The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1908-12-11
FOUR DROWN WHILE SKATING.
Lake Koshkonong Claims the Lives of
Violet and Fannie Biiven, Harvey
Richardson and Earl Cooper.

Lake hOShk0nOng CIa1mS the Lives OF
Violet and Fannie Bliven, Harvey
Richardson and Earl Cooper.
A distressing accident that plunged
four families into deepest sorrow and
cast pail of sadness over the whole
community occurred through a drown
ing in Lake Koshkonong shortly after
seven o'clock Saturday evening last,
when four young people went down to
a watery grave.
The lake has but recently been closed
over, but skating had been INDUCED in
by the young people around the lake
during the afternoon, the ice was near
ly two inches thick and thought to be
safe, being smooth as glass and in ex-
cellent shape for skating. After sup
per Violet and Fannie Bliven, who live
at the Lake House, met by appoint
ment Harvey Richardson, Earl Cooper
and Mabel Brown for a moonlight
skate. The party were nearly ready to
come in when they heard the honk of
wild geese up the lake and at the sug-
gestion of one of their number decided
to run out and see if they could find
them. They had reached point near
midlake off Tebeau Point when the
Brown girl stumbled and fell and the
balance of the party passed quickly be-
You'd her. On arising she was horror
stricken to see her four companions
struggling in the water, they having
skated directly into an air hole or upon
thin ice. BY the narroWest margin
she also escaped following them for her
cloak and mittens were wet being so
near the open water. Helpless to rem
der assistance, the girl could only watch
her companions one by one say good
bye and sink beneath the water. When
the last one had disappeared she, fright
ened and almost crazed with grief,
came back to the Lake House to break
the sorrowing news, between sobs. 1t
was not until the next day that she re-
covered from the shock so she could
tell an intelligent story of how it all
happened.
The telephone soon brought the news
to the father of Violet Bliven in this
city and to the parents of the children
at MELVILLE, when searching parties
started out for the scene, both from
Edgerton and Neville. A light snow
had fallen in the meantime SO it was
easy to follow the track the Brown girl
as she came in to give the alarm. A.
MELVILLE party consisting of Fred Sher-
man, George Richardson, Ben Cooper,
Chas. Lumm, Tone Brown and Lee AL
der were first to arrive, all being famil-
lar with the lake and knowing those
places which are last to close over on
account of springs, lost no time in
reaching the spot. These men dragged
boat across the ice to the open space,
about 80 feet across, where the drown
ing occurred, and with the aid of hooks
the bodies were recovered from about
seven feet of water, all within a short
distance of each other Less than two
hours had elapsed between the drown
ing and the bringing to the surface of
the bodies which were first taken to the.
Lake House and those of the boys later
to the homes of their parents at New.
vile.
V;o1of ord Eorr,;o pl;xyc,, xx,<,,.,, 49,, ~.l+
ers Of CORTLAND and Peleg Bliven, the
latter having resided at the Lake House
for some years past. They were cous-
ms and aged 10 and IS years respec-
lively.
Harvey Richardson was the son of
Mr.. and Mrs. George Richardson, aged
IS years, and Earl Cooper son of Mr..
and Mrs. Ben Cooper, aged Is years,
both of MELVILLE.
The funeral of Harvey Richardson
took place from the home at MELVILLE
Tuesday morning att 10 o'clock, con-
Quoted by. Rev. A. Porter, and at the
M. E. church at Milton junction at IL
o'clock. The interment took place in
the cemetery at Milton Junction. That
of Earl Cooper was conducted from the
home by Rev. j. Blinkensopp at 2 p. m.
Tuesday and interment made in Fassett
cemetery.
The funeral of Fannie Bliven was
held from the Lake House Wednesday
at 10 a. M, conducted by Rev. MacIn-
mis- and interment was made in the AL
bion cemetery. There were present
from abroad Mrs Is Tcahollo p;lIoxxr oy,d
Mrs. w. E. Blanchard of Boston; Mrs.
w. G. Homermuller, Mrs. Anna HON.
ermiller and A. B. Homermuller of
Tomah. The funeral of Violet Bliven
took place from the Congregational
church in Edgerton at 2 p. m Thurs
day, conducted by Rev. F. C. Richard
son and the remains taken by train to
Arlington, N. j., for interment, accom-
panied by Mrs. Bliven and her mother,
Mrs. MaryA. Burt. Each of the fun
erals was very largely attended and
sympathizing friends were ever ready
to Eighteen the sorrows resulting from