Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1905-08-28

that may never be solved surrounds
the recent death OF Isaac r. Andrews
a leading member of the Omaha bar,
whose dead body was found, after a
four days search, in the Platte river,
twenty miles from his home.
Notwithstanding That the coroner's
jury returned verdict of accidental
drowning, Mrs. Andrews holds ten
aciously to the belief that her hus-
band met with foul play, declaring
that she had a premonition in her
sleep the night he disappeared that
harm was coming to him.
Besides six credible witnesses have
asserted that they saw Andrews alive
is supposed to have fallen into the
river, and not one of them will admit
that ne could have been mistaken.
Mr. Andrews was a half owner of a
gravel pit near the banks of the Platte
river at Cedar Creek, in this state.
Mr.. Andrews, as was his wont, went
down to Cedar Creek with his check
book to pay off the men. Having dis
posed of mis- business, and after eat
ing light supper at the little cabin at
the pit, ne put ON his hunting attire,
started off along the river bank to
hunt muskrats.
Search of no Avail.
That he did not return to the cabin
that night did not surprise the old
caretaken, William Bush, because Mr..
Andrews had frequently before started
off on similar expeditions. and wan
dered off by himself into the woods
with his gun, and spent the night at
the farmhouse of a family named
Davis, half a mile distant. The next
morning, however, when it was learn
ed that Mr.. Andrews had not been to
the Davis house, Mr.. Bush became
alarmed. Bloodhounds were brought
from Plattsmouth, the county seat,
fifteen miles distant, and a systematic
search was commenced. Farmers and
a number of Omaha friends lent their
assistance, and the entire country
side was secured, but to no avail.
Then reports came that the missing
man had been seen at several places.
Three men who knew him well talked
with him twenty-four hours after his
disappearance in the railway station
at Ashland, twelve miles from where
he was last seen. Others. including
an attorney whose Office a1jOins Mr..
Andrews's, were equally certain they
saw him in Omaha the following
morning, and one of these walked
with him on the street for several
blocks.
After two more days of search the
body was found in the Platte river,
east of Cedar Creek, lodged on a
bunch of brush in the stream. 1t was
seen first by John Davis, at whose
home it was thought Mr.. Andrews
spent the first night after his disap'
pearance T1e water was only four
feet deep at this point, which was
about quarter of a mile distant
from the cabin at the gravel pit.
i
condition, indicating that it had been
In the water for several days. The
~~gold watch in Mr.. Andrews pocket
had stopped at 7:1O.
1T was Friday night when he disap-
peared, and Tuesday night when the
body was found. The only mark on
the body was little scar on the back
of the neck probably made during
his struggles in the water. His dia-
mond ring was on his finger, and there
was a little money in his pocket.
When taken from the water the body
was clothed in the hunting garments,
consisting of blue checked negligee
shirt, blue overalls, and old sloes,
which he had doomed at the cabin;
whereas all witnesses who saw him at
Ashland and in Omaha declare he was
wearing ordinary business clothes.
Attorney Bronze, a former law part
ner of Mr.. Andrews, who took an act
i've part in the search for the missing
man, was present at the inquest, and
afterward expressed himself as entire
y
Jury. He said: "It is my opinion
that Mr. Andrews was walking along
the river bank at a point near where
the body was found, and the river
which was two feet higher Friday than
it was on Tuesday, had so undermined
the bank that the weight of his body
caved in the bank. and he fell into
1eep water. He was not an expert
swimmer, and, encountered with his
clothes, he was drowned where ne fell
into the water"
Other friends also express similar
satisfaction with the verdict of the
Jury, but there are those who think
differently Among these is Frank
w. Coleman, bailiff of the supreme
court at Lincoln, before which Mr..
Andrews mad frequently pleaded. Mr..
Coleman is one Of those who saw and
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