The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-03-07
MYSTERIOUS CASE
At Fl. MADISON.
Unknown Man Supposed to Have Been
Drowned In River While cross-
Ing on Ice Near
Fort Madison.
NO CLUE IS FOUND
Two Witnesses Say That They Saw
Man Start Across But They
Arc Positive That He Did
Not Get to Shore.
NO CLUE IS FOUND

FIT. MADISON, March 7.-Wednes-
day man was seen on the ice in the
middle OF the river opposite the rip
rap Whether that man is now read
Ing this article and humorously re-
calling how he caused considerable
anxiety, or whether he rests at the
bottom of the Mississippi river
through an inadvertent stumbling into
an unseen airhcle is mystery and
the couse OF this article.
The Benbow Ice Company is. stor-
Ing Ice at their warehouses at the
foot OF Locust street. They are cut
ting their supply near the Santa Fe
bridge and floating 1t down opposite
the houses where It is cut for stor-
age. Wednesday two men, Will
Schnitker and Joseph Harnish, were
near the Santa Fee depot manipulate
ing the transit Of the ice down
stream when one of them happened
to glance down the river and saw a
man crossing the Ice at the above
noted point. There was nothing I'M
usual in the appearance of a man on
the Ice as the woodchoppers on
Smiths island use that place, as
crossing from the main shore to
camp. And even though the man was
several blocks from the two work
men they could distinguish that he
wore an overcoat, and was not carry
ing pole. Usually, and especially
just after a warm night like Tuesday
night, ice walkers carry a pole or
plank when alone for protection if they
should chance on soft spot In the
ice and break through. But this man
carried nothing and consequently
aroused the curiosity of the two work
men enough to make them take an
other look In his direction moment
after they first saw him, when they
were amazed to find that the man had
disappeared entirely from sight, and
were positive that he had not had
time to get either to the island
Eshore or the main land.
When the two workmen made their
next landing they communicated to
others what they had seen and a lit
tie investigation was undertaken. How
ever, the heavy snow of the morning
prevented tracking the course of the
man and little could be done beyond
trying to find out IL anyone was known
to have gone out on the river that
day. There is a camp of hundred
wcodchoppers on Smiths island, to-
wards which the man was headed and
1t was thought possible that one of
the campers was returning to the is
land from town and wandered into an
airhcle. 1t has been learned that
some of the campers were in town
Tuesday night, intending to return
Wednesday, but word from the camp
today states that so far none Of their
members has been found to be miss
ing.
A few others who were along the
river front at that particular time OF
day remember seeing man start
across the ice, but no one has been
found who saw him reach either shore.
One young man states that he hap
pened to glance out of a window
about that time and saw man head
ed for the island, then saw him turn
around and start towards the main
land, but paid no attention to him af-
ter that At any rate the whole af-
fair awaits explanation.
w.