Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-06-27
THE PEARSON BOYS DROWNED
Two Brothers Meet an Untimely Death in
the Des Moines River.
THE SAD ACCIDENT OCCURRED TUESDAY
Eber and Lewis Pearson Drowned While Swimming-One
Body Recovered by Fishermen Yesterday Afternoon
and the Other by Searching Party From
the Courier Office Last Night.

The Des Moines river in this vicin-
| ity has been the scene of some of the
saddest events that come to the know
ledge of man. but yesterday afternoon
there came to light the saddest, most
pathetic accident for which this
treacherous body of water
lis accountable, the drowning of two
brothers, aged respectively eighteen
and sixteen years, the sons of humble,
Woodworking parents, and themselves
Industrious, dutiful youths. Their
names were Eber and John Lewis
Pearson
Nothing Known of Cause.
No one will ever know exactly how
the .oys met death, as no one was
with them when the accident occurred.
They left their home at about 1915
O'Clock on Tuesday afternoon with the
intention of going fishing at the river.
Before going they were warned not to
go into the water as the younger boy
could not swim. However, it is very
probable that they were too strongly
| tempted by the water, and tired
of fishing, decided to go swimming,
with the sad result stated above.
Were Seen Swimming.
The boys were first seen after leav-
ing home, at the first dam, just below
the boat house, where they were in
conversation with a fisherman named
Johnson. The next time they were
seen was about two hours later, when
the section men on the Burlington saw
them swimming near Morrell's ice
house, short distance up the river
from the boat house. Between and
o'clock they came up to the railroad
tracks from a point near the first is
land" and started toward the -four
mile BRIDGE" over which the Burling-
ton road crosses the river.
Shortly after o'clock, Thomas Nc
Call, the section foreman whose terri
tory runs to the river saw the boys
swimming near the bridge. This is
the last trace that can be found OF
them alive.
Mother Notified Police.
Yesterday morning the boys moth
er, Mrs. j. H. Price, who resides with
her husband three quarters. of mile
west of Ottumwa and quarter mile
east of Phillipsville, reported to the
police that her sons had been missing
since the preceding afternoon, and that
she feared they had been drowned.
Body of Lewis Found.
Nothing more transpired in connec-
ton with the matter until between 4
and 5 o'clock yesterday afternoon, when
the body of the younger boy was dis
covered about 1876 yards above the
/ 40, i,,
was first seen by j. M. Boatman, a
fisherman, who resides near the dam,
and G. w. Caster, who resides on
Green street, both of whom were fish
ing near the spot where they discover.
ed the body.
The men towed the body to the
shore. and notified the police. Chief
Gray drove to the place in the patrol
wagon and removed the remains OF
the boy to the undertaking rooms Of
]. w. McIntire & Company. He rec
ognized them as those of the younger
Pearson youth and the incident of the
morning was Immediately brought tc
mind.
Searching Party Organized.
Chief Gray instructed the fishermen
to keep a lookout for the body of the
second boy, and this was done, but nc
searching parties attempted the recov
cry of the body until about O'clock
in the evening. Very little interest
was taken in the matter by the people
Of the city, and the body would have
remained in the water all night ant
POSSIBLY much longer had it not been
for the organization Of a searching
party from the Courier Office, the only
one to conduct a systematic search.
i The party was composed of James
F. Powell, business manager of the
Courier, Walter l.. Lane, city editor
and Hall Powell, reporter. They
started from the boat house, goin,
first to the dam, thence up the river
A thorough inspection of every incl
of the shore was made by two of tue
lparty, in the hope of finding the boys
clothes and thus establishing start
ing point for the search for the bod,
itself. Meanwhile the third member
of the party was keeping sharp look
out on the water for the body.
Find Remains of Older Brother.
At 1890 o'clock, when the three hat
reached point one hundred yards be
low the lower end of first island
about two miles above the boat house
they discovered the body of Ebel
Pearson, the shoulders appearing
above the water at a point about TWEEN
ty feet from the north shore of tn,
stream. The feet were APPARENT!
caught in the mud at the bottom
showing that the body had f1oatet
There from some place above and be
came lodged.
| A line was fastened around the bod!
and 1t was towed to the boat house
The police authorities were notified
and they removed the remains to the
McIntire undertaking rooms, where
those of the younger brother had beer
taken.
Mine Closed.
This morning Phillips mine No. 4
where ]. H. Price, the step-father O
the boys Is employed, and where thu
boys themselves worked, was shu