Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1907-09-24

occurred in this community in years,
was the drowning last Friday night
of John B. Thomas, superintendent OF
the Marathon county insane asylum.
The news was given publicity next
morning and cast a gloom over the
city, as nothing else has done for many
day. 1t was not because of the
official position of the man, but because
everyone held him in the highest re-
gard, that the news of his death caused
such gloom.
The story of the sad affair is as fol-
lows:
Some time ago Geo. Chatham left a
gasoline launch with Mr.. Thomas,
telling him to use it whenever he de-
sired. On Friday night, the moon shin
ing bright and the weather being pleas
ant, Mr.. Thomas decided that it would
be nice to take trip down the Wiscon-
sin and up Rib river. In company with
o. l.. Armstrong, Herman Kaunter,
Swan Nelson and Alois Hentch, asylum
attendants, he left the asylum shortly
before eight o'clock. The intention
was to go as far as the McCleary bridge
on Rib river, but the party reached that
point in such good time, they decided
to go up the river farther. They went
up about three-quarters of mile be-
yond the bridge and then attempted TO
turn around and come down stream
again. AS they were turning around
the gasoline engine stopped working.
MIR. Thomas and Mr.. Hentsch got down
on their knees in the bottom of the boat
to start the engine in motion again.
Nelson had charge of tia rudder, but
was unable to steer the boat where he
wanted to. The river was very high,
the boat was heavily loaded and unman-
ageable. The three men who were
sitting up in the boat saw tree ahead.
The recent rains had washed the dirt
away from the roots of the tree, which
stood overhanging 1.-The water, and
allowed it to fall into the river. An
effort was made to steer the boat out
into the stream, so as to keep away
from the obstacle, but the effort failed.
When the boat struck the tree, instead
of being carried over, as it was thought
would be the case, it momentarily
stopped and then was drawn under by
the swift current. In a moment all the
men were in the water. Nelson, Arm
strong and Kaunter were carried away
from the boat, but Messrs. Thomas and
Hentsch chung to it. The first three,
after struggling for while, were able
to reach shore. Messrs. Thomas and
Hentsch were fast beiag carried down
the rapidly flowing stream. Finally
Mr.. Thomas loosened his grip on the
boat and struck out for the shore That
was the last seen of him. Mr.. Hentsch
is not a good swimmer and did not care
to take any chances. He supposed that
Mr.. Thomas had been successful in get
ting to shore and was watching an
opportunity to do the same himself and
90 did not pay much attention to Mr..
Thomas after the latter left the boat
Drifting down the river some distance
further the boat struck some driftwood
and lodged and Mr.. Hentsch was able
to get out of the water. He started
back to where he expected TO find Mr.
Thomas, but failed to see anything of
him. He summoned the other men.
They went up and Down the bank for
considerable distance, calling for him,
but failed to get any answer. After
searching for some time they concluded
that he was drowned and that the best
thing to do would be to come to town,
notify relatives of Mr.. Thomas of their
fears, and get some dry clothing. It'll
was after nine O'Clock when the tragedy
occurred. They notified H. G. Head,
brother-in-law of Mr.. Thomas, and he,
in company with Fred. Burt, z. o.
Means and Geo. Chatham drove out to
Rib. They reached the river at about
eleven O'Clock and searched the banks
for miles down stream, working until
about two O'Clock in the morning
They gave up hope of finding him and
returned to the city, but the search was
taken up again the next morning
Launches were run into Rib from the
city and every foot of the shore line
scrutinized. The river bottom was
carefully dragged, but no trace of Mr..
Thomas was found. Since that time
the work had not relaxed
Mr.. Thomas was a good swimmer,
but when he fell out of the boat he had
an overcoat on and it is presumed that
the overcoat hindered his movements
in the water. 1t may have been direct
ly responsible for his death, for it may
have caught on log and held him fast.
Rib is at all times, and especially
when swollen, as it is now, dangerous
stream. The current is swift, and it is
full of quick sand and deep holes. AL
though the moon was shining bright,
the over-hanging trees shaded the
water and made it difficult for the men
to pick out course in the water after
falling in, and it was lucky that more
of the party were not drowned.
John b. Thomas was born on farm
in Winnebago county in 1864. Like
every country boy he had to work hard
and did not have the opportunities of
getting higher education, which is
afforded the city boy. He attended the
district school and when nearing his
majority he started out on his own re-
sponsibility to take up the struggle of
life, and that he had since met and
fought its battles well can be attested
to, for he was stranger to Failure.
The first work he took up. upon leav
ne the farm, was position in the in
sane asylum at Nauwatosa, where he
remained for five years. He then en-
tered into business for himself in that
city and during the same fall was
united in marriage to Miss Anna Jones,
Il. u. ~