Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-07-25
Well Known Citizen Victim
of River When Wading In
Stream at Snake Bluff
FUNERAL TO BE HELD
TUESDAY MORNING.
Operated Sunray Generator
Plant; Was Active IN
Republican Party
-

Ottumwa's second river victim 81
the year was claimed Sunday when
William M. Reece, president and maYl.Sg
ager of the Sunray Generator Co., waa@
drowned while fishing in the Des&
Moines river near Snake BLUM, three
miles above Eldon, about o'clock
In the afternoon. NJ
Mr.. Reece, in company with Mr.. and
Mrs. Carl Ehrmann, 414 North JefRerl
son street. had gone to this point on
fishing trip. intending to spend the
day. The former, who was an ardent
sportsman, had been wading In the
water In quest of bass, and Just pre.
vious to the accident started out To-
wade across to the north side OF The
river to fish under tho blum. Az hoIS
was little over half way across Tho
stream a shout was heard by Mr.. and
Mrs. Ehrmann, who were standing onA
the bank, and looking up they saw him
sink into the water. He rose once but
disappeared from sight without "
struggle.
Mr.. Ehrmann at once set out to the
rescue but was unable to find the body
until about an hour afterward whom
he located 1t short distance from the
spot where the drowning occurred.
Help was summoned and attempts akS
resuscitation made but no signs OF lifoy|
could be discovered.
Mr.. Reece was considered q good
swimmer and little fear was entertaiY1.S
ed for his safety while in tho water.
The depth Of the river where the tras-
edy occurred was such that the water
merely came up around his armpitosA
1t is thought that the victim waes
seized with an attack of cramps prob
ably brought on by the length OF hiaA
stay in the water. III
Funeral services will be hold from
the residence, 439 North JetIorsoG8
street, Tuesday morning at 8 O'clock
conducted by Rev. G. A. Field and ~
sisted by Rev. e. w. F. Holler. ThGa
remains will be taken to KeosauQuG
by auto where interment will takGa
place in Purdom cemetery. Tho pallS
bearers will be w. w. Epps, Frank
Simmons, Clarence Crawley, Henry
Williams, AL Wheeler, John Low10A
Fred Wilson and A. G. Cook.
Active Republican.
Mr.. Reece was one OF the active u
cal republicans and has fepresento1x T
his party on numerous occasion. III
1889 and 1890 he was member OF thl2
city council and has been chairman oG5
the county central committee and OF
the judicial committee. In 1908 he wa15
a presidential elector, voting for VV$
H. Taft, and presided as permanen&S
chairman and keynote speaker at the
recent republican county conventi0u
His church affiliations were with thGS
Main Street Methodist EpiScops
church and he was quite active u N
member Of the Modern Woodmen 0&5
America being past venerable consul
of Woodland camp No. 103. On vartouG
occasions he represented his camp aG
state meetings Of the organization anlH
proposed a plan for settling the rat
question that for SO long was disc,nso
by the M. w. A. His plan was pub
lished In the Modern Woodman c13
May, 1914, and had for it's object the
complete payment Of death lossS|
without creating a permanent reserve
fund. IN
Born In West Virgins.
William M. Reece was born Ia Woe
county, West Virginia, November an
1856. The family, which came hu1
Wales, was founded In America dllYin3
the colonial epoch in the history OF TN
country and was represented by aetty
patriots in the, Revolutionary war a11
also in the wars against the IndiAnl
The father Of William Reece was
member Of the Fifteenth West Virg1ni4
infantry during the civil war and wa2
wounded at Antietam, but after thru
months was returned to his cOmmA1d
with which he remained until muster
ed out on July Is. 1865. He made fax1
ing his life work and reared six chiE
dren III
William M. Reece spent the perio
of his minority in his native state. Hi
was reared upon the farm but alSXl
spent some time in Parkersburg, We
Virginia. In 1877 he came to low
where he took up carpenter work f6r
lowing that as a journeyman In Va
clio and Van Buren, counties until 1891
He then entered upon general contr1G
work and was identified with a nul
ber Of building interests. He had CO.
tracts to build the Ottumwa Coal 81
ace, the Franklin school building, tlS
Leighton block, the Sullivan building
and others. He followed the professi6
of architecture making plans and dg
signs for buildings as we'll as engagin1
in their construction.
Continued on Page 81