Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-12-05

Sfep-ScI. pTOstT Els. the party Slarteu
across Iowa Chute 10 go hunting
Mrs. Godfrey and the other children
watched the party until they had gone
well in among the ice foes. and with
danger far from her mind the wife
and mother went into her home and
busted herself about the household
duties.
While thus engaged. she heard cries
from the direction in which the men
had gone. and rushing out of the
house saw the men struggling in the
water She OWNED what had happen
ed. but she was powerless to aid. No
boat was at hand. and had there been,
no one was there to venture out into
the grinding ice and rushing current
The feelings of Mrs. Godfrey canno,
be described. The woman, with sew
eraI little children. was compelled TO
stand powerless before the awful
spectacle.
Son Aids Father.
When Mrs. Godfrey first saw the
men they were in the middle of the
chute The two older men. father and
son. swan toward the Geneva side.
while her own son. Grover Els. made
an effort TO reach the Iowa shore. The
battle was not long. but To the woman
on the bleak Iowa shore il seemed an
eternity. Despite the agony that pos
sessed her. the least struggle of the
men did not escape her keen sight.
She saw the older Godfrey pause in
his swimming. and then the son, her
husband, came to his aid. The young
er man assisted his father for a short
time. but not for long. With a cry the
two disappeared and the water closed
over them. One body was seen to
come to the surface for a short time,
but sank TO rise no more.
Almost Wins the Battle.
While the older men struggled to
reach the Geneva side. the I6-year-oid
son of Mrs. Godfrey, Grover Els, was
making splendid Roadway in his effort
10 reach the Iowa shore. He strug
gled manfully. The ice foes impeded
his progress and the cold water wrung
from him shrieks of agony. He would
push an ice foe out of his way and
then make great strokes through the
clear water. What a game fight the
youth made. He tried so hard TO
reach mother and safety, but the odds
were against him. When success had
almost crowned his herculean efforts.
he turned an agonized face toward
where his mother and little sisters
were. and with mute appeal. appar-
emily for their blessings. the water
closed over him and he sank. never to
rise.
Co. f,n-~ oil ~
juncture and word was sent TO the city
for help TO try and recover the bodies.
Soon after a number of people arrived
but nothing could be done. The boat,
which disappeared just before the men
were seen struggling III the water. fl
naIly came to tie surface among the
foes and was seen floating down
stream and was finally brought to
shore.
Theory of the Accident.
Many are the theories regarding how
the accident occurred. The exact man.
ner in which the men were precipita-
ted into the water will never be known
No one saw them until they were
struggling for their lives. The theory
accepted by most people is that the ice
chute the ice was stationary 1t is
thought the boat was caught between
the stationary ice and floating foe
The force o f the ice crushed in the
side of the fiatboat and forced off the
boards composing the bottom. This
let in a rush of water and the boat
sank at once. The fact that the men
were seen to try and obtain a hand
hold on the ice is proof that the boat
was for time under the foes.
Clothes Hindcrcd Them.
In addition to other impediments
with which the men met. was the fact
that all of them wore heavy hunting
clothes. together with rubber boots,
tese things acting as weights in pull
ing the men under. The cold water
Slapped their strength, chilled them to