The Washington herald., 1921-08-20
Brave Man Meets Death.

In the death of Otto Carl Gsant-
ner, of 2sl1 Twenty-fourth street
northeast. Langdon, d. c.. the COM
munity has lost one of its best citi-
Gems. he was a most exemplary
young man, and a rare exception TO
the youth of the present genera
ton. AS a neighbor. / have known
him for nearly sixteen years. !
knowhe never contracted the habits
of smoking. drinking. and gambling.
or any other vices INDUCED in by
the majority of young men OF to-
DAY. He was always affable. polite.
and courteous to all whom he met,
, and especially to his seniors in
years. His loss is deeply deplored
by all who knew him: and the man
ner in which he lost his life has
cast a gloom upon the community.
Mr.. Gsantner was a brilliant lin
guist, and was able to translate in
ten different languages. He was
a graduate of Technical High School
and also of George Washington
University.
called on the family to extend
my sympathy to them and express
my sorrow in their irreparable loss
Of a dear son and brother. They
NhCS CohLQ Hok HoNC
him IL he had attempted to save
himself. under the circumstances.
land left the poor girl to perish
alone. He proved himself an hon
orable man. although IL was consid-
cred a rash act to attempt 10 navi-
gate the rough. rocky waters at that
point in a frail boat.
Mr.. Tuckey, the young man who,
with friends, witnessed the drown
ing, visited Mrs. Gsantner the fol-
lowing Sunday evening. He said
that at the time of the accident
he was swimming some distance
about a mile. perhaps-above Chain
Bridge. He saw two heads at some
distance above where he was swim
ming and thought the couple were
swimming. but when they came
nearer he noticed that they were
sitting on top of an overturned
canoe. each with a paddle in their
hands. Mr.. Tuckey said they
seemed self-possessed and must
have noticed that people were
around. but that they made no
calls for help. as they must have
realized their only salvation was in
steering clear of rocks. and pos
sibly finding calm water before
reaching the most dangerous parts.
Mr.. Tuckey called to them: Are
you all right" and Miss Reynolds
just once said: Help" but not
frantically. Soon afterward the
canoe hit a rock and Miss Reynolds
lost her hold. Her companion sue
ceeded in getting her back onto the
canoe three or four times. At this
point Mr.. Tuckey believes Mr..
Gsantner . could still have saved
himself by deserving his companion.
At last the couple had been carried
to Middle Rock" and were carried
over a fifteen TO twenty-foot drop.
They both went down and Miss
Reynolds did not come up again.
Her companion was carried short
distance farther and then sank. not
to appear again. A short distance
below the fatal spots is calm. shall
low water. In which the over turned
canoe and paddles remained sta
tionary for about fifteen minutes
before being carried down by tho
current.
Friends of Miss Reynolds said
that she had shot the Rapids"
successfully at least once. She was
a brave. fearless girl and the two
had every confidence In themselves
and one another. Mr.. Tuckey said
the nerve displayed by both was
admirable.
Mr.. GsantLer would have celebrat-
ed his 30th birthday the coming 18th
OF September. His father died in
1915. He was employed as an ex-
aminer in the Patent ONCE, together
with Miss Reynolds father. who is
still there. Mr.. Gsantner and Miss
Reynolds were employed in the Con-
gressional Library. He was assist
ant chief in ths document division.
Miss Reynolds was 20 years of age
and resided with her parents at sos
River road, Bethesda, Nd. She was
also a graduate of George WASH
ington University. having obtained
her A. Il. and NJ. A. degrees. She
was brilliant young woman. be-
loved by al who knew her. Thus
were two valuable lives sacrificed
by the rash act Of attempting to
navigate the rapids of the treach-
erous waters and rocks of the Poto-
mac in small boat
Mr.. Gsantner was member of
East Gate Lodge, No. 81, f. A. A.
NJ. Brief services were held at
the Thomas 8 Surgeon .par1ors, and