The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1919-07-03
NELSON DROWNED
IN THE MOUSE RIVER
Eleven.year.old Son Of Mrs. MEX Mel.
son Meets Death One.half Block
From His Home-Body Recover
ed in Five Minutes.

From His Home-Body Recover
ed in Five Minutes.
I Norman Nelson, aged eleven years,
son of Mrs. Nick Nelson, was
drowned in Mouse river, on Fifth ave-
nue. Northwest but half block from
his home. about 1880 o'clock Saturday
evening. Attic the the body was re-
J covered within five minutes the little
lad could not be revived. The Minot
| fire department arrived with the pull
moter soon after the body was recov-
cred and worked heroically, but the
vital organs failed to respond to this
method of restoration.
The funeral was held from the First
Lutheran church Tuesday afternoon
at 3 O'clock, Rev. Mr.. Gullixson
preaching a comforting sermon and
| the remains were inferred in the First
Lutheran cemetery. A very large
number of the friends of the popular
little fellow and of the family, gather
ed to pay their last tribute of love and
respect.
Norman had accompanied his sister.
Verna, aged ID, and her friend, Viola
Smith. to the river to battle and had
not been away from the house for
more than twenty minutes when the
terrible news was spread that he had
drowned.
Earl Dwire, a 14-year-old lad, was
rowing across the river. and Norman
who could not swim, was hanging to.
the boat. He had been in shallow wat
er, and evidently did not realize that
he had gotten out into water too deep
for him. He loosened his hold on the
boat and Immediately sank. His sis
ter, who could not swim. tried to save
her brother, and he pulled her under.
She went down the third time and
when she was pulled out, she was more
dead than alive, but finally regained
consciousness. Earl Dwire jumped
from his boat, and being good swim
mer, recovered Norman's bOdy, after
diving three or four times. Mr.. Smith
and Earl Dwire's father jumped into
the river and assisted :pIbFinging the
body to the shore. Little Lee Fuller,
Norman's chum, stood on the bank,
frantically imploring the rescuers tc
save the little lad, as he was unable
to swim himself.
AS Norman sank for the third time,
his. last thots must have been Of his
mother, as his sister heard him call
Mother" as he went beneath the sur
face of the stream.
The death has caused deep shadow
Of, gloom to fall over not only the Nell
son home but in scores of other homes
where Norman ever found welcome.
He was manly little lad. His entire
life seemed to be surrounded by a SER
les of tragedies. When he was babe
but year old, he fell from an up
stairs window. When but small tot,
he fell from walk while coasting and
a fractured leg was the result. Once
he fell into slough and he was res
cued as he was going down for the
third time. He was nearly claimed
last winter by influenza. The little |
fellows troubles are now over. He has
heard the call of Him who said: "Suf-
fer little children to come unto me.
for Of such is the Kingdom Of
Heaven"
Norman's father died about three
years ago. The little lad was born in
MinOt eleven years ago and he is SURF
vived by his mother. sisters Myrtle
and Esther Of Whitefsh, Mont. who
arrived Tuesday for the funeral; twoI
sisters, Verna and Norma of this city,
and Orland, his little brother of three
years.
Mrs. Nelson's brothers. Mylbn En-
'gelstad of Simcoe, N. D., Gerhard En-
gelstad Of La Crosse, Wis, and Melvin
Engelstad Of Noonan, N. D., arrived toI
attend the funeral.