Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-07-13
IOWA CLAIMS FIRST
VICTIM Of SEASON
HARRY L. sAMFoRD, OF COLO,
MEETS SUDDEN END SUN.
DAY AFTERNOON.
GOES DOWN two MINUTES
AFTER ENTERING WATER
Rows Boat From Home Landing to
Point Three Quarters Of Mile Above
and Is Stricken With Cramps Upon
Entering Water-sody Lodges Un-
der Tree-Recovered This Morning.


der Tree-Recovered This Morning.
Death came suddenly at o'clock
SUNDAY afternoon to Harry Lee BAN
ford aged %, jeweler of Colo, VINO
went down in the Iowa river at a
point ree-quarters of a mile above
the soldiers home
The tragedy, which is the first of it's
kind this season locally, brought to an
end what had been planned for a happy
men came to the city from Colo for
the express purpose of taking plunge.
Bamford had not been in the water
more than two minutes when he was
stricken with cramps and went down
before his companions realized the sit
uation.
That Bamford's death was due to
cramps. and that he died instantly, vas
shown in an examination of the body
after death The young mans lungs
contained no water at all. The arms
when the body was found, We're drawn
in an upright position close TO the
body and the hands were clenched
tightly.
into Twenty five Feet Of Water.
Bamford had rowed the boat from
th. home landing TO the swimming hole,
and was very warm when he Went into
the water. He walked out into the
stream and a short distance from the
bank stepped into deep hole. which
was afterward found to contain twenty
five feet of water. Members Of the
party who saw Bamford in the water
did not realize that there was anything
wrong. and supposed the young man
was treading water In reality his
arms were helpless as a result of the
cramps. and he went down as tho ms
BODY had been so much lead
Recover Body This Morning.
Searchars who worked late into the
night. and resumed operations this
morning. recovered the body about
$50. The body was found in twelve
feet Of water and came to the sur
face after il had been dislodged by a
pole from under a tree, where 1t mao
| been caught. The tree was about
thirty feet below where Bamford en-
| tered the stream, and was out only a
| few feet from shore.
Heavy Undertow flinders Divers.
! Divers with heavy weights fastened
/ 70 ropes We're una bic to work at the
spot where Bamford was last seen. be
( cause of the heavy undertow. A whirl
| ing current sent the divers spinning
and the men were not able to reach ths
/ bottom even with the weights.
The hole where Bamford met his
death is about 100 yards above the
! rifles of the cut off. Altho there
is nothing to indicate it, the stream Is
terribly treacherous. and no one pu
a fine swimmer would be able to handle
/ himself if caught in the undercurrent
Willard Miller who was among thf
! divers who worked hard trying to Nh'
! the body said today that II was mex
| to impossible to do anything In tn'
deep water. with so much undercurrent
CIV Rinehart one of the party OF
which Bamford was member. salc
that he did not believe Bamford wa
| able to swim, or if he was he coult
/ not swim very well. This fact was no.
known. however, before the young mar
went into the water. Rinehart said. lr
addition to Rinehart and Bamford the
/ Colo party was composed of William
Johnson. Eugene Bergeron, Archie
White, and Delbert Dewey.
Searehers Work Hard.
After Bamford went down member:
of the party and others who were II
bathing turned their attention toward
4 finding the body. and it was half hou
or more until word reached the hom
that there had been a tragedy 1t wa
hat
ters was notified and Chief Kirby, o
the fire department, and once
Rreckel answered the call. Rakes wer
used to drag the river but withou
avail. and later dynami.ing was re
sorted to. Fireman Wertenherger hre
ten different shots, but was unable I
dslodge the body. w. E. Nicholso
and Fred Gard who were helping !
the continued search this morning, ser
boy down at point over the ire
and the lad thought he touched tn
body BY working with po.es the ood
was dislodged, and came quickly to tn
surface. The body was removed to tn
1 Pursel parlors and prepared Tor ourla
Relatives Advised.
Rinehart, who was the only membt
of the party who returned to Colo Sur
day evening, notified Bamford's fathe
w. D. Bamford who lives at Osks
ioosa, and the latter and his brothe
I George R. Bamford. of the Oskaloos
Times. came to the city on the ear
morning train.
Young Bamford was native of H
ota, where he was born Dec. %, 1s9
His parents are living, and he is al!
survived by half sister, Miss 1rel
Mcclure, of Nevada. Young Bamfol
had been at Colo since last April, en-
ployed as a jeweler and watchmak
by Roy L. Cook a Colo druggist.
Cook also came to the city today
lend what assistance ne could 10 &
young mans father.
The Messrs. Bamford will leave tn
evening with the body for keota, whe