Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1908-07-02
ONE DROWNED, THREE
HAVE NARROW ESCAPE
Lillian HOLMAN and Two Com
< panions Rush to Help Sister
who Had Stepped Off Ledge
and in Struggle is Drowned.

The accidental drowning of Miss
Lilly HOLMAN Friday afternoon at
about O'Clock while in bathing in
the Wisconsin river at a point above
the Green Bay s. Western railroad
bridge Immediately back of the Mark
Martin residence property in the first
ward, in company with her sister,
Ellen Kollman, Cecile Arpin, Cassie
and Stella Mahoney, is certainly very
sad and unfortunate. The alarm was
given by her companions and help
came promptly and many willing men
with boats and drag hooks searched
for the body. 1t was fully one hour
before the body was found by Messrs.
Peter Love and Will Collier. AS soon
as the body was brought ashore DR., J.
j. Looze and helpers used every means
known to the profession to resuscitate
her, but it was all in vain her life had
gone out forever.
1t appears that the above named
young people conceived the idea that
they would enjoy bathing time in
the waters of the Wisconsin river.
Just where they would 60 in was not
decided. They took their bathing
suits along and two life preservers
and drove up to what is called the
Eddy" They could find no suitabl
place up there and drove back to
Joseph L.. Cotey's residence where
they tied their horse and proceeded
back to the river in anticipation of a
happy time bathing. When they ar
rived at the point where the drown
ing took place Miss Ellen Kohl
man was the first one to enter the
water. She had proceeded in the
water but short distance when she
sank down out of sight and immedi-
ately her sister. Lilly, Cecile Arpin
and Stella Mahoney ran to her rescue
and all four went into the deeper
water together. In the struggle that
followed three of the girls were able
somehow to help themselves out
they think due to the two life pre-
servers that Cecie Arpin and Stella
Mahoney had on. During the struggle
in the water by the four girls Miss
Cassie Mahoney, who did not go in
bathing ran back to the Wipperman
Furniture factory and gave the alarm.
AS soon as the three girls were safe
they missed Lilly HOLMAN and then
realized she had gone under water
and never came up. 1t is supposed
that probably she was taken with a
cramp, by running Immediately to the
aid of her sister and the cold water
may have brought On cramps, for all
three girls appeared to miss her at
once.
This case of drowning is really sad
one and all of Lilly KolIman's COM
panions feel dreadful over the accident.
We feel, that under the circumstances
it is very fortunate that all four of
them were not lost in the same man
ner.
Lillian Bertha Kollman was born in
this city on the 7th day of July, 1895.
and would have been Ii years old in
July next. She was of very jovial
disposition and therefore popular with
her friends and schoolmates, The
funeral service, took place on
Monday so as to give time to locate
brother, Oscar and his wife, who
were travelling In the west on their
wedding trip.
Mr.. and Mrs. Kollman and family
have the heartfelt sympathy of the
community In this sad hour of their
bereavement.