Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1918-05-16
WISCONSIN
RIVER CLAIMS
ANOTHER
Little Jack" Matthews Drowned Mon
day Afternoon While Playing On
The Bank of the Wisconsin
River

Little "Jack" Matthews, the three
year old son of Mr.. and Mrs. Charles
Matthews, who reside on the west side
of the Wisconsin River in this city,
about one block away from said river,
Monday afternoon about four o'clock,
accidentally fell into the water while
playing with a small funnel, was
drowned and his little body has not
been recovered up to this writing, Tues
day afternoon. Little Jack Matthews
was bright little fellow, dearly be-
loved by the entire neighborhood. On
this particular day he had been into
the home of Mr.. and Mrs. Fred Dun
can and while there had noticed them
using small funnel. About three
o'clock that afternoon, after he had
his nap, he went over to Duncan's
again and wanted the funnel to play
with. 1t was given to him and he
went out into the yard and later was
seen playing with it in the sand. Later
he undoubtedly wandered to the river
and wanted to play in the water as he
had been playing in the sand, when
it is surmfsed that he lost his balance
and fell into the river and was drown
ed. Later his mother was looking for
him and went to Duncan's home where
he often went to play and then it was
that his absence was discovered and
the neighborhood got busy to look for
him. A faithful search revealed the
fact that he was nowhere to be found.
On investigation, it was found that
Mrs. Locke's mother had seen the
little fellow playing on the bank Of
the river and sent "Bobbie' Locke
down after him. 1t appears that little
"Jack" would not respond to Bobbie's
request and continued to play on the
bank Of the river. This was the last
seen of him. .
From the time that the alarm was
given until eleven o'clock that night
the search was continued with every
conceivable device in trying to locate
the body, Early the next morning it
was resumed when the little funnel
was found in the water, which undoub-
tedly locates the point at which the
little boy was drowned. This point
was just about opposite the southeast
corner Of Ben Hansen's property.
To aid in the search the gates at
Biron and the Consolidated mill in this
city were closed up tight so as to
reduce the flow of the Wisconsin river
at this point SO as to aidin the search
of the body. The little boy had
grey sweater on and it was the o.
pinion of those in search that this
would soak up and become heavy and
have tendency to keep him in the
bottom of the river and probably catch
on some snag in the river.
The search will continue until the
body is found.
Fifty Dollars Reward for Finding the
Body
The search for the little body of
Jack Matthews has been continued by
the parents and other friends ever
since the boy was drowned. To stim-
ulate the search on the mart of 4haco
who have the time reward of fifty
dollars has been offered for the re-
covery of the body. It is expected
that at the end of the seventh or ninth
day the body will rise to the surface
due to the formation of gases, unless
the clothes are so fastened to some
obstacle that would prevent. Not only
the parents but everybody in the COM
munity are overly anxious to find the
remains.