The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1932-01-07
Men, andBoy
Drowned in
Birch Lake
Quito Plunges Into 40 Feet Of
Water 1000 Feet From
Shore Sunday I
LAD TEN YEARS OLD
Highly Respected st. Rose
Residents-Big Fish Lake
Has Victim Monday j
LAD TEN YEARS OLE

A tragic accident occurred at
Birch Lake Sunday afternoon at
AIS when Ben Korte, his 10-yeaf-
old son, Urban, and Henry Hoppe,
were drowned when the Chevrolef
sedan in which they were driving
across the lake plunged into open
water and sank to the bottom at b
depth of 40 feet. Is
Mr.. Korte was deputy boiler in
spector for Stearns county, and
owner and operator of the Chevr5-
let garage at st. Rose. 4
Mr.. HOPPE was a well known
farmer living about four miles
north of that village.
1t is understood the party set Out
for Grey Eagle to secure a radio
from one Of the business men al
that village. To save time and dis
lance they attempted to drive ae-
cross the lake. They travelled .
couple of miles or so and were Ii
front Of the Slater island, probable
travelling at a good rate of speed
when they hit the open space which
was covered with a Sigh scum d
ice. This space is about 80 rods
long and approximately 60 feet
across. They were going so fast
that the car hit solid ice across
the narrow span with such forcs
that the cap covering the crank
shaft was disloged and thrown or
solid ice. The accident occurred
about 1000 feet from the east shor;
of the lake, approximately 300 feel
from the island.
Word Of the accident spread rap
idly but darkness came on and Il
was impossible for rescue work u
be done that evening.
Clyde Green and several othel
youngsters Of the Grey Eagle com
munity were skating on Big Birch
lake at the time of the accident
They saw the car on the lake and
thought nothing of il until sud
denly they discovered it had disap
peared from view.
At daylight Monday morninf
Deputy Warden Frederick Moz,
man. Of this city. was at the scene
Of the accident. About the same
time Sheriff Adams, Of Long Prai
RE, and Mr.. Fierbend, Of Grey
Eagle, merchant, arrived. Others
came rapidly. Monday Afternoon
there were at least 500 cars at the
scene of the tragedy. A couple o:
fiat bottom boats were secured am
the men set to work attempting t.
hook the car. The effort was sue
cessful in a comparatively shor'
time, the right rear bumper being
hooked. The car was raised par
TALLY when the bumper gave way
and the car sank to the bottom Of
the lake. Twice more the car YVES
hooked before the car was raised
sufficiently to place a cable under
and around the rear axel Of the
car. The rear end was raised.
Mr.. Mossman had general super
vision Of the rescue work, Wher
the car was firmly caugh he and
a Mr.. Joyce, Of Grey Eagle, started
the labor Of removing the victims
from the car. In some unaccount-
able manner all three of the occu
pants were in the back seat. Mr.
Korte had death grip on the arm
of his son and Mr.. Hoppe had his
hand in his trousers pocket grasp
ing his rosary.
The glass at the back and the
rear end of the car was cut away
sufficiently to make room for the
removal Of the bodies. Mr.. Korte
was taken out first, then the 10
year-old boy and finally Mr.. Hoppe
The work Of rescue was complet'
ed at about 800 P. M. Monday. fhf
car was removed later. The writer
saw it at st. Rose Tuesday after
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