Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-06-09
RIVER CLAIMS MAN
T. A. MAckLEY OF MANSFIELD, o.,
A LABoRER, browns WHILE
BATHING
Victim Of Treacherous Des Moines
Had Secured Employment on the
Milwaukee and Intended to Begin
Work Today-Body Found.

From Thursdays Daily.
While bathing in the Des Moines
river at a point two blocks north OF
Cummings ice house Wednesday after
noon, T. A. Mackley of Mansfield, Ohio,
was drowned. The victim of the raw
ages of the water was laborer, and
come to this city yesterday afternoon
from Fairfield He had applied for work
on steel gang of the Milwaukee road,
and had been hired and notified to re.
port this morning for work. In COM
pany with George l.. Bennett and Glenn
ent Whipple, two 17-year-old boys from
Voluntown, KY, Mackley was bathing.
Being ignorant of the depth of the wa
ter and being only fair swimmer, the
dead man ventured too far from shore
and his death resulted. Whipple, who
is also poor swimmer, barely escaped
drowning by the presence Of mind OF
Bennett, a skillful swimmer, who
caught the young man after having
gone to the bottom twice, and carried
him safely to shore. While this was
being done, Mackley was unable to
master the situation, and going down
for the third time, his death resulted.
The body of the dead man was recov.
|
bash railroad bridge, after having been
in the water since 4:15 yesterday art
ernoon.
Bennett Tells Story.
Young Bennett tells the story OF the
drowning in the following manner:
"My cousin Clement Whipple and my
self arrived in Fairfield Tuesday night
from New York. We were on our way
to the country, where we hoped to find
work. At the depot we were ap-
preached by two men and persuaded to
come to Ottumwa, where they said we
could find employment on the steel
gang of the Milwaukee. The four OF
us arrived here about l o'clock Wed
nesday afternoon and Immediately
went to the Milwaukee junction. We
were hired and instructed to report
this morning when we would be
shipped to point south OF here for
duty.
Acting upon the suggestion Of Mack
ley, 1 went to grocery store and pur'
chased some eatables and then, with
the others, crossed the Milwaukee
bridge near the junction and went
south on the river bank to a point
Just opposite where the drowning oc'
Cured. We intended staying there
all night and return to the junction
this morning. A disagreement arose
between Mackley and his friend, and
the stranger left our party Whipple
and Mackley suggested that we go in
swimming. Knowing that Whipple
could not swim, cautioned him to
keep close to the bank. After swim
my attention by call for help. l I'M
mediately responded, but in the mean
time my cousin had gone down
twice. 1 grabbed him around the
waist and took him to the shore
While doing this, Mackley had gone
down twice and before could return
to him. his head went under the water
for the third time. | dived for him
several times, but failed to locate the
body. After dressing and notifying
some fisherman of Mackley's drown
ing, | crossed the bridge and notified
Officer Peck, who with assistants, com
menced a diligent search for the body
My cousin and left home about 6
!, month ago. We intend to remain here
, if we can find work
Description Of Body.
, Mackley was about 25 years old ant
/ weighed about $50 pounds. He wore
plain clothes, evidently those of {
. working man. He had dark brown
hair and mustache, His eyes were
gray Articles on his person show
that he was from Mansfield, Ohio A
letter to Miss Harriet Darien of Siou1
City was also found. Chief Hannor
has communicated with the chief O.
police in Mansfield, and expects somt
word from there this afternoon. The
body of the dead man was taken to the
undertaking parlors of F. L. Daggett