The courier-index., 1917-08-10
ROBT. BUEHLER WILLIS DROWNED WEDNESDAY
nNE OF MARIANNA'S FINEST YOUNG CITIZENS LOSES HIS LIFE IN ST. FRANCIS
 RIVER.


 of this city, was drowned in the St Francis river at Cody on We'd nesday afternoon at three thirty o'clock. His body was recovered shortly before five o'clock within a short distance of the place where he went down. His brother, Jesse Will lis, was saved from drowning by Dr. M. McLendon.
 Chaperoned by Dr. McLendon and wife and by Mesdames. w. F. Nell son, w. A. Thornton and w. A. Will lis, thirty or forty children, mem- hers of the Junior B. Y. P. U., were having an outing at Cody. Many of the children were in bathing. and Dr. McLendon and wife and Mrs. Nelson were busily engaged watching the children to see they did not venture too far out in the water. They were all on the river side of the sandbar. Robert and Jesse Will lis. both grown young men, were also in bathing. Jesse has only re- gently learned to swim, but Robert could not swim. Jesse waded out into the river until the water came to his shoulder and praticed swim ming back to the bar. Upon one occasion he ventured little too far, or else was carried out by the swift current He began to sink and hollow ed for help. Dr. McLendon and Robert Willis were standing close together near the bar. Dr. McLendon told Robert to stay where he was, that he would save Jesse. He swan to Jesse AS he sank for the last time. and reaching two feet or more under water seized him by the hair and began towing him toward the bar In the meantime he and Jesse had drifted down stream with the cur rent. Dr. McLendon attempted to release Jesse after he had lowed him to shallow water, but discovered he was unconscious and unable to stand on his feet. He then brought him to shore and stretched him out on the bar In the meantime Robert, evident alarmed lest pr. McLendon might not be able to save his bro- ther, or perhaps thinking he could wade out a distance and help in the rescue, made dash toward mid stream. He went further than he intended and was swept out by the current By the time Dr. McLendon had deposited Jesse Willis on the bar the alarm was given that Robert Willis was drowning. Though al most completely exhausted, Dr. Nc Lendon went to attempt to rescue Robert He reached the young man as he sank the last time and got weak hold on his bathing suit but was unable to retain his grasp. Civ ing up hope of rescuing Robert, Dr. McLendon turned toward the bar but found himself so weak he could scarcely make any headway. He called for help, and Mrs. Nelson and Mrs. McLendon lined up the chill dren and made a human life line with Mrs. Nelson and Mrs. McLendon on the outer end. The line reached within a few feet of Dr. McLendon, and by a supreme effort upon ms part he seized the outstretched hand of his wife and was pulled in to shallow water.
 Mrs. Willis, mother of the two boys, was on the bank some distance from the scene of the drowning. II Is not thought she realized that one of her boys had been saved from drowning and that the other had lost his life.
 Several fishermen immediately be gan to drag the river for the body of Robert Willis and within an houl they recovered it. The body was placed in a car and brought to the Willis home in Marianna.
 Rev. W. c. Boone, pastor of tho First Baptist church here who was at Leakville, Miss, engaged in protracted meeting, was at once noti fled and he reached here ysterday Funeral services were held at the First Baptist church at ten o'cioci this morning, conducted by MT. Boone The body was inferred in Cedal Heights Cemetery.
 Robert Willis was born in Florida on January 20, 1893. When he was four years of age his parents moved to Lee county and resided on a farm near Marianna until six years agt when Mir. Willis moved to the cit! and embarked in the meat business lie sold his business to H. B. Shu hacker four months ago.
 Young Willis was educated in tn, schools of the county and city, grad uating from the high school here Il 1912, He then went to the Univer slty of Arkansas from which institu uon he was graduated last year. Il addition to his literary work he tool the full course in the agriculture department. Recently he successfull stood the examination for entry int the second Arkansas officers train