Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-07-07
ARSENAL VISITOR
VICTIM OF RIVER
Joseph Cusack, West Point Cadet, on
FurlOugh, Drowned on Govern
ment Island Shore.
MEMBER WDIAN BOAT PARTY
Wanders Away AICne in Skiff, No
One Witnessing the Tragedy
Dragging for the Body.

| A tragic death was melted out to
! Joseph Cusack, aged 10 years, son of
Major j. w. Cusack of the Eleventh
/ cavalry, and a nephew of Lieutenant
Colonel David NJ. King, stationed at
Rock Island arsenal, when he was
drowned in the Mississippi river off
the east shore Of the government is
! land about ) last evening This noon
! found the work Of dragging for the
young mans body still in progress
After futile attempt to find the body
by dragging last night-the workers
were aided by light furnished by lamps
on automobiles which lined the west
bank-dynamiting was resorted to this
morning, and divers, among them
George Bayne Stephens of this city,
were diving for hours off a barge.
Cusack, who was visiting at the
home of Colonel King, Joined Dwight
Wiman's party yesterday afternoon on
the ButterwOrth houseboat, Katalin.
which was docked on the east side of
the canal, and the young man went in
swimming.
Not long before they were ready to
go home, Cusack, wearing a bathing
suit, started off in duck boat, tell
ing his companions that he was going
TO do some exploring. He was sitting
dragging
IN the water. That is the last time he
was seen alive. The mate on the Kata-.
lin some time later saw the empty
boat floating over near the barge of a
government work boat, but he thought
nothing of it, inasmuch as it was not
unusual for the young men to
start out in a boat, set it adrift and
then swim back to the Katalin For this
reason he did not tell anyone of the
empty boat. Cusacks companions felt
no alarm over his disappearance until
they we're dressing. One of them at
that time remarked about the absence
or Cusack, but the thought that he
might be in danger did not enter /
their minds. Having dressed, the young /
men crossed the stream and had land I.
ed on the island when Wiman again
called attention of his companions to
the long absence Of Cusack. 1t was
then that they became alarmed I'M /
medlately a search was instituted and
when the empty boat incident became
known the conclusion was reached
that he had lost his balance and was
drowned.
Not long after a force of men with !
graphing hooks, headed by c. p. Skin
ner ana son, Warren, were dragging
the bed of the stream and the search
force Of workers was augmented this
and at an early hour the
stream was covered with boats. each
equipped with graphing hook, and
he diving barge from which the divers
worked
A gloom was cast over the arsenal
ma many homes in Milne by the IN
lmely death of the young man. He
vas a taYorlte in the tri-cities and his
ieath brings a halt to a series of
social functions which have been ar
'anged for Dwight Wiman while here
m his furlOugh, and his friends who
ire visiting him
Guest at tncle'S Home.
Cusack was a second year cadet AT
ne government military training school
Vest Point, having been appointed to
ne government military training
chool by President Wilson, which is
equ1Ted in cases where the applicant
S the son OF United States army of
lcer- Having a three months fur
ough he came here July 3 for a visit
With his uncle. He stood high in his
lass at school and was a favorite
mong the young society folks of Mo
me Major Craig of the arsenal. who
ad charge of the searching party.
aid this morning in speaking of the
Dung mans untimely death:
Il had known Joe since he was
tile youngster. In fact | was living
ext door TO the home Of Major Cusack
I Fort Sam Huston, in Texas, when
oe was born. He was a fine specimen
I American manhood and he had a
plendid future before him.
Major Cu5ack recently WIS re-
loYed from the Mexican border. where
e was on duty, to a Washington. d.
=, hospital, having suffered a nervous
reakdown- Prior to going to the
order he was stationed in the Phil
pine islands
Mrs. Cusack is with her husband in
ashington. The painful duty of noti-
ing the parents of their sons death
as delayed until this afternoon in the
ope that the shock it would cause
lem to learn that the body had not
cen recovered would be averted.