The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1904-08-12
EIGHT PERSONS
DROWN IN RIVER
Man and Seven Girls While
Bathing in Mississippi Gel
Beyond Depth.
BODIES
HichaeI Riley Took Daughter and Six
of Her Girl Friends Into the
River and They Waded
Into Deep Water.

Alton, ILL.,, Aug. S.-While bathing in
the Mississippi river Michael Riley, his
laughter, and six of the latter's little
kirl friends We're drowned. One child
Sho was in the party was rescued.
! The dead:
MICHAEL RILEY, 80 years old.
ELIZABETH RILEY, IL years old.
ALLIE SYNI1Ta. IA years old.
LUCY PATES, s years old.
LIZZIE PATI1S, IA years old.
BESSIE BRUM, IA years old.
MIR1E BRUM, 10 years old.
RUTH MARSHALL, 10 years old.
Riley lived near the river, in th~
''outhern part Of the city, and was ac-
ustomed to battle on the beac, in front
VI his home after his return from work.
His little daughter begged to go with
him. and Riley look her and seven Of
him.
When they entered the water Riley
babe the children join hands. and they
al waded into the river and walked
along a sand bar which stretches out
into the stream at that point.
Ihey had gone some distance from
The shore. when suddenly the whole
having In the darkness stepped from
The sandbar into the anep channel.
Fought Desperately for Life.
The children struggled and screamed,
lighting desperately to reach the sand
oar. where the water was only a foot
lr so In depth. Riley, who is said to
ave been a good swimmer. is thought
70 have been made helpless by the girls
.ltnging to him and hampering his ef-
.orts to save them.
The only one Of the party to regain
me sand bar vas Mary Timiny, s years
I'D. The child is unable to tell how
'he saved herself, beyond the state
nent that II snatched my hand loose
rom the grasp Of the little girl next
10 me, and oon found hat I could
stand up. and that the water only came
70 my knees"
The beach where the accident oc-
cured is practically deserted after
lightfall and the screams Of the little
riminy girl failed to attract any one
20 the scene
After Riley, his daughter and her
he water she ran from the beach and
teached home screaming at the top Of
Ter lungs. h was so hySterical that
was some time before her parents
tould gather an account of what had
occurred.
Immediately Mr.. Timiny organized a
'escue party, but when they reached
he beach there was no sign of Riley
md h seven little girls whom Mary
had seen sink.
Four Bodies Recovered.
Boats were hastily secured, and in e.
hort time four of the bodies had been
recovered. Searching parties worked
ate Hcd lor9 the 10 nif {he, account GIVEN nv
be little Timiny girl, after she had
Ieen IN a measure Gained by her pa
ents. the drowning was caused by the
Ncitement incident to the passage of
large river steamer.
Mary says that they had waded soma
distance into the stream, keeping care
hlly to the sand bar when the wash
ng from a steamer caused waves Of
considerable height to come ashore
Before entering the water Riley had
instructed the little ones to maintain
tight grasp on each others hands, he
saking q place in the center. The wash
trom the steamer created considerable
confusion among the girls Mary ex-
plains. and in the darkness they lost
their bearings and before they We're
lware of their danger two or three
IF them had stepped off the sand bar
nto h channel. dragging the others
With them.
Mary was at the end of the line, and
when her companions dragged her from
sand bar she was the nearest to
,hallow water. II to that fact she
owes her escape.