Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1907-12-05
BOY DROWNED

Charles Sylvester, Born and Raised
In Extra, Was Drowned While
Skating on November 22d
The following clipping taken
from Watertown, South Dakota,
paper tells of the death of former
Extra boy. He was skating for
open water where he expected to
find ducks, when the ice gave way,
causing this sad. sad, death.
While skating on Lake Pelican
at an early hour this morning,
Charles Sylvester, q Junior in the
Watertown high school, son OF Mr..
and Mrs. Ct. F. Sylvester, crashed
was accompanied by Frank Rymer,
a barber, who tried in vain to res.
cue his companion.
Believing that ducks might be
found in some open water along
the south shore of the lake, and a
few miles from the east end, Charles
and Mr.. Rymer left the city about
$50 o'clock this morning and
walked to the southeast corner of
the lake, whore they put on their
skates and began the fatal journey.
Both were carrying shot guns.
The ice was clear, smooth and
apparently solid, and in the crisp
morning air the boys made good
time. As they swung along, their
skates ringing as the steel cut the
ice, they were in happy frame of
mind, little thinking that life's
greatest tragedy was Immediately
before them.
They had covered some distance,
Charley was in the lead short
way. Suddenly one of his skates
cut through a piece of thin ice.
This tripped the boy and he fell
forward heavily, says Mr.. Rymer.
The weight OF the falling body
broke the ice and he went through
into several feet of water.
In the moonlight Mr.. Rymer saw
his companion trip. As Charles
was falling forward he stopped
short and turned just in time to
see the boy go under the water.
! He had broken the ice about in
circle some four or five feet in
diameter.
In second Charles arose to the
surface blowing water from his
nose and mouth and struggling to
get out. In his struggles, the boy
secured hold on the edge of the
ice. MIR. Rymer then tried to ex-
tend his shotgun, approaching the
edge of the hole as near as he dared
but in the dusk of the moonlight,
the struggling lad did not see it..
off his hunting coat which, unfor-
tunately, was fastened about him
with three safety pins. By the time
he had torn these pins away, and
had the coat off, Charles had gone
down never to come up alive.
Waiting until he realized the
worst, Mr.. Rymer started for town.
He reached the city about seven
o'clock and told the sad story to
S. A. Shupe, in whose barber shop
Mr.. Rymer is foreman. The news
was at once communicated to Sher-
iff Wiersbeck and Coroner Dickin-
son.
The Body Recovered
AS coon as possible these two
officials together with other citizens
went to the scene of the accident to
get the body. A boat was taken
along and from this a hoe was
used in pulling the body to the
surface. When the spot was To-
Gated the body could be seen where
it was lying in about seven feet of
water.
The crack into which he had
fallen was about three feet wide,
extending almost across the lake.
1t had apparently been open yes
terday but during the night thin
cover of ice had formed. This ice
would doubtless have been thick
enough to have allowed the boys to
pass safely over, had it not been
for the fact that Charles tripped
and fell forward.
Was Junior
Charles Sylvester, aged seventeen
years, was a member of the Junior
class, Watertown high school,
having entered the sophomore
class November 18th, 1906. For two
years he has been member of the
high school football team. He was
diligent student, loyal to both
class and school. As soon as the
news was received at the high
school, many students left at once
to assist in recovering and caring
for the body. Seniors, juniors,
sophomores and freshman volun-
teered for this service. Charles
was popular boy among the stu
dents, and his sudden death will be
felt in the school for long time.
Father Notified
Efforts were at once made to find
the boys father, who is a travelling
man. The long distance telephone
was kept busy all the forenoon and
about two o'clock he was located at
Faulkton, South Dakota. The sad
news was conveyed to him over the
telephone and he will be home just
as soon as steam can bring him.
The body was taken in charge at
the st. Louis undertaking rooms.
Arrangements for the funeral have
not yet been made. Owing to his
death, the high school was closed
this afternoon.