Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1925-10-21
DEATH FROM EXPOSURE
Carl and Bernard Hessen
Lost Lives When Canoe
Upset in Nixon Lake North
of Star Lake.

Due to the overturning of their
canoe in the rice beds of Nixon lake
few miles north of Star Lake,
Bernard and Carl Hessen of the
Big st. German territory in the
town of Pennington, lost their
lives the latter part of last week.
Just what day the accident occur
red can never be known but from
the conditions Of their camp equip
ment one is led to believe that the
accident happened late last Satur-
day afternoon. The watch on
Carls body had stopped at one min
ute past five.
Carl aged %, and Bernard aged
Is, had left the Hessen home on
highway 20 Thursday for two day
duck hunt, telling their parents
they would be home Saturday even
ing. The brothers drove to Nixon
lake which lies some three miles
in a northwesterly direction from
the village of Star Lake and about
the same distance east of Boulder
Junction and there made camp.
Nixon lake is filled with rice and
weeds and is a known body for
duck and muskellunge. Part of the
lake is free from weeds and rice
and is fair sized body of water.
Sunday George Bronish of Eagle
River together with Jack Sisson Of
Little st. German lake drove to
Nixon to fish and hunt. They ar
rived somewhere around noon, and
at the bridge which crosses Nixon
river met a car with three men.
One man told them that he was
sure somebody had drowned in
the lake for he had seen what he
took for an overturned canoe all
covered with snow. He stated
that he was on his way to Boulder
to notify the authorities. Sisson
and Bronish rowed up the lake and
over near a bunch of decoys saw
the canoe. Examination showed
hand clinging to the keel, and
portion of cap just above water
gave evidence that somebody had
lost their life. This proved to be
the body of Carl Hessen when the
cap was lifted. Both men drove to
Boulder and notified the officers at
Eagle River and the bodies of both
bows were soon taken from the wa
ters.
Conditions point that the boys,
after packing their camping outfit,
had gone for the evenings hunt.
In the car were twelve ducks and
one goose, packed away for the
home trip. Where the canoe had
overturned the rice and weeds were
very thick; the canoe had sunk
leaving only the bottom exposed. |
The boys must have chung to the
craft for they had taken off their
coats and unlaced their high-top
shoes and rubbers. Carl's rubbers
were unlaced as were those of Ber-
nard, the latter having slipped off |
one Of the shoes while clinging to
the canoe. Demands body was
found slightly below the water and
under the canoe where he had
slipped when exhausted. Carl still
chung to the canoe. Both boys evil
IDENTIFY died from exposure and ex-
haustion for their lungs contained |
no water.
Carl and Bernard were sons of
Mr.. and Mrs. Fred Hessen, who live
about mile and half on high
way 20 from the Sisson resort on
Little st. German lake. They with |
their father operate garage and
have been residents of this county
Ior the past twenty years. The
boys were manly men and did not
lack the respect and friendship of
tins end of the county. Besides
the parents there are four brothers
and three sisters left.
The funeral will be held at Eagle
River on Saturday afternosN, Ar
thur Hessen, a brother, being eX-
pected from the West.