The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1920-08-04
salem EDITOR
REAL SWIMMER n
.,., yank Paddlea Across River
\. aurlno ton With His Feet and
Hands Tied Just TO Prove
statement
WORE HIS UNIFORM
. e.;d people Doubted Doughboys
Could swim With Uniforms
on, So He Proved

- incidentally he proved 10 the
m 'er,d ~ large that Yankee soldiers
mv do most anything il they want to
e. - He swan the Mississippi at
n,,r,,rpton Yesterday with his hands
IA fee feet tied, just to prove that swim
a.;ro french rivers with their clothes
~ was no press agent story.
The Hawk-Eye carries this story OF
his feat today: - - ,.a
il in army uniform, Andrew z. Gauit
swan the Mississippi river Tuesday.
humping off of a launch at the bathing
beach above the wagon bridge at 4:l9
oclock. the nervy former soldier
struck out for the Burlington shore.
Il was lust thirty minutes later when
10 landed at the Moose club house.
AIt,s easy he told group of men
,vho helped him climb on the boat
honse float" l could go right back
across the river.
CAN'T performed his remarkable feat
INST for love of sport. and while a
movie man cranked a camera. I'm
announced he came from his horne in
salem Iowa, with Ralph Tyner. He
hired launch from Ed. Bremer ana
employed Bremen to direct the boat.
4 .. Lesser of the Garrick theater,
heard of the adventure and came with
his motion picture operator, y. W.
Fitchner. to film a few hundred ieet.
George r. Raymond, who is in Bur-
ljnpton directing the making of the
snecial feature, Who's Who in Bur-
lington." came along to assist win
the pictures and asked reporter Tor
the Hawk-Eye to go alons.
No Stage Play.
CAN'T made it plain that this was
NO stunt performance, no bid for no
toriety. He said that he didn't know
whether he could swim the river or
not, tied up as he was, but wanted
to try.
.You see. i have wanted to 40 this
for some time, but was afraid my
wife wouldn't let me come he con-
fessed. Last week she went to her
mothers and played hockey and ran
away"
Disrobing as the boat cut across the
river Gault dressed again in the uni
form he wore for eight months IN
France. He took off his army shoes
and tied them on his back and then
found rope to be used to tie his feet
It was half-inch cord and members
of the party who wrapped 1T around
his legs saw that it was well tled
Al stout cotton rope was knotted abou,
his wrists and his hands were bounc
together. Another rope was ueo
around his legs just above his knees
A few bathers at the beach watched
proceedings in wonder.
Kicked Across.
"All ready Gault called. The
Hawk-Eye, man gave him hearty
push
He disappeared for moment ant
then bobbed up floating easily. Thu
current caught him and he drifted
bit before he began to kick out
Spectators then saw how Gault pro
posed to propel himself. He literall.
kicked himself across the river. Witt
hands folded across his chest he kick
ed as he drifted. bringing his knees
out of the water with each kick. Afte
time he turned over and found
little aid in an arm movement.
Most of the distance was made witt
Gault on his back. When he rolie'
over occasionally his head would dis
appear, but some how he never seeme'
to suffer for breath.
The launch was kept near enough
for watchers to see every move n
made but there was no time that h
appeared to be in distress.
Robbed Of Thrills.
8 Gault swan so calmly, SO easily, tina
ne robbed the adventure of all thrills
It was like watching log that drifte
but all the time progressed toward tn
west bank.
Just before he reached the WACO
bridge the swimmer threw his hea
up and then began to work harder. II
said afterward that he was afraid
being hurled against a stone pier b
The current and perhaps hurt. H
shot under the bridge without stril
Ing and as the motion picture machin
cranked out yards of film kicked hin
self nearer and nearer the Burlingto
leyee.
By the time he reached the Moos
club house a small group of spect
tors gathered. When Gault touche
landing platform he was caught b
the first hand that had touched hi
since he was pushed off the launc
beside the Illinois shore.