was good swimmer, but had
on his hip boots, double suit of under.
clothes, a sweater and corduroy pantl
and coat-a very heavy load for q swim
mer to carry. But he was six feet, ont
inch high, and weighed about 20(
pounds, and he thought he could make
the logs.
Your g Dunson SWAN to a stump somt
twenty feet away, and called to th'
others to come to the stump. Stewar
Morgan swan to it, and Dunson helpet
him get off his overcoat and sweater.
By this time, Paul was calling
for help, and swimming round ant
round. His cousin, who is also over si1
feet high, and weighs $50 pounds, swan
to his rescue.
When he reached Paul, he knocket
off his cap, and caught him by the hair
and pulled him up, when the latter be
gan to clutch at him, and to save him
self he pushed him away. Again b.
caught Paul, and pulled him up, but tn
latter's clothes by this time had becom
30 thoroughly soaked, and he was 81
heavy, that Stewart could not keep hin
up.
Yet he made another attempt, ant
failed, and then had to swim for the log
to keep himself from drowning. He ha'
already been under twice, and had swal
lowed some water. He finally reaches
the logs, with d ifficulty, drew himself VI
on the first one and partially onto tn
second, when he lost consciousness an
lay with his head and body partly in tn
water.
Young Dunson called loudly for help
and his father, who had just landed
boat load at the hotel, rowed rapidly t,
the scene, rowing, he said, as he ha'
never rowed in his life. Taking his sol
into his boat, he rowed at once to Stew
art Morgan, and took him into tn
boat in an unconscious condition
very difficult thing to do. owing t
Morgan's heavy weight.
He then rowed to the hotel wher
efforts were made to resuscitate Morgan
and in about half an hour their effort
were successful.
Coroner Young, Mr.. Morgan Nichol
and a number of our citizens drove ou
as soon as the news was received here
and the Coroner held an inquest, tn
verdict being accidental drowning.
| Young Morgan was the only son Q
Mr.. E. D. Morgan, who is District ARen
of the Home Insurance Company. Th
father was at Hamilton, and the mothe
at Cincinnati, at the time of the acci
dent, and it was some time before the.
could be reached by telegraph.
The unfortunate young man was
gentleman of excellent character, an
was agent for the Home at Mechanics
burg. He was about % years of age
His body was recovered in about tw
hours, and was brought to Kennedy
undertaking establishment last evening
and taken thence to Springfield, thi
morning.
The death of the only son, in thi
tragic manner will be q terrible bio,
to the parents, who were devoted
attached to him.
None of the parties in the boat ha
been using liquor. The water wher
the lamentable accident occurred ws
only seven feet deep, and if the pal
ties had not been go heavily dressed
perhaps no drowning would have OF
Cured, though marks on the youn
mans body indicated that he ha
probably cramped.
The young mans watch stopped {
1919. indie ating that to have been tt