The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1920-11-11
SKELETON OF
HENRY THAMKE
is UNEARTHED
Met Death by Drowning in Yak
ina River Nearly Three
Years Ago
FUNERAL HELD YESTERDAY
Remains Easily Identified by Gold
Watch, Dentistry and Articles
of Clothing

The skeleton of Henry Thamke,
who was drowned in the Yakima river
Dec. 81, 1917, was found Sunday on
the Rosencrans ranch about six miles
below the scene of the fatal accident.
The remains were positively identi-
fled and the funeral was held We'd
nesday afternoon at 2:30 from the
Mueller undertaking .parlors. A short
funeral sermon was preached at the
aparlors by Rev. C. A. Burris, of Fin
ley, and the full ritualistic ceremonies
Of the Masonic order were read at
the graveside.
Recovery of the skeleton was due to
a discovery made Sunday morning by
Ray Rosencrans. While riding after
cattle on his ranch on the Kennewick
side Of the Yakima near the lower
irrigation dam, Mr.. Rosencrans found
q high-top laced boot which encased
the leg bone of man. Without MAX
ing further Investigations he immed-
lately notified Deputy Sheriff C. E.
Copeland, who in company with I'm
dertaker I. N. Mueller and other work.
ers went to the Rocencrans ranch and
began a search.
The rest Of the skeleton was found
buried under several feet of sand a
short distance from where the boot
and leg were lying. The searchers
were aided by the fact that the tip
of the other boot was protruding
above the ground.
The bones were carefully exhumed,
collected and brought to this city
where an inquest was held Monday af-
ternoon with Judge Staser acting as
coroner. The jury experienced no
difficulty in determining that the
skeleton was that Of Henry Thamke.
One of the most conclusive proofs
was a gold watch found encrusted
to the right hip bone. This was pos
itively identified by number of both
case and works from the records Of
]. B. Gilmore, which showed that
Skillman VanCott had repaired the
watch for Mr.. Thamke in 1917. DR..
B. L. Cole identified two molar inlays
which he had placed in the mouth of
Mr.. Thamke six months before his
death. The boots, and fragments of
clothing were identified by Fred Reb-
man, F. L. Bash, Ed Frauen and 9TH
er witnesses.
The jury rendered verdict to the
effect that Henry Thamke had come
to his death by accidental drowning
in the Yakima river December 81,
1917 and that the skeleton before
them was that of said Henry Thamke.
On the jury were E. o. Keene, w. G..
King, Robt. Gilcrist, ]. B. Thomas,
R. w. Arnold and A. r. Gardner.
7 At the funeral yesterday relatives
present were Ed Thamke, of this city,
Mrs. O'Hara of Yakima, and another
sister of Milwaukee, who has been
!, visiting in Yakima.
Mr.. Thamke and Charles Vanier
:, lost their lives while attempting to
cross the Yakima river in a row boat.
It was at time Of extremely high
water and Mr.. Thamke was foreman
in charge of county road crew who
were encamped on the Richland side
Of the river near the Horn. Mr.. Van
Ter was employed by the Northern
, Pacific Irrigation company as tender
of the headgates and lived on the
Kennewick side. About $3.50 o'clock
the evening of December 81 the two
men left the road camp with the In
tentiol of rowing across to Vanier's
home. That was the last time the
men were seen alive. The boat cross
ing was just above the irrigation dam
over which the water was pouring with
tremendous force. 1t is thought that
either the boat was overturned by
driftwood or that in the darkness the
men misjudged the distance and
rowed too near the brink of the rap
ids.
Although searching parties were
put out the next morning and close
watch kept of the river until the high
stage was over, when a thorough
search w,.s made of the flats long the
river from the dam to its mouth,
neither of the bodies were recovered