Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-07-28
BODY OF UNKNOWN MAN DIS
COVERED in HEAD RACE.
DEATH PROBABLY ACCIDENTAL
Discovery Made by D. P. curran and
Ralph Crowley while Fishing Near
Red House-No Clue to His Identity.
Was Thought to be James Dawson.
From Fridays Daily.

HhoAA cAiuoS . Oaly.
A grewsome find was made yester-
day about 8 o'clock when the body
of an unknown man was discovered in
the head race in badly decomposed
state. The discovery was made by
D. P. Curran and Ralph Crowley as
they were fishing near the red house
at the foot of Court street. Several
men who were near when the body was
taken from the water identified the re-
mains as those Of James Dawson and
this was verified afterwards when the
body was taken to the Daggett under
taking parlors by the aged father and
the brother of Mr.. Dawson. Plans for the
funeral were being arranged when two
men who had been fishing near the
dam heard of the affair and stated that
they had left Mr.. Dawson less than an
hour earlier fishing at the dam and up
on investigation this was found to be
true. The unfortunate man now lying
at the undertaking parlors is unknown
here and there was nothing found on
his body to give clue as to his lden-
tity.
The Body Discovered.
D. P. Curran and the young Crowley
boy, who were fishing from the walk
at the side of the red house and had
just thrown in their lines when they
were Mortified to see a portion of q
mans head appearing on the surface Of
the water. They towed the body to the
bank with their fishing poles and i'm
mediately notified the police. DR.. F.
w. Mills, the county coroner, was
summoned and the body was taken to
the undertaking rooms.
Believed to Be Accidental.
Nothing is known as to how the man
was drowned. There was no signs of
violence on his body and it is not
thought that there has been foul play.
The police are of the opinion that the
walk which spans the race at the west
end of the red house and fell into the
deep water there.
Headquarters for Tramps.
The mans face was bloated and de-
composed so badly that it was hard
to distinguish his features and the po-
lice have been unable to identify the
man. During the summer months the
south bank of the race is haven for
tramps and early every morning a
large number of them can be seen
around the red house. The man who
was found is evidently one of this num-
Der as he had nothing on his person
but fifteen cents and deck of cards.
A pair of glasses with the name of a
Monmouth, ILL.,, firm engraved on them
the authorities at Monmouth, were no
LII 1f& rtxya n q
scription of the man.
The building known as the red house
is the property of the City Water Sup
ply Co., and is fitted with detachable
gates which may be thrown open when
it is desired to flush the bottom Of the
race. The water is very deep and
many people have been drowned there.
1t was in the same spot that Elmer
Swanson, a young lad whose parents
reside in this city, was drowned about
six years ago.
The body was discovered about
O'Clock and the victim was thought to
be James Dawson until about noon.
Mr.. Dawson is the son of Mr.. and Mrs.
John Dawson, who reside in Fairview,
and is about AZ years of age. His aged
father identified the remains as his
son. A brother, John Dawson, Jr., and
two brothers-in-law, Edward Carr and
Clarence Sutton verifying this. The
mother of Mr.. Dawson sustained an
accident a few weeks ago when she
was thrown from delivery wagon in
West Ottumwa and it was thought the
news of her sons death would be too
great shock for her to bear. When
the undertakers were notified that the
dead man was not James Dawson, the
family of the latter were immediate.
ly notified and he was soon after seen
at the dam, where he had been fish.
ing. The resemblance between the
dead man and Mr.. Dawson is most
striking.