The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-07-19
Body Was Found Last Evening
Floating Down Stream.
WENT INTO THE WATER ALONE
Boy Went in Swimming at "A" Street
CuIvert But Was Found Near
Pumping Station.
From Wednesdays Daily.


The body of little Chester Sinclair,
son of Mr.. and Mrs. ROBERT sinclair,
was found floating in the river near
the pumping station about eight
o'clock last evening, by Albert WertZ,
who was fishing at that point. The
boy had been swimming and evil
IDENTIFY lost his bearings and was
drowned, and carried down the
stream. From all appearances, he had
not been in the water more than
a few hours.
Mrs. Wertz was with her husband
at the time and while standing on
the shore saw an object floating
down toward the rapids. The water
is very shallow at this point, and
the body was scraping the bottom
of the river. Mr. Wertz saw that it
was the nude form of human body,
and waded out and picked it up,
placing it on a large stone near the
shore.
He went Immediately to the police
station to notify the authorities.
Desk Sergeant Scoville notified the
coroner and Officer Bienapf was de-
tailed to the place. A large crowd
began to gather at the river, until
the arrival of Coroner Kennedy and
deputy Coroner Macbeth. At that
time no one seemed able to identify
the body, and several conjectures
were made, as to his identity. Some
thought it was young boy visiting
here from Brainerd, while others
were not positive that they had
ever seen him before.
But Otto Dethloff, young boy liv-
ing with his parents at 522 North
Fourth street, went up along the
river bank, in an attempt to find
the boys clothes. He walked along
the bank until he came to the
swimming hole near the stock yards.
Here he found the boys clothes.
AS he walked up the street, he
met Mr.. Sinclair, who Immediately
identified the clothes as those of his
son. The remains were taken to the
Klein Undertaking parlors, there to
await burial. =.
Master Sinclair was last seen
about six o'clock by young play
mate, "Bowey" Heller. At that time
Sinclair was not wearing any hat.
Mrs. Sinclair, it is said, was look
also, and was considerably troubled
when she did not find him.
1t is believed that Sinclair went
in swimming alone at six o'clock,
and never reached shore alive. None
of the young playmates except Hell
Ter, who viewed the remains at the
river bank, could recall seeing him
that evening. Neither did they rec
ognize the remains, although he was
not bloated or distorted in the least.
His skin showed that he had been
in the water but a short time.
Many comments were made after
the finding of the body, regarding
the practice of young boys in going
swimming along the river, and es-
pecially when alone. No cries for
help were heard, and no assistance
could probably be rendered had any
one heard his cries at that time.
The Y. M. c. A. has a large swim
ming pool that is open to all boys
under sixteen years of age, free of
charge, and it was with a view to
keeping the young boys from the
river, that the city council took &C.
tion in donating the water for the
swimming pool, on condition that
these youngsters be allowed the use
of the pool.
Chester Sinclair was seven years
of age. His remains were shipped
to Owatonna this afternoon for buri-
al. His brother died some time ago
and was buried at Owatonna, and
Chester Sinclair will be laid to rest
in a grave nearby.