Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-08-22
Sensational and Mysterious Sui.
eide on a River Steamer
Near keokuk
MAN AND GIRL IN A QUARREL
Latter Suddenly Runs to the Deck
Railing, Climbed Onto 1t and Leaped
Into the Swift Channel Of the River
Mortified Passengers Unable to
Rescue Her.
to es-Republican

Special to 1meS-HepuDllGtth
Keokuk, Aug. ga spectacular and
mysterious suicide took place from the
upper deck Of the steamer Silver Cres-
cent, when Pearl Kohl, without a
scream or word, ran along the deck.
leaped over the low rail- and diveo
head first into the deep channel of the
Mississippi river near Meyer.
Her act was seen by several Of the
passengers on the boat, and the ia
tality is full of mystery. Her COM
panions on the boat disappeared as
soon as the boat landed at Keokuk,
and the police were not notified Of the
suicide until the boat reached here.
They were looking for her three COM
panions today.
There is veil of mystery over the
affair The passengers are not salts
fled with the way an attempt was
made to rescue the girl.
A Quarrel Started 1t.
Two men and two girls got on the
boat at Quincy. Some say that they
made the trip down from Keokuk,
while others say they did not.
These four, one of whom was Pearl
Kohl were up on the top deck OF the
steamer, drinking from bottles. When
the boat left Meyer they were quarrel-
ing and one of the girls was crying.
During the quarrel the girl remarked
to her companion that If he repeated
some remark he had made she Wou!d
lump into the river. He Is said to have
replied that she was welcome to jump
and repeated the remark.
The girl leaped up from where she
was sitting, ran to the rail of the deck
gathered up her skirts and shot head
long out into the air, alighting head
first in the water.
1t was spectacular dive and 1mme-
diately aroused great excitement
among the passengers.
AS the boat went by, the girls feet
were seen sticking up out of the wa
ter, her skirts closely wrapped around
her ankles. Then she sank as she
reached the big paddle. wheel, and one
arm was seen sticking up out OF the
water, a white hand and arm.
Both hands then appeared and the
waves Of the wheel struck her. The
first wave submerged her and then her
hands appeared again. grasping at the
air. The second wave sank her and
nothing more was seen Of the girl.
Her head was never seen after y
struck the water, and she made no
cutlery, scream, or said a word after
she started to make the fatal dive.
To the Rescue.
No one threw life preserver, rope
or any other article to the girl and
no one dived in after her.
The steamer was brought to a stop
and one of the wooden lifeboats was
lowered. AS soon as it struck the
water and before 1t had hardly set
tied according to some of the passen-
gers, there was water In the bottom
of 1T. Then the boat on the other side
was prepared but not lowered.
Neither of these boats was sent
after the girl. The steamer waited
around for about half an hour and then
resumed its trip to Keokuk.
No report of the accident was made
until the boat landed at Keokuk.
The male companion Of the girl is
said to have acted very queer after
wards, his companions keeping close
watch on him and fearing that he
would attempt suicide. He went to
the lower deck and acted in a strange
manner, but his companions kept close
to him.
When the boat landed at Keokuk the
trio disappeared.