The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1919-04-18
DROWNING OF JOSEPH ENBI-
C0TT LATE SATURDAY
FELL INTO BLUE EARTH
Slipped Down Side of the Cliff
Near Cement Works To
His Death

While playing with two compan
ions along the bank Of the Blue Earth
river Saturday afternoon, Joseph
Endicott, nine year old son of Mr.. and
Mrs. |. L. Endicott of Baker avenue
accidentally slipped off high bank
failed to gain a foothold in the slid
ing gravel and was plunged into the
rapid moving current. In moment
he was swept far out into the river
and went down a second time at least
a hundred feet from the place where
he fell in. He was not seen to come
up again.
Harold Nelson and Marvin Hager-
ness, two boys about the same age
as young Endicott were with him al
hte time the tragedy occurred. The
boys, who live near the Carney Ce-
Tnent Works. had gone out shortly
after noon to play and had wandered
over near the river. At the poin;
where the little fellow slipped in the
bank is at least twenty feet high
almost perpendicular and practically
impossible to cling to, once a person
would slip off.
Rock Gave Way.
The Nelson and ,Hagerness boys
both stated that Joseph Endicott tried
very hard to hold himself to the
bank. He gained a temporary step
when his foot struck a rock but a
moment later the rock gave away and
he was plunged into the stream. The
first time he came up was a consid
cradle distance from the bank and he
padded frantically, the boys said,
in such manner as to carry him out
farther into the river. After he went
down the second time the boys ran
to the Carney Cement Works and told
workmen there of the tragedy.
Word was sent in to the police de-
partment, the fire department and the
sheriff's office. The drowning oc-
Cured about four o'clock in the after
noon Employees at the Carney Ce-
ment Works, Officers A. fl. Shelby,
George Harkee ands9jOther helpers
worked up and down the river from
the Cement works down to the wagon
bridge into Le1 Hitler, feeling all
along the banks with long poles in
search for the body
Officers at the Scene.
Chief of Police Jack Martin, Chief
Phil Leas. of the. fire department and
Captain Funk worked down the river
from the wagon bridge to the park
with long fish poles to which hooks
had been attached. feeling in every
eddy and baclwater. The men work
ed until dark but no trace of the body
was found The Blue Earth river is
very high at this time and has strong
undercurrent Debris of all kinds is
lodged in spots and it is matter OF
mere guesswork to locate the body.
Sunday workers went up and down
the river all day with poles and boats,
dragging hooks and lines in search
of the body. With the, water as cold
as it is at present it is probable, ii
not found, the body will not come to
the surface for eight or nine days.
|. L. Endicott, father of the boy,
was out of the city at the time the
drowning occurred, having gone TO
ST. James to look over the Yaton-
wan county court house, with view
to bidding on the decoration of the in
terror of That building. Mr.. and Mrs
Endicott and one brother, Frank En-
dicott, age fifteen years, survive JOS
eph Endicott. ~
Student In West Mankato.
Joe Endieott was a student at the
West Mankato school, being in the
fourth grade. He was an unusually
bright little fellow and a good stud
ent His tragic death Was a great
shock 10 his parents, Mrs. Endicot'
being Frustrated with grief.
Yesterday morning Captain Bud
Cain of the Machine Gun company
and Captain Al. Kircher of company
took attachments of guardsmen from
the two units to the river to assist
in the search. The men worked up anc
down he river with poles and hooks
and under all brush, islands, bridge
piers ard in other likely places where
the body might have lodged dynamite
was thrown into the stream. While
The men up the river dynamited others
watched below on the shore and IN
canoes for the body as 1T might pos
sibly float down stream.
Il. L. Endicott yesterday offered
reward Of 600 for the recovery o.
the body OF IS son. 1t does not seen
likely that the body has yet hoatet
Idown into the Minnesota river
Search IL Continued.
Late tbs after Don the search wa:
still on. The r. last night and to-
day had raised the river considerably
and made the search even more diff
cult than previously. Chief of Police
Jack Martin notified st. Peter ant
other points down the river of thu
drowning and informed them that
reward of 500 was offered so it il
certain that il the body floats dow
that far 1t will probably be seen.
OH nsPna aau1l RlccF