The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-08-06
TO DEATH HAND IN HAND
Man and Seven Little Girls Drowned
in Mississippi River.

Alton, ILL.,, Aug. 6.-While bathing in
the Mississippi river, Michael Riley, his
daughter and six of the latter's girl
friends were drowned. One child, who
was in the party was rescued.
The Dead:
MICHAEL. RILEY, 30 years old.
ELIZABET RILEY, IL.
ALLIE SNYDER, II.
LUCY PATES, 8.
LIZZIE PATES, IA.
BESSIE BRUM, IA.
MYRIE BRUM, 10.
RUTH MARSHALL, H.
Riley lived near the river in the
southern part of the city and was ac-
customed to bathing on the beach in
front of his home after his return from
work Last night his little daughter
begged to go with him and Riley took
her and seven of her girl friends to the
beach with him.
When they entered the water Riley
bade the children join hands, and they
all waded into the river and walked
along a sand bar which stretched out
into the stream at that point. Ihey
had gone some distance from the Shore
when suddenly the whole party d1Sap-
the darkness stepped from the sand bar
into the deep channel
The children struggled and screamed,
fighting desperately to reach the sand
bar where the water was only a foot
or so in depth. Riley, who is said TO
have been a good swimmer, is thought
to have been made helpless by the girls
clingfng to him and hamperlns MS Ell
forts to save them.
The only one in the party to regain
the sand bar was Mary Timiny, years
old. The child is unable to tell how
she saved herself beyond the statement
that Il snatched my hand loose from
the grasp of the little girl next to me
and soon found 1 could stand up and
water only came to my knees.
The beach where the accldent oc-
afin
nightfall and the screams of the little
Timiny girl failed to attract any one TO
the scene. After Riley and her play
mates had disappeared beneath the
water. the child ran from the beach
and reached her home, screaming at
the top of her voice She was SO hEs-
terical that it was some time before
her parents could gather an account OF
what had occurred.
According to the account of the acci-
dent given by the little Timiny girl, al
ter she had been in a measure calmed
by her parents, the drowning was caused
by the excitement incident to the pass
age of a large river steamer.
Mary says that they had waded some
distance into the stream, keeping care
fully to the sand bar when the WASH
from the steamer caused waves of con-
siderable height to come ashore Before
entering the water. Riley had instruct
ed the little ones to maintain tlgnt
grasp on one anOther'S hands, ne TAX
ing a place in the center.
The wash from the steamer created
confusion among the girls,
and in the darkness they lost their
bearings and before they were aware OF
their danger two or more of them had
stepped off the sand bar into the CHAM
mel, dragging the others with them
Mary was at the end of the line and
when her companion dragged %er from
the sand bar she was the nearest to
shoal water and to that fact she owes
her escape.
Only four of the party have been re
covered. The bodies of Michael Riley,
Alice Snyder and Lucia Pates, were
discovered last night. That of Bessie
Rrum was found today. The river is
being dragged for the remains of Ruth
Marshall Marie Brunn, Elizabeth
Riley and Eliza PateS, the other little
girls in the party who lost their lives.