The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-08-28
Jchn H. Fort, IS, a Farmer,
and Son-in-law, Howard
Holler, Also Farmer, Were
Drowned While Fishing.
Jump INTO STREAM
FOLLOWING BANTER
Claude Hunt Goes After
John Fort and Almost Gets
Body Ashore When Fore
ed to Release Hold.
palladium Specially

~ ApSSioly
ABINGDON, Ind, Aug. 2S.-Banter.
ed to jump in the treacherous waters
of the Yanketown Dam, just south of
here, John H. Fort, 55, laborer, bet
ter known in this community as "Tine
Whiteinger" and his son-in-law How
ard Holler, 80, farmer, living south
of this place, dived from the bank
into about fifteen feet of water and
were drowned between four and five
o'clock yesterday afternoon.
The two men had been fishing and
accompanying them were Earl Fort,
Claude Hunt, living south of Rich.
mond on the Liberty pike. and a man
by the name of Norton, who worked
on Holler's farm. Hunt seeing the dan
ger in which Fort and Holler were in
jumped in and attempted to rescue
Fort, after a hard struggle and just
as he had reached the bank, he had to
release his hold on Fort to save him.
SELF
Two Bodies Recovered.
The two bodies were recovered
from the dam about o'clock At
tempts to resuscitate Fort and Holler
were made but to no avail The coro.
ner of Union county was called and
declared the deaths were due to acci-
dental drowning.
Both Holler and Fort were in Rich.
mond on Saturday and IT. is. alleged,
were intoxicated They went through
Arlington about midnight and disturb.
ed some OF the populace, it is said
Yesterday they went fishing and, it is
alleged resumed their debauch. Tirins
of fishing, it is said, one man bantered
the other to jump in with him with
their clothes on. Sheriff Steen OF
Richmond heard that the two were
seining but this story is denied here
The bodies of the two men were
taken to the house of Obediah Holler
with whom Howard Holler lived and
the funerals will be held on Tuesday
afternoon at ! o'clock. Burial will be
in the cemetery near here. Holler is
survived by his wife, the daughter OF
Fort, and two children and his par
ents. Fort is survived by three chill
dren and the widow, with whom, how
ever, he had not lived for several
years, it being alleged the two be
| came estranged as a result of his ex
cessive drinking. His widow lives in
the west
Both were well known in this com
munity. Fort had been living by him
I self on a two acre place which he
owns. In addition to attending to this
Holler, managed his fathers farm and
lived with the old people on it. He was
known as an Industrious and energetic
farmer. His widow is almost prostrat
ed.
Stream is Dangerous.
Both Fort and Holler lived in Unior
county, within a mile of this place
The Yankeetown Dam has been the
scene of several drownings. Though i,
| is frequented as a swimming hole, il
is said that in some of the deeper pla
ces there is an under current. The wa
ter in some places is from fifteen tt
twenty feet deep.
| About two yearS ago Holler had th<
inside of his left hand and one or two
of the fingers shot OF by his brother
William Holler, who is now confined
in Estern Indiana hospital. William
Holler had suspicioned that some one
was stealing corn from the crib, ant
also chickens. One night the two
brothers Wa1a Watching and Howard
had gone AROUND the barn and on re
turning to, where his brother was
crept along the crib. William Hollel
mistaking him for thief fired and tht
shot lodged in his left hand.