Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1911-07-19
DIED WHILE SWIM MING.
Lawrence Nelson Meets Death While
Diving at Lake Harriet Island.

Ulving at Lake Harriet Island.
Lawrence Nelson, youngest son Of
Mr.. and Mrs. P. A. Nelson, Of 7l3
Fifth St., this city suddenly met
death last Sunday at St. Paul. The
following is the account Of the sad
event from the Pioneer Press:
"After his first dive in the river at
Harriet island yesterday afternoon,
Lawrence Nelson, % years old, Will
mar, Minn., did not rise and his com
rades, Hans Mortensen and William
Mertz, pulled him out Of the water.
Although he had been under less
than half minute he was dead when
brought to the surface. All efforts
to revive him were unsuccessful.
"Nelson and his two friends had
just gone into the river, and the
others preceded him in diving off of
the spring board. When his turn
came to dive, Nelson took running
plunge from the board, leaping high
into the air.. AS he did not appear
after entering the water Mortensen
and Mertz Immediately went to his
aid and drew his body to the sur
face. ~ 49,.
"The guards pulled their boats in
and Nelson was taken to the shore
in less than a minute after he went
down. Attendants at the baths tried
every known method Of resusciation
but were unable to restore him. DIR.
E. V .Goltz, also was unsuccessful
in his efforts, the young man having
been dead when taken from the wat
er.
"That there was no water in the
body is taken as an indication death
was from some cause other than
drowning. Heart failure may have
been caused by the plunge into the
cold water, although temperature of
the water yesterday was 80 degrees.
ut IS thought Nelson may have
struck bottom and broken his neck,
the water being only four feet deep
at the end Of the spring board. Cor
oner D. G. Jones will endeavor today
to discover the cause Of death by ex-
animation Of the body and finding
from his parents whether Nelson
was subject to heart trouble. IL, e.
4 teMortensen and Mertz notified
Nelson's parents at Willmar siimmed-
lately and received their permission
to care for the body. It was taken
from the morgue to Thaung's un-
dertaking rooms.
"Nelson came to st. Paul short
time ago, and went to work for the
Booth Fisheries company. He room
ed at 327 East Eighth street. Nor
tensen and Mertz live in the same
house,"
Tueday's dailies contained the
following:
"At a post-mortem examination
the body Of Lawrence Nelson, who
met his death while swimming at
Harriet island Sunday afternoon
Coroner Jones found yesterday af-
ternoon that Nelson came to his
death from a ruptured heart, The
heart was dilated and the right aur-
icle ruptured.
NELSON'S brother, arrived from
his home in Willmar yesterday and
will take the body there this morn.
ing for burial" ~~...-~~-. -.
Lawrence was born: at Willmar
February 20, 1890, and had grown
to manhood in this city. A year age
last March he went to St.. Paul
where two of his brothers are locat.
ed. He leaves besides his grie1
stricken parents, three brothers, II
w. Nelson and G. A. Nelson Of st
Paul, and K. A. Nelson Of Arlington
is. D.; two sisters, Minnie and Elvira
at home; and other relatives, among
whom is a grandmother, Mrs. Jonas
L0nn Of Willmar; an aunt, Mrs. A
lP. Nelson, and a cousin, Anna Mel
son, Of Grove City; and an uncle
C.. W. L0nn, who is at present on :
pleasure trip to Sweden. ~
| The funeral takes place this after
noon at the Swedish Lutheran
Ichurch, Rev. G. Peterson, officiating