The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1910-05-07
HANCOCK
BODY OF FRED Simmer IS
FOUND IN PORTAGE LAKE.
Ripley Youth Who Eluded Police
On April l Found Near
Quincy Docks
MISSING FOR FIVE WEEKS

The mystery of the disappearance of
Fred Simmer of Ripley, who vanished
on April last after eluding Deputy
Sheriff Sheridan and Chief of Police
Tibor of Hancock, who had warrant
for his arrest, was cleared up last eve
ming when the body of Simmer was
seen floating in Portage lake near the
Quincy smelling works docks.
John Tobin, Waterman at the Quincy
smelts, was making his rounds at about
6 o'clock. and noticed the body OF a
man floating in the water of Portage
lake, about fifty feet below the smelter
docks. 1t was at once surmlsed that
the body might be that of Fred Sim
mer and the sheriffs office and the
Hancock police were notified The body
was brought to the edge of the dock,
and Justice C. O. Olivier summoned.
The latter impaneled a jury to con-
duct an inquest and the remains were
taken in charge by Undertaken j. l..
O'Neill.
The body was badly decomposed, but
from its stature and general appear
ance II was certain that 1t was that of
Simmer.
Simmer was wanted by the police
about the first of April last on charge
of issuing worthless checks in Calu-
met and from n description telephoned
TO the Hancock police by the Red Jack
ct marshal ii was thought that Simmer
was the man wanted. Officers Sheri-
dan and THOR went to the smelling
works and Simmer was sent for to
come into the office. When told that
he was wanted he asked for time to
change his clothes. saying to the off,
GERS, you wait here until / come
back" After waiting some time and
Simmer not reappearlng. the police
went i'm search of Simmer, but were
unable to locate him. and realized that
they had been april fooled" A thor
ough search of the smelling works
premises and docks was made but he
could not be found. Simmer was seen
to run through the smelling yards to-
wards the baseball park and when last
seen was headed i'm a southeastern di- |
rection towards the lake. 1t is thought |
that Simmer ran out on the old dock |
and either fell through by accident or
deliberately Jumped into the water. |
The accident theory Is generally fav- |
ored, although it is reported that Sim
mer had told one of his brothers that |
he would drown himself rather than he
h. tl,. A..
and sorrow is felt at the tragic end of |
the young man. and the general opinion |
Is that he was not deserving of such
fate, as in spite, of some eccentricities
he had many good qualities that won
for him great many friends. He was
% years of age.
The deceased is survived by three
brothers and two sisters. Theodore of |
Hancock: Chris of Hurontown; Charles
of Hancock: Mrs. Edward Sleeman of
Mason; and Mrs. Chris Zimmerman of
Ripley. The father and a brother died
within the past year and the mother
has been dead for eight years.
The corpse was towed to the shore
by Waterman Tobin who lassoed it
with rope and with him nj the time
were VIII Scanlon and Will Kohlmai-
men, who were subpoenaed to appear
ms witnesses at the inquest to be held
at the office of Justice olivier at 1880
o'clock this afternoon. The following
constitute the jury: Fred Lang, John
Ruonawarra, Dan, Dowd, Lancelot
Slattery. Charles Ward and William
Dowd.