Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-06-09
Remains of Henry Kuntz Dis
covered Yesterday.
DROWNED NEAR ELDON
Met HIS Death While Trying to Go for
Aid In Rescuins His Wife and Son
From the Flooded Farm-Body is
: Found Week After Death,

Eldon June 8.-(SpeciaD-Ly
In foot or two of water barely twen-
ty feet from where he sank from sight
Sunday May 81, after making a
heroic attempt to save his wife and
little son from the raging Des Moines
the body of Henry Kuntz was found
yesterday morning, exactly week aft
er his death, by %. F. Hilles, and a
party of searchers who went out to
the Hilles farm where kuntz formerly
resided, for the purpose of recovering
4 the remains of the unfortunate man.
Mr.. Kuntz resided on the farm with
his wife and family and on Saturday
night the water rose until it surround
ed the house in which were Mr.. and
Mrs. Kuntz and their little son, Henry,
Jr., aged IL years. When day broke
Sunday it was plain that the rising wa
ter would enter the house and Mr.
kuntz feared for the safety of his
wife and little child If such should be
the case. He decided about 10 o'clock
to go for aid to the next farm and
watched arxiously by the woman and
the boy in the house he made his way
through the water to the barn nearby
the house and put the harness on two
heavy horses.
1t was Mr.. Kuntz's intention to swim
with his horses to higher ground and
from there go to the nearest neighbor-
ing farm, secure aid and return for his
wife and little boy. He started out and
went well for a few yards, but his
wife was Mortified to see him reach the
current and go whirling along with
his horses until all struck a barbed
wire fence. Here the horses remain
ed, caught by the harness, while the
man went on down the turbulent cur
rent for q, few yards more and was fin
ally swept against the fence, where he
succeeded in catching hold of post,
where he held his head above water
fcr an hour, in plain sight of his wife
end child, who were utterly powerless
to aid him. Finally worn by eXertion
he was forced to release his hold and
the anxious watchers were Mortified to
see him throw. up his hands in despair
and sink beneath the rushing waves.
Wife and Child Saved.
The terrified woman and little boy
watched in vain for the temperance
of the unfortunate man and spent sew
eral awful hours watching the water
for some sign. During the afternoon
q rescue party from Eldon arrived at
the. farm and removed Mrs. KuntN and
her son to place Of safety. 1t was
realized as useless to hunt for the
mans body then and not until yester-
day did the water recede enough to
make such search possible.
Finding the Body.
Yesterday E. e. Hilles who owns
the farm, and party of friends went
out from Eldon to look after the re.
mains of the unfortunate man and aft
er search lasting some time they fin
ally found the body in little slough,
not more than twenty feet from the
point where Mr.. Kuntz sunk from sight
just a week before.
Sustained Heavy Loss.
Mr.. Hilles reports that he sustain.
Cd o heavy loss as result of the high
water. The greater part OF his farm
Nsa1 under water and in addition to
this he lost about fifty hogs togeth.
er with several horses and cattle.
Mrs. Anna Mcdonald, who resides
onRailroad street, is sister of the
man who was drowned. Mrs. Nc
Donald knew nothing of the sad fate
which had befallen her brother until
she read the bulletin in the Courier
office window the day following the
occurrence. She has been frantic
with grief for the past week and has
/. e.nxiously inquired for news regarding
the remains of her dead brother.