The weekly tribune and the Cape County herald. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1918, 1915-08-27
WOMANDROWNS
in ST. FRANCOIS;
FAMILY SAVED
Jessie Brickett, With Baby,
Seizes Bridge and Pulls
Self to Safety.
WIFE SINKS IN RIVER
WITHOUT ASSISTANCE
Current Overwhelms ROwbOat
On Southeast Missouri
River.


While attempting to cross the swol-
len st. Francois River in a row boat
at Hodges Ferry, Monday, the wife
of Jesse Brickett, a woodsman. was
drowned, and he and his one-month old
baby had a thrilling escape. The body
of Mrs. Brickett was not recovered.
Brickett saved himself and his baby
by selling a tie on the Frisco Railroad
trestle as the boat was swept beneath
it, and dragging himself to the top of
the bridge. Mrs. Brickett, at her hus-
bands command, grabbed hold of the
bridge, but the swift current forced
her loose and she disappeared beneath
the surface of the water and was never
seen again.
Paul B. Leming, the we'll known
Cape Girardeau lumber man, who has
been at his big lumber plant at Rom
bauer, returned last night with the
story of the tragedy While he did not
witness the drowning, the graphic
story was told him by eye witnesses.
"Brickett and his family drove from
their home in the hills to Hodges Fer
ry to inspect the high water" said
Mr.. Leming. "The river was rising
rapidly, and Brickett was curious to
discover the depth of the stream. The
gauge was located on the opposite
side of the stream, and a rowboat was
the only means of getting across.
AT his suggestion, Mrs. Brickett
climbed into the craft, then he entered
with their infant He turned the boat
and started for the opposite side of
the wide and swiftly flowing river He
had gone but short distance when he
found the current was too swift to be
safe and he attempted to turn back.
"But before he could paddle out of
danger zone, the speed of the water
carried the rowboat into the middle
of the stream, and in spite of his
strenuous efforts to drive through the
current, the craft began floating down
the stream at a dangerous rate.
"He knew that the speed Of the wa
ter and the eddies made his position
& precarious one. When the railroad
trestle, which spans the river short
distance below Hodges Ferry, came in
sight, he took charge of the baby and
told his wife to prepare to catch hold
of the trestle and save herself as the
boat drifted beneath it.
"The water was within three feet Of
the railroad bridge, and as the boat
passed under the span, he raised
from his sitting posture and seized a
tie and shouted to his wife to do like
wise.
"She swung on projecting tie Just
as he pulled himself and babe to the
top of the bridge. As she grabbed hold
of the bridge, the boat drifted out
from under her and she chung to the
tie and struggled desperately to draw
herself to the top of the bridge. But
the task was more than she could mas
ter, and her grip broke and she fell
back into the stream while her hus-
band was shouting instructions to her.
"The woman sank and never ap-
peared again on the surface. Men who
were nearby hurried to the scene and
made efforts to locate her body, but
heir efforts were to no avail"
The flood has wrought untold dam
age to crops in the valley of the st.
Francois and Black rivers, Mr.. Lem
ng informed The Tribune last night.
The Black River has broken out of its
confines and has inundated great
fields of grain, Mr.. Leming states, and
he flood now renders the corn worth
ess.
In the vicinity of Hodges Ferry,
where Mrs. Brickett lost her life,
fields of corn are under water. Hodges
Ferry is located on the St. Francois
River about fifty miles south of Cape
I1irardeau.
The big Leming lumber mills are
coated at Rombauer, short distance
rom Hodges Ferry. Mr.. Leming
tated last night that the water had
lot reached his mills, but it was with
n a short distance of the plant.