Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-07-13
Heroic Io;van
Sacrificed Life
...-. to Save lBathers
ecial to Times-Republican.

Special TO Times Republican.
Mount Pleasant, July 13.-Full par
ticulars have reached this city of the
death Of John Mckinnon, Wesleyan
graduate Minnesota and Columbia
University athlete, who was drowneL
a. bathing beach in New York City
last Sunday. While Mount Pleasant
and Iowa Wesleyan circles have beer
plunged into the deepest grief by the
untimely end of what promised to De
a most brilliant career, yet there is
mixed with 1t the pride that comes with
the consciousness, that Iowa produced
a man who gave his life in the accom-
plishment of a deed Of heroism that ha S
thrilled the entire east The New York
papers have devoted columns TO thu
act Of heroism Of this young man, who
by superhuman effort rescued two
young women from the grip of tidal
current. landing them safe upon the
beach, before his great heart burst
from the exertion and ne dropped dead
on the sand.
In company with three other com
paniors, John Mckinnon was watching
the great crowd of merry makers and
hathers on the beach before the great
Nassau Hotel. Suddenly the GROVE
was thrilled by the screams of three
young women who had venIured out
TOO far and were caught in the treach :
erous undercurrent which cut in be-
tween the beach and large sand bar
The regular life savers made no efforts
TO save them, deeming it impossible
for swimmer to live in the current
Mckinnon without a moment Of hesita .
ton, dressed in his street clothes
plunged into the boiling flood. Few
other men could have reached the girls
let alone bring them back, but McKin-
non stood six feet, weighed over 200
pounds. and the training received while
a member Of the Wesleyan football
team, the University of Minnesota
varsity and the heavyweight wrestling
! team OF Columbia stood him in good
stead. Using the powerful Australian
crawl stroke, of which he was a master
slowly but surely he approached tn
drowning girls. Upon reaching then
he began the fearful return struggle
1t had been hard enough going out
| but he was now handicapped by hi.
! burdens. Holding a girl in each arm
he kept them above water by treadins
| Loosing first one girl, and then the 9th
er, he would take a stroke and then
| catch her. Time and again he neared
| the beach. only to be swept out again
| Three thousand New York holiday
makers watched the struggle. No one
| offered to help. They seemed to be
| struck dumb. Finally he approached
| close enough to obtain a footing. Nc
| enc offered helping hand Madly
| he plunged on and laid his burdens or
| the beach. The great crowd now
| aroused itself and rushed madly to.
| wards him. But before person
reached him, John Mckinnon pitched
forward on his face-dead. The strair
| had been too great.
| The young women, who owed thei,
| life 10 this man, returned 10 theil
! hotel and later refused to give thei
names, expressing no anxiety as to thu
| fate of their rescuer.
| The body eached New Lonion early
| Wednesday morning, and the fune:a
services will be held at 2 o'clock F.iday
! afternoon.
John McKinnon was born nea
| Lowell, twenty-eight years ago. H.
received his early education in thu
public schools Of New London anc
! Mount Pleasant. After graduating from
high school at the age of Is he entered
Iowa Wesleyan College, where he late
! became member of the Phi Delts