The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1908-10-29
Badly Decomposed Remains o.
John GilIett Taken From the
Kenosha River
MISSING NEARLY TWO YEARS
Old Man Had Evidently Wandered In
to the River on Jan. IA, 1907 and
Body Had Been Held at Bottom
of the River by Refuse
(From Fridays Daily


solution was solved just before noon
today when the badly decomposed re-
mains Of John Gillett, who disappeared
from Kenosha on the night of Jan.
IA Of last year, were found in the
Kenosha river at a point just east of
the plant of the Kenosha Gas and
Electric Company, and hundred feet
south of the Grand avenue bridge.
Covered with the refuse from the gas
house it is supposed that the remains
had been lying in nearly the same
spot for nearly two years. The re
mains were removed to the Hansen
morgue and Coroner Andre called a
jury to investigate the case and if pos
sible find the cause of the death of
Gillett.
Ever since Gillett disappeared many
people have been Of the opinion that
he fell into the river and was drowned,
but several times the river had been
dragged without any trace of the re-
mains being found. This is the first
time that the river had been thorough
ly dredged since Gillett disappeared
and both the Allen Company and the
city had set men to wotch for any
trace Of the body of the long missing
man. Just before eleven o'clock this
morning A. f. Westeen, in charge of
the beam-house at the tannery, and
Frank Allen were standing watching
the work Of the men in charge Of the
dredge. Westeen saw some clothing
just under the surface Of the dirty
water and turning to Allen he said;
There is John Gillett. " "No il
ain IT," said Allen, ''and what is more
[ don't think that they will ever fno
any trace of him." By this time the
dredge had brought up another bucket
filed with the refuse in the river and
Western looked again and could clear
| ly discern the head of the body. He
called Allen again and the two went
to the dredge ana told the men to gel
out after the body. The men wen
out in small boat with graphing
hooks and soon brought the body out
There was no doubt from the first bu
that the mystery was solved, for not
withstanding the fact that the BODY
had been in the water for nearly TIVE
years, there was the long black coat
! tho black knitted mittens, the red I'm
der shirt and the black neck-tie, an(
the men at once declared that Gillet
had been found. In a few minute
the news of the CHASTITY find spreat
about the city and hundreds of peopl
hurried to the river to gaze on tn,
badly bloated remains. The water haC
been kind to the old man, for Will
| his face was covered with the mud AM
tar, it had not been eaten away and i
was possible to recognize him. Whil
the crowd waited for the coming O.
| the coroner to take charge of the re
mains some Of the friends of the Gil
lett family hurried to the old home
on Grand avenue and carried the new
to Miss Anna Gillett, the sister of tn,
dead man. Miss Gillett had waited TO-
many months expecting that the bod,
would be found am the news was no
unwelcome to her, as it removed tn,
long uncertainty which had been yer,
hard for her to bear
Friends of the old man helped to. car
ry the remains to the undertaken I
wagon and they were removed to tn,
morgue A search of the pockets re
vealed nothing but three pennies, A;
piece Of a newspaper and lead pen
Gil. The remains were in such a con
dition that it was decided that i
would be impossible to embalm them.
A careful investigation was made 0.
! the head but no marks of violence
were found, and it is thought that TIT
old man must have met his death BY
walking into the cold waters of thu
river.
The mystery surrounding the disap
| pearance of Gillett has been one of tn,
most famous mysteries ever placed il
the hands of the Kenosha police Il
solve. John Gillett was kindly dis
posed old man, son Of the late Judg,
Gurdin Gillett, known for. years al
Kenosha s Grand Old Man. - In hi
younger years the son had studied 70,
! the law and had been the companion
Of Judge J. " Quarles and the latt
! Charles Quarles. These men were al
ways loyal to him and one Of the las
acts of the late Charles Quarles wa
to offer a reward for the finding o:
the body of his missing CHILDHOOD
companion.
On January IA, 1907, Gillett hat
been about as usual. He had met will
B. G. Theirs on the street and being
without an overcoat and suffering from
the cold Mr. Theirs had taken off hi'
own coat and given it to him. Later
in the day he went to the west part Of
the city and met a number Of his
friends, one of whom presented hin
with ticket for a dance which wa
to have been held in the evening.
j Gillett had remained at the Maple
House until about seven clock in The
evening and then had left for hi'
home on Grand avenue to get ready tt