The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1910-07-22
TWO YOUNG MEN GO TO
THEIR DEATH IN RIVER
DOUBLE DROWNING AT SPRING
ISLAND ON SUNDAY.
From Mondays Daily.

From Mondays Daily.
One of the saddest things that ever
occurred i'll Spring Island was double
drowning yesterday afternoon in the
Blue Earth river, when two of the
finest young men of the neighborhood
!, lost their lives, one in IA heroic effort
to save the lie of the other, who was
boyhood friend and companion.
After dinner four boys went bath
ing i'll the river, Robert and David
Woods, sons of Mrs. M. L. Woods, u
widow living near, Harry Strom, only
son of Mr.. and Mrs. Gus Strom, aged
residents, and Carl Hanel, son of Fred
Hanel. Robert Woods was twenty one
years of age and was the only one of
the PARTY who could swim. His broth
er, David, is fifteen, and Strom and
Hanel sixteen.
Backed into a Deep Hole.
1t was about three o'clock, when
Strom backed into deep hole in the
river, which elsewhere was quite shall
low, on account of the low water. This
hole has depth of some fifteen feet,
but is not very wide OF long. Being
unable to swim, Strom went down,
struggling futilely. Robert Woods
noticed him, and without moments
hesitation went to the rescue of his
friend. Strom grasped him about the
body and rendered it impossible roe
him to save himself, not to mention
saving Strom. Both went down three
times, while their two companions
stood helpless and paralyzed on the
bank.
As soon as they could dress, David
Woods and Carl Hanel gave the alarm
They first notified A. NJ. Mozier, near
whose farm the drowning occurred, and
Mr.. Thinker Dove Several Times.
Mr.. Hanel and Oliver Thinker of
South Bend, who was spending the day
at Mr.. Mozier's soon arrived and worked
hard until they succeeded in recov-
ering the bodies. 1t was probably
half an hour after the boys went
down for the last time before Messrs.
Hinniker and Hanel arrived. Mr..
Thinker dove repeatedly into the deep
hole, where the bodies had disappeared,
and at last found the bodies clasped
together at the bottom of the river.
SO tight was the death grasp that each
had on the other, that it was with
some difficulty that the two bodies
were separated. Then Mr.. Thinker
brought up the body of Woods, at abou
brought up the body of Woods, at about
that of Strom. The bodies had not
doated down stream and were found
in fifteen feet of water. Great praise
is due to Mr.. Thinker for his hard and
persistent efforts.
Coroner Kennedy was summoned,
and went out last evening, returning
this morning He decided that no in
quest was necessary, as the drowning
was purely accidental.
The bodies were removed to the
respective homes of the deceased, and
were prepared for burial. The parents
of both were grief stricken, as we'll ITS
the brothers. sisters and other reia
tives and friends, and deep shadow of
gloom was cast over the entire town
ship.
Main Support of His Mother.
Robert Woods was the main support
of his widowed mother, who is left
with two younger boys and two daugh-
tiers to care for. Harry Strom was
the only son of parents who are well
along in years. and who depended up
on him to soon take the responsibility
and burden of operating their farm
off from their shoulders. They have
two daughters.
Both were fine, manly boys among
the best in the neighborhood. by the
the general concensus of opinion. Both
had gone through school, and young
Strom had only recently been confirmed
in the Swedish Lutheran church in this
city, Woods was member of Zion
Welsh Calvinistic Methodist church.
There were no one i'll the neighborhood
whom it was harder to spare than
| these two young men, and each had the
promise of useful and promising
future before him.
1t is said that young Strom had
never been bathing in the river before,
which would in some measure account
for his getting into the hole. The
Strom and Woods families live hall
mile apart, counple of miles south
west of Minneopa.
Funeral services over the remains
of Harry Strom will take place at two
o'clock tomorrow afternoon at the resi-
dence, Rev. n. b. Tuleen of this city
officiating, and the interment will be
made at Minneopa cemetery.