Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-07-02
ANNUAL HARVEST BEGINS WITH
DROWNING OF JOHN POLAk
AT WEST QUARRY.
NOT ABLE TO SWIM;
STEPS INTO A HOLE
AIva Dousherty, Aged 81, Struggles
With Helpless Boy in Fifteen Feet of
Water, But Is Compelled to Let Go
Because of Exhaustion-Body Re-
covered After Long Search.


locally Friday evening when John
Polak aged 9. son of Mr.. and Mrs.
Melichar Polak, OF West Quarry, was
drowned in about ten feet Of water
near the west quarries. The drowning
occurred at $50 at a point about 400
yards upstream from the quarries.
Ava Dougherty aged -. and married,
son of j. l.. Dougherty, farmer living
one and one-half miles west of Quarry,
was the only witness to the tragedy,
and made All effort to save the lad. II
was not until Dougherty became ex-
hausted, and was unable TO proceed
farther with the boy, that he relin-
quished his hold in order 10 save him
self. The body was recovered this
morning.
Dougherty and the Polak lad went 10
the river for a plunge after finishing
work Friday evening. They disrobed
on the south shore, where the water
was shallow, and waded 10 a small
island Polal informed Dougherty that
he could not swim, but Dougherty felt
no anxiety because the water was
shallow al the point where the boy
was. The lad played about the shore
for a time and then asked Dougherty
TO accompany him to d sandy beach on
As.ar rla,f,,g a,1r. 80 49, go =
rina tho W., starrad +, cross Tho rivar
10 the island ana from rhera 10 90 70
tho sou-l, t,o-a For -batr o1o4jas
Steps Into Deep Water.
The lad started to wade toward the
island VIII Donybar+,, roI1o1ri,e, bi,,,
r.. Tis-a,,,.> f,,or7 ne aas- ,,of-,- 90 H.
isIand vas r1,fsca1cu,a-s9 b9rrat,ar ND
bAfora Douehar-x, raa,izad 3,,S- ,.bar,
thev we're he and Young Poial s-an-7a9
INFO A hole nine ~, ran +aar daan polal,
Went down and whom he came ~, e,rob,-
bed for Doughartv. Dousbertv fAIr for
bottom. ana couIdn,- fn6 al and AK
ing Polak nv the arm s4ar+ad for the
north shore viii, him Donghar-v 10.
go the lad in order 10 get a better hold,
and headed for stump fifteen or
twenty feet down stream. Becoming
exhausted from the struggle. and. as
Dougherty saws. not being good
swimmer himself, he was coupelIed 70
release his hold from the lad in order
to save himself.
Water Fifteen Feet Dee,
The water at the poin+ where ,,,,,ne
Polak went down far The last -i,,a 80
about fifteen feat daan according -
measurements taken 1atar rho drf,,,.r
ing bow called for helm d,,rfne bie
struggles ANA his orias -ya-a beo,a
for some distance A crowd aa+ta,s7
soon after the accident. and hours we're
spent in efforts ~ find tho ho7,.
Sheriff and De,u+iee Re.,onJ
Sheriff Nicholson was inform al oe
the drowning nv Dr. NJ NJ Fvars of
I,eCrard wno had haar st,r,,,,o,,a1
hurriad,y when II was -rono-t7+ that tho
lads }7ad,. might he racn,.s.ad ,,.i-tir
a short ri,na after j. won't 3or.,
Sheriff Nicholson and hi. dan,,-v r,
p Mason with snika hooks responded
n sha oa11 j., on ar-o~,oh;fa ava r.i+r,
boa-s Of -ha,~ command INA oraca-e
dirac4ad tho work Of attar7ntinq, - f7na
the bodv
In tho -,,ao,4;,,e ba<oro ~ .,,o,,ee
arrived Hanrv Tobnson rafa ood
Merle Dougbartv Pohar+ Pro+bars am,
.Jar7as stewart dove o,,ar -ba crowd
carefully bu+ were -,nahra "a locate
tho ho5,- Whom +ba sta,.;ff e-i,a7
Brothers and sheriff Nicholson win
hooks and with William Juhec ~ +ba
oars. made n "a rerul eearcl, at -bA
point both where thu body was last
seen. and below. Later James Stewart
took the oars to relieve Jubec. and
Deputy Mason relieved Nicholson.
With another boat William Drury car
ried Brothers and Halver Halverson,
who both felt for the BODY with hooks. |
Task Hard One in Semi Darkness
1t was a weird scene along the Sc
Guided spot on the river, with the peo-
pie standing aghast along the bank,
conversing in low whispers, their sym
pathzing faces showing their anxiety
in recovering the body in the glow of
four large bonfres built along the
shore to aid the work of the rescuers.
The task was a most difficult one. how
ever. and after working until midnight |
the work was given up until daylight. |
Body Found BY Haiverso1.
The work OF finding the body was
taken up early this morning. and at
l:4o the searchers were rewarded
when Halver Haiverson struck with his
hook an object that he believed TO be
the body. Joe Kubfk stripped and
dove and, after three attempts. brought
to the surface the little body Of the
drowned boy. The body was recovered