The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-08-24
Frenzicd Clutch ON Side of FraiI Craft
Overturns La and Throws COM
panion Into River.
HARRY KosER SAVED OWN LIFE
WITH WATER-LADEN CLOTHES HE
COULD NOT SAVE KENNEDY.
Accident Casts q Gloom over Pleas
ureseekers mt the Park-Body
Not Yet Found.

Charles Kennedy and Harry koser started
down White river in a canoe from the Riv-
erside Park boathouse about $50 o'clock
last night. Thirty minutes later Ken
nedys body lay in the bottom of the river
about block north of the Big -Four rail-
road bridge. In hiS efforts to save his
friend. Koser came near drowning too.
The drowning cooled the ardor OF thou
sands of pleasure seekers who were walking
about the park and sitting along the rivers
edge. The news CT the drowning spread
rapidly and hush fell over the crowd.
where, a few moments before, there had
been laughter and merriment.
Charley Kennedy lived at 172S Shelby
street with his parents and brothers and
sisters. He was nineteen years Old He
was learning the saw makers trade at the
Atkins saw works.
Kennedy and Koser made up a canoeing
party of six boys. The others in the crowd
were Fred Schwomeyer Shelby street; Will
Davis, Legrande avenue; Lloyd Langley.
Barth avenues and Harry Hignight, Naomi
street. Koser lives on Barth avenue.
Kennedy and Koser started down the
east side of the river from the boathouse.
They padded slowly. The four boys who
started out with them padded faster and
they passed under the Big -Four railroad
bridge, which is about two blocks from the
boathouse. 1t was dark and Kennedy and
Koser did not notice that the steamer was
coming toward them. directly I'm their path.
The two boys stroked slowly, laughing
and singing, not realizing that death
soon to overtake one of them.
STEAMER LOOMED UP.
right on TO US" called out kennedy. as
the steamer loomed up directly i'm front of
them. not more than four yards away.
Kennedy. who was I'm the rear OF the
canoe. thrust his paddle into the water and
quickly turned the canoe to right angles
with the path of the steamer. Before the
canoe could be moved out of the danger
the steamer struck il.
Just the PROV of the big boat ran
into the frai little canoe Kennedy jumped
into the river. So great was the speed of
the steamer when 1t struck the canoe that
the canoe. with Koser clinging TO It's sides
was knocked twelve feet up the river. But
the little boat did not capsize.
Koser looked up and saw Kennedy swim
ming toward him. He about nifty feet
from the east bank. With his hands koser
padded the canoe toward Kennedy and
Kennedy slowly swan toward the canoe
His clothes weighted him down and he was
| about exhausted
With one long pull that seemed TO totally
| canoe. Clutching IL he tried TO pull him.
| self i'm, but instead of getting safely out
of the clutch of death he turned the boat
| entirely over. As the boat turned he went
| down.
Koser hung to the canoe and as soon as
Kennedy came UP called to him 10 swim
toward the east bank. He was then farther
out in the river.
BOY WAS EXHAUSTED.
But the boy was totally exhausted and
| after coming to the surface twice more
and calling for help he sank TO the bot
! TOM Koser's clothes We're weighing him
down and it meant death to him to leave
the canoe And all he could do was to hang
| to the side of the litt'e craft and watch his
| friend and former schoolmate sink to the
bottom of the river. never 10 rise again.
The steamer went up the river about 100
| feet from the place where IL struck the
canoe before IL could b. stopped Before IL
could be turned around and brought back
Kennedy was drowned. Neither OF kenDc-
| dy's other four friends, who had gone far
ther down the river, could ges back I'M time
10 help him.
! Askins and number of the district pa
| trolmen from the vicinity OF the park set
TO work a few minutes after Kennedy
! drowned to recover his body. The exact
| location of the body was not known and
| the river is very deep where Kennedy
drowned Koser fioated away from the spot
| where ne last saw Kennedy before he was
i picked Zip and he could not tell where the
body lay.
KOSER'S STORY OF DROWNING.
Il wasn't paying any attention to where
we were going" said Koser. he walked
away from the place where the accident
occurred II was sitting i'm the front OF
the canoe facing the rear OF the boat. Ken
nedy sat in the rear, looking 20 the north.
We hadn't gone but a little piece past the
railroad bridge when Charley yelled Look
| out. Harry. the steamer is going 10 run into
! us Then he threw the canoe TO right
We couldn't get out Of the way. The steamer
| was going too fast Just as the steamer
! struck Charley jumped into the river
didn't think ne was I'm 80 very much dan
| ger because he seemed TO be swimming
| without much trouble. But he was getting
tired out fast and when he reached the ca
noe he was about all in Instead of just
! i'm and that tipped the canoe over. He
went down again but came up twice. But
! / couldn't reach him and before any help
| came he went down for the last time.
| Help me. Harry. help me-these were the
| last words / heard him say"
The police dragged the river for many
hours but could not find Kenncdy's body
last night The search will be- resumed
this morning.
When the news OF Charles Kennedys
! tragic death reached his home his aged
mother became almost frantic. She refused
to be quieted and for time IL was thought
| she would lose her mind. Dr. Louis Ber-
ner called and IL required the work of
! several hours on his part 10 quiet Mrs
I Kennedy When DIR. Berner left al mid
| night Mrs. Kennedy had become partly
| rcconcfed the fate of her son.