The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-07-19
Water Of the Chicago Too
Cold for Swimmers in
Marathon Race.
THOUSANDS in HORROR
SEE FREESE GO DOWN
Veteran German, Noted as a Dis.
tance Swimmer, but Strain Was
Too Great for Hin-Miss
Harris and Hardy
Have Narrow
Escapes.
HIcAGo ILL. July 1s.-one {

lIN testant was drowned. half a
dozen others were seized with
IA/ tEe cramps and rescued with
difficulty, and two spectators
were thrown in the river when tug
collided with their rowpoat, during the
first annual Marathon Swim" OF the
New Illinois Athletic Club. In the
Chicago River to-day. Tho water
proved far too cold for the swimmers,
and only seventeen of a field of sixty
managed to finish the two mile course.
The list of accidents follows:
a. G. Freese, fifty-five years old.
seized with cramps and drowned near
the Madison Street bridge in view OF
thousands of spectators.
II. j. Handy. Chicago's premier swim
mer. seized with cramps at Rush
Street and hauled aboard tug In q
serious state.
Howard Wetz. Chicago; Josophs h.
Basse, Mexico City; Anna Harris, Chi
cago; j.. II. Merriam. Chicago: j. Stew
art, Belleview, Ia, all seized with
cramps at various stages during the
race. s'f7i
The race was won by S. c. Jensen. OF
the New Illinois Athletic Club His
ohicial time was 44.41 2-5: Anton Jar
ger and y. p. johnson, OF the same
CLUB, were second and third respective
ly. None OF the out-of-town contest
ants finished. a
Oldest AInn is Lost.
Freese sank after he had covered
about two-thirds OF the course. He
was the Oldest contestant in the event.
He came to Chicago from Germany
about twenty-five years. ago. and had
been noted as distance swimmer at
the local beaches. but evidently found
the strain of q long distance race too
great for his advanced age. Fully
100000 persons watched the race. lining
4 the banks and crowding the bridges
| from the start aat the life saving sta
| ton at Ithe+moutll sofs the river to the
4 Twelfth Street Viaduct, on the south
branch OF the stream, where tho course
i ended. 81 sS n 81 ~
Although several men plunged in tc
..1. ald Freese he sank aa before any Of the
4 6rescuers could reach him. Harold
/ Christen. seventeen years old, dived
repeatedly for the body. but failed tc
4 find It. because OF the strong under
current; which swept 1t down stream
/ The CORPSE was recovered by the police
4 with graphing hooks several blocks
! from the scene OF the accident.
II andy: Came Near Dying.
Handy had narrow escapo at Rust
i 4
Il yards. when he suddenly turned or
his back and lied for aid. "a launch
hurried to- HIM but when he was taker
aboard, he swassso badly crampe thai
his finger nails had sunk into the
i Iflesh of his hands, and & his eye ball.
4 llwerc& rolled back. led ical z nssistanct
i was summoned for him. g
The others who were stricken as
5iresult Of the cold water had less thrill.
4 ing experiences. Miss Harris. the only
A woman in the event, became exhaust
i ed just after she crossed the finish lint
at sixteenth place. "A line of row boat!
i }liblocked the stream and she was unable
Il ltoSreach the bank. She sank once. bu
\ was seized then by one of several mer
5lswho jumped into the. water. Basst
was stricken thirty feet from the start
Il stuart went to his assistance and help.
j ed him reach the pier, then plunged y
{ Iagain, only to be taken tn the et'
I fleets Of the cold water himself feN
4 5Iblocks further on.
a swept by the Current.
/ Tho race Itself was procession
n Handy went away In the lead j, followed
4 by Jensen and larger. The latter wv
4 swan abreast until past Rush Street
4 where HandysQuit. AT this point Jen n,
4 sen changed to q breast stroke ant n
a steadily drew away from his. competl
!, tors, The strong current carrled tn
4 men along at a rapid rate, making. tht
!. time OF the winner tunusually " "a st
! sThe current Of the Chicago River run
!. Prom Lake Michigan towards the forme
/; snnrca q OF the river, as the ri ivor q n oV
i [emnties through u drainage canal int
i rivers that flow to the NJ NJ Mississi sippi,
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