The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1899-06-22
FATAL ACCIDENT.
VIM BORKENHAGEN LOST HIS LIFE
BATHING IN HOOKER LAKE.
SAD END OF AN OUTING PARTY
Young Borkenhagen had Gone 80 the Lake
with the Pastlme Pleasure Club for
Their Annual outing-Body not as
Yet Recovered.

shrouded in gloom today, and their
annual outing, which was held at
Hooker Lake Sunday will go down in
the annals of the club as one of the
saddest days in the club calendar.
This sorrow is caused by sad accident
which occurred during the day and
which resulted in the drowning of
William Borkenhagen, one of the best
known members of the club.
The entire club had gone out to
Hooker Lake Saturday evening and
they made jolly party. Early Sum
day morning the party went out fishing
and by noon they had secured fish
enough to last them for several days,
and they settled down to have good
time. About two o'clock the boys all
went out into the lake for a bath.
Borkenhagen, who was one of the jol-
lest of the party, insited on taking a
boat, and in company with Police
officer Michael Sullivan, who was in
another boat, the two rowed far out
into the centre of the little lake In a
short time they became separated and
in some manner the boat in which Bor-
kenhagen was rowing capsized and the
young man was thrown into the water.
He was an excellent swimmer, and the
boys on shore thought little of the
accident, and as they considered him
perfectly able to care for himself no
immediate steps were made to rescue
him. After he had been in the water
for short time he was seen by Officer
Sullivan, who made an effort to help
him. A strong wind was blowing and
this had carried the boat far away
from the young man who was strug-
Cling in the water. He shouted for
! help and Sullivan made an attempt to
rescue him. He had only started to go
to the imperiled man when the oar
lock on the boat broke, and he was not
able with single oar to make any
great Roadway on account Of the strong
| wind.
When Sullivan reached the boat
which had been abandoned by the
drowning man be made heroic effort
| to assist Borkenhagen, but the wind
was too strong and the young man went
down after making a gallant struggle
in the water. The accident was wit
messed by all the members of the party,
who were paralyzed with fright, and
yet were not able to do anything to
assist their unfortunate cOmrade.
AS soon as the young man went down
telegram was sent to this city an
nouncing his sad death and it caused a
great deal of sorrow among his many
friends. The boys at the lake spent
the remainder of the evening dragging
for the body, but their efforts were
unsuccessful and the body was still in
the lake this morning. Several of the
boys in the Club accompanied by mem
bers of the Life Saving crew went out
to the scene of the accident this morn
ing and they will continue to drag the
lake until the remains of Borkenhagen
are found.
Borkenhagen was we'll known in this
city and was very popular among the
German population of the town. He
was about % years of age and was the
youngest son of William Borkenhagen,
deceased, who for many years was
foreman at the Balm Wagon Works.
Since the death of his mother, which
occurred several years ago, he has
made his home with his grandmother
on North Chicago street.
Three sisters and one brother sur
vive him, and all are crazed with grief
on account of his unfortunate death.
A sorrowful company of the Pastime
boys gathered in the club room this
morning, and all of them had kind
word for Squeezy" as he was known
in the club.
The accident put an end to the out
ing and the boys all returned to the
city Sunday evening, leaving their
companion and friend sleeping among
the reeds and grasses at the bottom of
Hooker Lake. As soon as the body is
recovered the arrangements for the
| funeral will be announced