The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-05-29
DROWNED AT THE DAM
JOHN M'TEAGUE MEETS DEATH
AT THE MOUTH OF THE
MINNESOTA
COMPANIONS BARELY ESCAPE

WHliNm HfsneF, VINO was IN the
Boat with Him, Was Saved After
Hard Struggle by Two Friends
Who Were Near by-He Then
Wandered Away Into the Woods,
Mentally Deranged.
John McTeague, an operator in the
employ of the Western Union Telegraph
company, living with his parents at 253
Colborne street, was drowned at the
junction of the Mississippi and Mime
sofa rivers, near Fort Smelling, Saturday
night, while three companions, William
Fisher, living at 219 Duke street; Frank
Nagel, living at ZIG Duke street and Roy
LIE Claire, living at 255 Western avenue
south, narrowly escaped like fate The
young men We're going up the river in
two boats on camping expedition. Both
boats capsized during the rather severe
storm about 10 o'clock, throwing the four
young men into the water McTeague
was an expert swimmer, but disappeared
before his companions could render him
aid, while Fisher, who could not swim
at all and who was stunned by striking
his head on the boat, was rescued with
the greatest difficulty by LIE Claire and
Nagel. Almost exhausted by their own
wild experience and half crazed over the
fate of their companion, the other three
young men searched the river all night
long without finding any trace of Nc
league and returned to the city yester-
day morning with the sad news of his
death.
The four young men started up the
Mississippi river in two boats loaded with
camping equipment shortly after o'clock
Saturday evening, intending to row I'D
the Minnesota river to Black Dog lake for
a weeks outing. McTeague and Fisher
were in the first boat, while Nagel and LIE
Claire followed in the other skiff. Nc
league was 20 years old, Fisher is Is,
Nagel 10, and LIE Claire IS. The Young
fellows were all familiar with the river
and the boats were pulled along close to-
gether without incident until near the
dam at the junction of the two rivers.
BY this time it had grown very dark and
flashes of lightning, portending storm.
darted over the valley. While the boat
men were maneuvering to pass the dam
a dangerous part of the stream, where
the water whirls and eddies into white
capped rapids-the storm broke. In the
binding rain and consequent excitement
McTeague, who was rowing the first
boat, lost control of the craft and it
drifted into the swift current AS the
boat whirled about in the eddies Nc
league called to Fisher to jump out,
doubtless intending to risk an effort to
save himself and his companion by SWIM
ming to shore. But before either could
clear the boat 1t tipped over AS Nc
league and Fisher were thrown into the
lfoV. ffr<,vv 1I.ol
other boat and Nagel and LIE Claire at
once rowed fearlessly into the rapids to
their companions assistance. They could
see McTeague struggling with the cur
rent. but Fisher had disappeared. Scarce
1y had the second boat entered the swift
current, however, when 1t, too, was cap
sized. LIE Claire and NageI could swim
and started through the water toward the
point where Fisher and MeTeague's boat
had turned over. They saw dark OBJ
Ject noat1ng towards them, sinking out
of sight several times, but again floating
on the white waves. AS the object rose
once close to them LIE Claire and Nagel
recognized Fishers unconscious form, He
had struck his head on the boat when
coming up after being thrown into the
water and was helpless. The swimmers
graSped Fishers coat, and placing them
selves one on either side Of the uncon-
scious youth, managed to keep his head
ABOVE water. Meantime McTeague had
disappeared. He was an expert swim
mer. having been taught the art from his
boyhood by his father, and his compan-
ions supposed he had been carried away
from Fisher and Swum to the shore
They called to him loudly while strug-
Cling along with Fisher, but received no
reply. Their cries, however, attracted
several fishermen along the river bank
Had 1t not been for the help of the fish
less also have been drowned. The heroic
effort to save Fisher had we'll nigh ex-
hauSted them, but assurance of help
from the shore kept up their strength and
they swan bravely toward the bank, bat
ting fercely against the strong current
During the struggle Fisher had partially
revived and was less of burden in the
last effort of the swimmers AS they
came closer to the shore the fishermen
threw@out long rope, which lie Claire
and Nagel managed to catch hold of,
and together with Fisher were drawn
ashore.
With scarcely. a moments rest LIE
Claire and Nagel started along the river
bank looking for McTeague. Fisher, who
was yet suffering from the blow on the
head, wandered off in a different direc-
ton and spent the night roaming the
woods in half-dazed condition. The
fishermen joined in the search for Nc
putting
boats, but no trace of the unfortunate
young man could be found, and at early
morning Nagel and LIE Claire were
forced to accept the inevitable conclusion
that their companion had been drowned.
McTeague had rowed as far as the dam,
and being thrown into the water In a
heated condition it is believed that he
must have been suddenly seized with
cramps which incapacitated him from
swimming. Before their boat tipped
over Nagel and LIE Claire threw him an
oar, which f1oated close to him, but Nc
league, though calling for help, seemed
unable to reach for the oar The boats
and camping outfits were lost.
When the news Of the drowning reach
ed the city esterday morning William Nc
league, father of the young man, to-
gether with several neighbors, at once
secured boats and sought to recover the
body. They dragged the river about the
scene of the accident, but without finding
the body.
John J. .McTeague was twenty years Of
age and had been in the employ of the
Western Union Telegraph company for
about a year. He was the eldest son
among family of girls and idolized
both by his parents and sisters, who are
almost crazed over his death. Mrs. Nc
league is seriously affected by the
drowning. In his business and the So
cial circles where he moved McTeague
IS said to have been a young man of
exemplary habits and very popular. Will
| lam McTeague, his father. is an engineer
in the employ of the Omaha railroad
Thirty thousand letters a day seems a
'whopping big correspondence" bigger
than passes through many of our larger
postoffices, yet this is the average daily
mail of the large commercial house Of
Sears, Roebuck & Co., Of Chicago. They
| handle it easily. too, One hundred Penn