The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1912-08-03

Mrs. Masteller and Walter Webster
and Miss Veda Hemstock Joined him
Saturday morning.
Saturday evening the party of four
young people, together with Mr.. and
Mrs Louis Burkhalter and two chill.
dren of this city, started from the
Burkhaiter home, $40 Indiana avenue
and walked to the river near the HI
ram Goodwin farm. which is opposite
the camp. They rowed across the riy-
err to the camp.
Passing the night in camp. the mar.
ty arose early Sunday morning and
enjoyed the first morning In the ex-
hilarating air. AS they sat upon the
bank of the river they noticed a num-
Der of boys swimming on the opposite
bank and decided to don their bathing
suits in the afternoon row across the
river and enjoy a plunge in the cool
ing waters.
All were strangers to the PREACHER
Gus waters, yet Witnessing the small
boys swimming. they thought it must
be safe.
Broken in spirits and voice. Paul
Masteller continued to relate the story
of the tragic deaths before the coro-
ner's jury. He spoke of how the party
rowed across the river about $40
o'clock in the afternoon. himself and
wife and Miss Hemstock having on
bathing suits.
On arrival at the opposite shore Mr.
and Mrs. Louis BurkhaIter and two
children and Walter Webster seated
themselves. on the bank and watched
Mr.. Masteller and wife and Miss Veda
Hemstock as they got out of the boat
into the water.
Said Mr.. Masteller: ION the side of
the boat on which we got out the river
bottom was rather rocky and we went
around to the opposite side of the
boat The girls waded about near the
shore for some time and wandered
down stream about forty feet with the
water about to my waist.
Il located a spot where the footing
was much better and called TO the
girls to come along. They came to
that spot, and wanted to swim. l
continued about 75 feet from them.
The water was shallow and they were
about forty feet from shore. Looking
back I noticed that they were getting
out in deeper water and cautioned
them to go back
Il then found myself in deem water
and tried to touch bottom. but could
not l came up and got a breath of
air and again went down and tried To
touch bottom and again failed l saw
eight or ten boys on the bank watch
Ing us and asked them how deep the
water was at that point They re-
piled about 20 feet 1 again looked to-
ward the girls and noticed that tbev
were in the water over waist deep and
about eight or ten feet apart Both
appeared at the same time to have
lost their footing and 1 called to them
to stand up, thinking that they had
slipped on SOM rocks
My following attracted the atten-
ton of Mr.. Webster and Mr. Burk-
halter on the band and at the same
time the girls appeared to sink into
the water. Mr.. Burkhalter plunged
into the water with his clothes on and
was followed by Mr. Webster. Web
ster could not swim and Burkhalter
could only swim little. He swan a
couple of strokes and sank under the
water and came up and yelled for
help. L saw that he was drowning
and attempted to swim to him, but
the current was too strong and 1 was
powerless and was carried to shore by
the currents.
Webster followed BurkhaIter into
the river and when about fifteen feet
the water with the others and did not
come up. None of the four was with
in fifteen feet of the other and all
seemed to fall off a ledge and go down
at the same time, each powerless to
help the other.
THE two girls f1oated In the current
probably twenty feet before they
sank. 1 tried my best to swim to
their sides, but could not"
Mr.. Masteller is a young man about
% years of age and is a painting con-
tractor at Hammond, Ind His wife
one of the victims, was formerly Miss
Susie Leonard of this city, sister of
Mrs. Louis Burkhalter. whose husband
was among the victims of the treach-
erous waters.
The young couple were united in
marriage last Christmas and were un-
usually devoted She was only 10
years of age.
Miss veda Hemstock was "a years
OF age and made her home with At
torney and Mrs. w. J. McAleer of
Hammond, Ind, who have reared her
since she was 4 years of age Dur
Ing the past eight years she has been
acting as stenogra pher in her foster
fathers office 1t was not generally
known to their many friends. but ac-
cording to Mr.. Masteller, Walter Web
ster and Miss Henstock were engaged