Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-02-17
FOUR BATTLE N |GGy
WATER. ONE BROWNS
Leslie Watt, Aged IL, Meets
Death in Iowa River While
Rowing Sunday Evening
ICE FLoE WRECKS SMALL BOAT
Lewis Arnold, Oldest in the Party,
Acts HeroicaIly and Probably Saves
One Life Farmers Render Valu-
able Assistance - Lads Have Terri
Bile Experience.

Bile Experience.
Four boys battled with seeming
death in the icy waters of the Iowa
river near the Nicholson ford bridge
Sunday evening, and three were vic
torious One of the number, Leslie
Watt, aged IA, was unable to combat
with the freezing water and swift
current, and went down to death. His
companions were powerless in render
ing him assistance, altho every effort
was made to get an oar within his
reach The body was recovered two
cake of ice that had lodged in mid
stream.
Lewis Arnold, aged is, son of Capt.
and Mrs. l.. G. Arnold, 404 North First
avenue; Frank Cook, aged IA, son of
Mr.. and Mrs. C. NJ. Cook, sos North
First avenue; Burton Jenkins, aged 10,
son Of Mrs. Ella jenkins, COS North
Third avenue, and Leslie Watt, son or
Mrs. Eleanor Watt, 105 East Lincoln
street, formed the ill-fated party or
adventuresome boys who, late Sunday
afternoon, took a boat below the dam
for row. The craft belonged to Jen-
kins, and was old and probably unsea-
worthy. At best cruise in the river
with the ice breaking up and the wa
ter at a high stage was risky, and
when an immense ice foe, towed by the
swift undercurrent, struck the boat
and tore a hole in the stern, it was
only the work of a moment until the
boys found themselves foundering IN
the ice-cold water
Arnold Behaves Creditably.
Lewis Arnold, who was the oldest
member Of the party, behaved most
creditably under the emergency. altho
naturally he was badly frightened, as
were the other three boys. The sud-
den shock of being precipitated into
an icy bath was sufficient to benumb
the lads so that swimming was next to
an impossibility. The water was SIX
teen feet deep at the point where the
boat went down, and the current was
as swift as any mill race, having been
diverted to the south shore in order to
direct it toward the center of the chan
mel and avoid striking the abuttments
of the county bridge at Nicholsons
ford.
Arnold Mounts Cake of Ice.
Altho the ice was rotten and for
the m st part in small pieces, Arnold
orb, To oat hold nj q
cake of ice that would bear his weight
He also had one of the oars. With the
latter he reached for Cook, who was
battling bravely with the current. Cook
reached the same foe, and shortly
afterward, as it was carried down
stream, selected a point of vantage for
a swim to shore. He reached the bank
more dead than alive, and with his be-
numbed fingers managed to get hold
Of the roots of a willow tree. Young
Jenkins. who was out of the reach of
Arnold's oar, but nearer shore. swan
with the current toward the bank, and,
almost dead from cold and exposure,
was helped ashore by Cook, who waited
for him in the cold water.
Poor Watt Beyond Aid.
Poor Watt was beyond the aid of his
companions, however. When the crash
came he appeared to have been thrown
in an opposite direction from the other
boys, and was Immediately carried out
Of the reach of Arnold's oar or the
help of the other two boys Arnold
once passed the oar to Cook, who made
a reach for Watt, but the lad was then
too far gone to take an end If Cook
had been near enough to reach him.
The lad went down once, and in COM
ing to the surface mechanically
grabbed for a small cake of floating
ice. To this he held, aided with The
freezing water that cemented his coat
sleeves, and in that position he was
found, when the ice had lodged in mil
stream The boy probably became un-
conscious from the cold even be iara
death came, but when found, althos his
arms were frozen to the ice, his n.ad
was under water.
Farmers to Rescue.
One of the first persons to come to
the boys assistance was J. M. Beard,
who lives across the river near the
bridge. Mr.. Beard made an unsuccess-
full effort to get Watt by going out in
to the river on log. The current was
so swift, however, that he was unable
to reach the lad.
Beard did some quick work with the
survivors, however, and in this he
showed presence of mind that is with
out doubt responsible for the fact that
neither of the boys who We're rescued
suffered any i'll effects from the Icy
plunge. Beard formerly conducted "a
Turkish bath parlor in this city, and
understands massage treatment. He
and his good wife took the three boys
into their house, built up a roaring
fire in the stove, stripped the lads and
began massage. The result was that
the shock was soon overcome, circula-
ton restored and dry clothing placed
on each youth. This prompt treatment
was so timely that neither of the boys
has so much as a bad cold today
Body is Recovered.
A farmer named Fields, who lives
near the Nicholson ford bridge, recov-
cred the body at about 7:45 Sunday
night. Mr.. Fields successfully mounted
log and guided it to where the body
had lodged, a quarter of a mile from
where the boat was struck, and
brought it ashore. The body was taken
to the Watt home, and Coroner Mich
OILS notified. The coroner decided, af-
ter interviewing the boys, that an in
quest was unnecessary.
Leslie Watt, the boy who was
drowned. was the youngest son of his
,,,otbor 1obp Watt ho ho1,'c