The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1920-03-26

o'clock indicated that no further de-
vetopnents of the tragedy had
materialized. The searching party
J which went out this morning., re-
turned without any results. They left
early this afternoon for continued
search Of the islands and sioughc.
Descriptions Of the two men nave
been prepared and are being sent out.
Charles OFF, SOB A street and
James H. Ayres, 425 South
Twelfth street were drowned
yesterday afternoon in the
Mississippi river when the
canoe in which they were rid
ling capsized near the wing
dam on the Illinois side of the
river opposite the Electro Met.
als plant. No trace of the
Ibodies or of the canoe had been
found after an all night search
lin which rescue parties battled
with high waves and time and
again were turned back. Some
hope was held out that the men
may have reached the islands
on the other side, but even this
slender thread was broken
when searching parties manag-
ed to get on the other side
about one o clock this morning.
A number of people who live
on the bluffs in West Keokuk
say that they saw a white cap
strike the canoe, toss it into
the air and turn it over. The
two boys were seen to grab for
the bottom of the boat, and one
of them seemed to have hold of
it. The other figure was seen
to go under and in a minute the
man who had hold of the boat
let go and sank. In spite of
everything, family and friends
of the two young men were
this morning holding out hopes
that they might have been cast
ION the islands. Fishermen
and those who were out in the
storm last night assisting in
the search said this morning
that no one could live in such
waves as were being blown up
by the gale.
/ Sixteen Foot Canoe.
The boat which the men were !
using was sixteen foot canoe with !
motor in it. 1t was as wide as an |
eighteen foot craft and had been in /
the water before this season. 1t was !
brought down to the river bank in a !
truck during the afternoon and it
was about $3.50 o'clock that the men
started out. They were wearing
hunting clothes and had their guns
with them. 1t was evident as nearly
as the story could be picked up last
night, that the two men were making
it across the river in the direction
of the islands opposite the metal
plant. They were going all right until
they got into the current near the
wing dam. 1t was here that people
who saw them, say that the tragedy
occurred.
At $50 o'clock last evening a can
came into the police station that two
men were in distress in boat. Help
cd for
Sergeant Holiday reaching Patrol
man Brennan who is on the levoe
beat Fishermen were notified and ]
some OF them started out, but the
waves were raging and the wind was
sending them as high as seven feet,
some of the river men declared.
Could See Boat Capsize.
Joseph Morris, who carries The
Gate City saw from the bluff where
he had been delivering some papers. I
that the canoe had been hit and '
turned over. He called the attention t
of Mrs. Fred Glasgow and others in S
those who could see, the canoe was {
pletely turned over. The two boys
could be, seen in the water One OF f
them seemed unable to grasp the i
boat and disappeared under the
waves. The other seemed to get hold
Of the boat, but was unable TO
hold on to 1T 1t was evidently the J
shock of being thrown into the water,
which is practically ice cold at this l
time of the year, which made it inn I
possible for him to hold on to the t
craft q