South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-08-18
CITY FIREMAN
And COMPANION
Die In WATERS
De ath Takes KOtecki and
Kranz in Midst of Merry
Outing at Fish Lake.
BODIES ARE RECOVERED
Two Others In Stricken Row
Boat Unable to Save Vic
Tins of Tragedy.

The unseen hand Of death
yesterday afternoon turned what
lad been a day of outing into
one Of tragedy when Max Ko-
secki. driver Of FIRE engine No. s.
and Stephen Kranz. sol Birdsell
ST.. were drowned when the boat
IN which they were rowing with
two companions overturned and
they sank in IS feet of water at
Fish lake, Centreville. Mich.
Yesterday was Kotecki's day
off. " For the past week he had
been planning on visiting the
cottage which his friends, Steph-
en- Kranz. who was a body
builder at Studebaker's, and
Albert Saenger. I229H w.
Washington av.. who are on a
two weeks vacation. had at
Fish lake. So. yesterday about
Is o'clock. he. together with Joe
Fearkes. a driver at the Central
Fire station. and Marian Dutriex.
413 Birdsell st. started by auto for
the lake, where they planned 90
spend the day swimming and fish
ing.
Reach Camp About Noon.
According 10 Joe Fearkes they
arrived at the camp about II
O'Clock. where his brother Dave. a
pipeman at Engine house 40. 8. had
been visiting since Monday. Upon
arriving at the lake, KOtecld ex-
pressed a desire 10 so swimming
Immediately but upon the eugges-
ton Of his friends that they wait
until after dinner when they would
be able to go 10 a bathing beach
/ some distance away, he agreed 90
walk for them.
The party ate a hearty meal soon
after arriving at the camp. Fear
kes said and about noon he. to
gether with Kotecki. Dave Fearkes
and Kranz. donned their bathing
suits. and taking a small row boat.
Dave Fearkes took the oars and
the merry party started sout into
the lake.
The small craft took little wa
ter. but the four men gave the IN
cident little notice and continued
their way joyfUlly. When about 80
feet from the beach. which IS
around a point from where the cot
tage stands the boat suddenly sank.
throwing KoteckL Kranz and Dave
| Fearkes out 20 the right while Joe
Fearkes was thrown 10 the left
KOtecki was seen 10 be in dis
tress. although ne wss known 20 be
a strong swimmer. and the other
three men Immediately rushed 20
his assistance. Kotech was foun-
dertng madly IN the water az II IN
an attempt % reach something.
when Kranz. who was the first 10
reach him, attempted 20 pull him
Into shallower water None Of the
men were acquainted with the
beach and did not know that az a
point IS feet from shore the bot
tom drops 70 a depth OF about s.
feet.
Make No OutCries.
Fearkes says that Kotecki made
no outcries, nor did Kranz. but Il ~
thought that Kotscld franticafly
gripped Kranz when the latter at
tempted 20 save him and the two
went 10 the bottom or the lake.
BY the time the Fearkes brothers
reached the scene the drowning
men were attempting 20 release
their holds
The F'earkes' made every attempt
20 save the two men but when =
beca me evident that they too would
be dragged under. they hurried FOR
the shore 20 gain assistance. They
rushed back % their camp, for there
were no other people nearer. and
summoned Saenger and Dutrieux
The latter two imm dtareIy jumped
iuso Koteckis car. In which he han
driven from South Bend and hur-
Red 20 the beach. There they doff-
Cd their clothes and started diving
for the men. The water at this