The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1914-01-08
Alex. Johnson Old Employee
of the Jeffrey Co. Found
Dying at Anderson Park.
DIES WITHOUT TELLING STORY

Alexander johnson, forty-four years
OF age and one of the old time en-
ployees of the Thomas B. Jeffrey Com
pany, was found dying in the shallow
waters OF the lagoon at Anderson Park
just after eight o. CLOCK Thursday morn.
ing. The man was all but exhausted
when he was found by Andrew Ander-
son and he died short time after he
had been carried to the bar-room at the
park. The whole story of his death is
shrouded in mystery and Coroner Mil
lager is holding an inquest over the
remains at the Hansen morgue this af-
ternoon IN hopes Of discovering some
facts that will clear up the mystery.
There was no sign of foul play and it is
thought that Johnson lost his way some
time early Thursday morning and wan
dered into the lagoon and died from
sheer exhaustion after fighting for
hours to get out of the mud and water.
johnson lived at III Edward street
and on New Years eve he had been
spending the evening with his brother.
Ernst A. Chalbreck, who lives on the
BAN farm southwest Of the city. Just
after midnight the brothers had left
the home on Edward street and had
walked to the Robsel saloon at the linn
It's OF the city. Here they parted for
the night and Chalbreck started for his
nome while johnson started to return
to his boarding house. Nothing farther
was seen of him until he was found in
the lagoon early Thursday morning
lt rs thought probable that he start
ed to walk home and went south in
stead of north and finally walked into
the lagoon He had on a heavy over
ceat and this was completely soaked
with water md mud and it is thought
possible that he walked from one end
OF the lagoon to the other and that he
fell exhausted just as he reached the
safety offered by the banks of the la
goon People in the neighborhood re-
ported that they heard some one groan-
ing during the night, but no one had
made any investigation of the groans
until johnson was past aid. When he
was found a telephone message was sent
for an ambulance, but he died at the
bar-room of the hotel before the am
bulance arrived. Coroner Millager at
once took charge Of the case. johnson
had several bad bruises on his person
but his pocketbook was found in his
pocket with considerable sum of
money untouched so that it is certain
that he was not attacked with motive
OF robbery. The brother seems to feel
certain that he wandered away during
the night and that after his clothing
had been soaked in the lagoon he was
unable to get out of the water and
seek aid.
johnson was native of sweden, but
ne had lived in this country for many
years. He was formerly employed by
the Gormully and Jeffrey Company in
Chicago and later came here to work
for the Rambler Automobile Company.
He was an expert mechanic and was
widely known among the employees of
the company He was unmarried. but
he has many relatives living in Kenosha
and Chicago. He had been active in
Swedish organizations in the two cites
and was charter member of the So
ciety Svea in Chicago
He also was memoer of the Kenosha
Order of Vikings and had been an Of
ficer in the society
He had always borne spotless repu-
tation and he was not intoxicated at
the time his brother left him on the
night before he was found dying. It is
said that he had not been seen at any
of the saloons in the neighborhood dur
ing the early hours of the morning