Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1927-07-07


American this week to chronicle the
death of two young people by drown
ing. The unfortunate enes were Wal
ter Petersen, a 20 year old son of Mr..
and Mrs. Niels L. Petersen, southeast
of Askov, who drowned at Rock Dam
in Kettle river, about O'Clock Sun
day afternoon and Mrs. Grant H. De-
Maris, Is, who lived with her hus-
band and child at Duluth the past
two years, but who grew to woman
hood and spent most of her life in
the vicinity of Askov, being daugh-
ter of Mr.. and Mrs. Carl Pearson, Sr.
She was also drowned Sunday after
noon, but at Sturgeon lake and at
about 2:3O.
Walter Petersen who had been en-
ployed at farm work the past two
months near Williams, Iowa, came
home Saturday together with Jens
Christensen from there, to spend the
Fourth and his birthday which fell
on that day. From Minneapolis they
were accompanied by his two oldest
sisters, Erna and Oda, who were en-
ployed in the Mill City. On Sunday
the family journeyed out to visit the
Mrs. Alfred Larsen family near Rock
Dam, where other friends and neigh
bors also were visiting. Mrs. Larson
is an aunt of Mrs. Petersen. In the
afternoon some of the young folks
hiked down to the river where Walter
Petersen and Henry Larsen jumped
in for a little swim. They swan
forth and back across the river sew
eral times, Walter being a good swim
mer, but all of a sudden he let out a
yell and went down. He was in a
little whirl pool right below the rap
ids. The water was cold and evident
ly he was seized with cramps. He
grabbed Henry's arm but the latter
fearing that he would also go down
swan to safety. Three of Walters
sisters. Erna, Oda, and Emmy, and
Henry's sister. Mrs. Patsie Murphy,
who were on the shore, screamed for
help. Ed Lohner, nearby, heard the
screams and Immediately came run
ming and dove into the water four
times in an attempt to rescue Walter
but without result. More help was
Immediately summoned but it was
three hours before the body was re-
covered, Hans Hansen in a boat, To-
eating it with an iron hook. At this
point the river bottom is very stony
and some logs in it, so it was difficult
to locate the body although found at
the very point where he went down
Mrs Grant H. DeMaris had come
down from Duluth together with her
husband and child to spend Sunday
and the Fourth with relatives and
friends Sunday afternoon picnic
was being enjoyed on the south shore
of Sturgeon lake. After the picnic
lunch Mrs. DeMaris and her sister
Ruth Pearson. went in bathing while
some of the menfolks were preparing
to do some fishing. The two ladies
had waded out quite a ways and Mrs
DeMaris appeared cold but evidently
thought she had better get used tc
it. Suddenly she screamed and
reached for her sisters hand, bu,
Ruth thought she was fooling and
pulled away. They had reached the
drop-off and Mrs. DeMaris was in
water over her head. Mrs. DeMaris
did not come up again and Ruth
called for help Immediately. Several
men, including the husband of the
unfortunate one, were there to do res
cue work Immediately and the body
was recovered within 5 or 10 minutes
but life was extinct. The physical
director of the Duluth Y. M. c. A
who happened to be there, and other
men who were later joined by DIR. w
c. Ehmke of Willow River, worked
over her for two hours but she could
not be revived. A weak heart was
likely the greatest contributing factor
to the sudden death. The lake being
rather cold and bathing right after
eating she was an easy victim of the
water. Mrs. DeMaris could not swim
and thought she could learn it more
quickly by getting out where the wa.
ter was quite deep.