Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1913-07-25
Y0UNGMAN BROWNS
LOSES LIFE TRYING TO "RIDE'
BIG FALLS
NARROW ESCAPE OF COMPANION
Body is Found Thursday Five Miles
Below the Falls


10 NO BASIS FOR REPORT c
10 There is no foundation for 0
o the report that two Miwau- c
10 kee men were also drowned O
o recently at Big Falls. A report c
o to this effect has had consid c
o erabe circulation about this Q
o city the past week. c
o o O
Lloyd Robillard, Cor Orvis, adopted
son of Mr. and Mrs. j. K. OrviS, o.
Waukegan, Illinois,) was drowned at
9:45 Sunday morning at Big Falls,
Is miles up the Flambeau from this
city.
His companion, Axel T. Hall, of
Waukegan had a very narrow es-
cape, but managed to reach shore. a
pet dog that was with them in the
boat also escaped The boat was pral-
tically demolished and their outfit
was lost.
Hall did not want to attempt to
go over the falls, but his companion
thought they could make it all right
and finally persuaded Hall to risk
| it, with the tragic result above
stated
j. S. Conley and e. A. Gillette,
two Madison young men, were at
the falls at the time and were wit
nesses of the accident. One of them
was in the act of photographing the
tumbling waters of the first pitch
when the boat came leaping down
the descent with the men in it des-
perately and vainly trying to guide
it to safety.
Robillard got through the first
pitch and swan to within a few
| feet of the shore, when he turned
back, presumably in an attempt to
rescue his companion.
That was the last that was seen
of Robillard until his body was re-
covered. His companion, Hall, reached
shore safely.
After searching vainly for the body
for several hours, Hall and the two
Madison boys came to Ladysmth
and kilograms were sent to rela-
tives notifying them of the tragedy.
To his mother, Mr.. Hall sent the fol-
lowing dispatch:
Ladysmith, Wis.,, July 20, 1918.
Mrs. John Hall,
Grand Avenue,
Waukegan, i'll.
Orvis drowned; | was saved. No
tify his mother. Letter follows.
AXEL HALL.
Hall also forwarded the following
message to the boys foster mother:
Ladysmth, Wis, July 20, 1918
Mrs. j. X. Orvis,
Waukegan, III.
Boat smashed en- Big Falls, Is
miles from Ladysmith. Current toe
swift fer US to handle the boat
Lloyd undoubtedly is gone. Only
thing we can do is hire expert river
man to patrol the river. Wire in
structons.
AxEL HALL.
Word of the disaster w2s also
sent to Robillards real mother, who
lives at Merrill, Wis.
Searching parties Immediately Wen
in quest of the body, which was
found by Walter Mitchell and VIM
Smith at 9:45 yesterday morning
exactly four days after going owe
the falls, at point about five
miles below the cataract.
The remains were brought t.
Ellingboes undertaking room in thi
city to be prepared for shipment
They were taken to Waukegan, ILL.,
last night.
J. X. Orvis, Lee Minnis, and VIM
G. Watrous, of Waukegan, arrive
n here Yesterday morning in order t
e assist in the quest for the BODY
|. which was recovered before the
n reached the scene.
l. The deceased was cousin {
e Frank Russell, game warden, of Par
: Falls
l. Robillard and Hall had spent se'
eral weeks camping and fishing alon
the Flambeau, having started in
n Mercer. near the Michigan line. The
were to leave the river at Lad.
10 smith and return home.
If The two young men went doWn