The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1917-07-30
SLIPS BACK
FROM SAFETY
INTO RIVER
Chris H. Kundert browns After
Rescuer Has Him Nearly Ont
of Water
DEATH OCCURS WHILE
ON WAY TO HOSPITAL

Slipping from his reScuer'S grasp
after he had been towed into the
shadows, Chris H. kundert yesterday
afternoon drifted back into deep water
at Apple creek, and his body was not
recovered until 10 minutes later, after
Ernest Happel of the Bismarck bank
had dived five times for the drowning
man. There was still life in the body,
which was placed prostrs.te in the
tonneau Of car, where companions
administered respiratory treatment
while the driver made all speed for
the Bismarck hospital, where a pull
motor was used wi ithout Result. .Eeath
is believed to have occurred about
half way between Apple creek and
Bismarck. a- p, T.,
- Was Learning to Swim.
Chris Kundert, who, with a number
of friends, was spending the afternoon
at. Apple creek, near the Northern
PACIFIC, bridge, was learning to swim.
He had Succeeded In crossing q mar
row channel several times, when the
attention of party of young men
who we're diving from the bridge was
attracted by the cries of some boys
that a man was drowning. Happel
glanced down to see kundert sinking.
He dived straight for the. body as it
disappeared, and an instant later came
to the surface with Kundert in his
grasp. The water at this point is
very deep; kundert was inert, and it
was only after desperate struggle
that Happel shouting for assistance,
managed to reach the bank. There,
just as he reached the shelving bot
tom, Kundert, towed by strong cur
rent, slipped from Happel's weaken
ing hold and again disappeared
:, Other swimmers who were at the
spot seemed numbed by the accident
and unable to come to Happel's aid.
The latter, almost exhausted, lay on
the shore several minutes before he
could recover sufficiently to resume
his efforts to rescue the drowning
man. 1t was not until Kundert had
been under water fully 10 minutes
that Happel again brought him to the
surface.
Every effort was made to- restore
respiration, both before Kundert. was
placed in the car and while en- route
to Bismarck, and Happel, who was
directing the efforts of his COM
panions, is confident that Kundert's s
heart did not stop beating until the
party was half way TO Bismarck, when
the dying mans body became rigid,
and his teeth clenched.
EmpIoye of Lahr Co.
C. H. Kundert was known as one of
the Capital Clty's most efficient ma
cninists and automobile operatives.
For the last three years he had been
in the employ of the Lahr Motor Sales
Co. as machinist and service man.
"He was one of the best in the coun-
try" said the Lahr company this
morning "He was a splendid man in
every way, and his death is real
loss to the community
Born in South Dakota.
Christian Henry Kundert was born
in Eureka, S. D., "a years ago, and he
had been a resident of Bismarck from
his early teens. For four years prior
to entering the employ of the Lahr
Motor Sales company he was engaged
with George Gussner.
There survive the widow, formerly
Miss Margaret Gussner, the mother of
the deceased, Mrs. Peets, residing at
Eureka, S. D., and four brothers and
three sisters.