The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1907-08-01
Diver Works in Pit Of Gas Tank
for More Than an Hour But
Gets No Trace OF GilIett
OFFICIALS ABANDON SEARCH
Diver Johnson is Convinced That the
Remains of Long Missing Man
Can Not Be in the Water
About Big Gas Tank

Diver Andrew N. Johnson of Chi
cago worked for more than an hour IN
the water in the pit under the big gas
tank on Friday afternoon in an effort
to solve the mystery Of the disap-
pearance Of John Gil1ett, but when he
finally gave up his work he had found
nothing but an old gunny sack and
he gave it as his opinion that john
Gillett never fell into the pit about
the tank.
The searchgfor the body Of GiIlett
attracted great attention, and more
than hundred people crowded about
the tank and swatched the disappear
ance of the diver. just a block from
the place where the curious crowd
watched the movements Of the driver
the sister of the 'missing man waited
at home alone hoping against hope
that this last effort on the part Of the
city would result in the solution of
the mystery attending the disappear
ance of the brother. Mayor Govmau,
City Clerk Harrington and all the
other city officials, and several Of the
members of the Common Council were
on the grounds, and the diver was
told when he went into the tank that
the search was to be thorough one,
and done in such a way as to leave
not a shadow of doubt as to the pos
sibility of Gillett's body being in the
tank.
The work of Diver Johnson was of
a most daring nature, as there was
less than eighteen inches space be-
tween the side of the tank and the
side of the pit, and he had scarcely
any space to work in. When he first
went down he found it impossible to
remain IN the gas and oil laden waters
on account Of the fact that the gas
about the tank was being pumped in
with the air, and he could not stand
the fumes of the gas.
Later the pump was removed to an
other spot and he went down into the
tank and remained for an hour He
crawled about the bottom of the pit
covering every inch of the surface.
All the time the eager crowd watched
the signal rope expecting at any time
to receive some signal that the re-
mains of Gillett had been found.
Johnson stated that he found no sign
of any bones nor Of any clothing and
it seems certain that if Gi11ett was
drowned in the pit portion of his
clothing as we'll as the bones would
be able to Withstand the gas laden
water. When Johnson came up out
of the tank the people who had urged
that the tank be searched seemed to
be entirely satisfied with the work the
city had done and it is probable that
the city will do nothing forward to
seek the body of the old man. Mayor
German said last night, do not
know what else the city can do. We
have done everything that has been
suggested by the friends of Gillett
and we are at the end of the rope.
Nothing further has been suggested
to us and it is proba bic that this will
be the end of the search so far as the
City Council committee is concerned. -
The mystery Of the disappearance
of Gillett is no nearer a solution than
it was on the morning after his disap-
pearauce. The river has been
dragged from one end to the other
and the life savers have been watch
ing carefully along the beach for
some signs of the body of the missing
man, but nothing has ever been
found. There are some people who
still believe that Gil1ett is alive and
that he will return to Kenosha in his
own good time,