The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1921-05-19
FAIL TO RESCUE
DROWNING MAN
Gustaf Carlson, of Chicago,
is Drowned in Harbor
This Morning.

Drowning claimed its second victim
within week in Kenosha this morn
ing when the body of Gustaf Carlson,
aged about 80 years, Chicago man,
who had recently come to Kenosha,
was taken out of the Kenosha harbor
near the Hill Steap boat line docks by
the members of the life saving crew.
Futile efforts were made for more
than an hour to revive him, and when
all of these failed, at the direction of
the coroner the remains were taken in
the police ambulance to the Mischler
morgue on Park street, where they
were prepared for burial.
Mystery surrounds the details of the
drowning. 1t is believed that the man
may have jumped into the river in a
fit of dependency over recent fnan-
cial troubles, but the fact that he had
recently gained employment makes the
theory of suicide less probable. 1t IS
possible that he may have been drink
ing and stumbled off the pier into the
water.
Policeman Sees Drowning.
Police officer Melbusch sent in the
first report of the tragedy and it was
due to his work that the body was
recovered so quickly. About 1880 this
morning Officer Melbusch was in the
neighborhood of the Hill Steamboat
docks, He saw a man walking slowly
along the pier and then he saw some
one foundering in the water. He does
not know whether the man fell or
jumped into the ri~er.
He was several yards away from
the place at the time and when he
reached the end of the docks, all he
could see was circling of the water
where the man had evidently gone
down. He waited, hoping that the
drowning man would come up again
but failed to see him. Then the life
saving crew was notified and after
dragging the river for more than an
hour, recovered the body, only short
distance from where it went to the
bottom,
Been Here Short Time.
Investigation revealed that Carlson
had until last Thursday lived at 90
Fletcher street, in Chicago. He came
here at that time and has seen room
ing at SO South Sheridan road. lie
had secured employment here with a
contracting firm and appeared to be
satisfied with his work.
John Anderson, a friend of the
drowned man, was arrested earlier in
the evening for intoxication and was
the only person who could throw any
light on the mystery. He had been
with. him earlier in the evening and
said that all of them had been drink
ing little. He claimed he knew no
reason why Carlson should attempt to
end his life.
In the pockets of the dead man were
found several letters and papers. One
of these, written in Swedish, was from
an employer in Chicago, but told moth
ing of the private life of the man
The arrangements for the funeral serv-
ices are being delayed pending a thor
ough investigation of the case.
The coroner's jury began an inquest
into the drowning at two o'clock this
afternoon, at the Mischief Mortuary.
John Anderson, the man who had been,
companion of Carlson. earlier in the
evening was to be one of the witness
es. Anderson declares that after
drinking at a north side saloon, the
two parted company and that he knows
nothing of what happened to Carlson.
He knows no reason why he weuld have
committed, suicide.
The inquest was postponed until to-
morrow afternoon, pending further in
vestigation into the mans life in Chi
cago,