River Claims Life of
Town Knowlton Boy
Harry Myers, Jr. is victim of drowning occurring Wednesday forenoon. Searching for body. Boy was hunting turtles with companion; could not swim, is report. The body of Harry Myers Jr., 12, son of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Myers Sr., who drowned Wednesday, has not been recovered up to noon today, Thursday. Harry, accompanied by a playmate and neighbor boy, Edward Sirek, also 12, left home about 9 o'clock Wednesday morning to hunt turtles along Bean's Eddy, on the Wisconsin River, about three miles south of the city. About 11 o'clock, according to Edward, Harry said that he was going into the water, but young Edward tried to persuade him not to as the water was swift and he couldn't swim. As they stood on the river bank and Harry had taken off his clothes, "Harry seemed to get blue and all of a sudden he fainted and fell into the water," according to Edward's account of the affair. Edward then dove in, as he could swim, and finally pulled Harry out and laid him on the bank. After a short time young "Harry came to and as soon as he got to his feet he ran and jumped in again," Edward continued. Edward then dove into the water again, "but this place was too deep and Harry disappeared, and when he came up he was about 50 feet down the river and further out in the stream where it was swift." When Harry appeared the last time he called "help," but sank out of sight immediately. Edward waited a few minutes to see if he came up again, but he didn't so Edward ran to the Myers' home about three-quarters of a mile away and told the family. The Mosinee fire department was summoned about 1 o'clock and they with other men from the city dragged the river until dark last night, Wednesday. The dragging crew had four boats equipped with motors borrowed from Mosinee residents and they were furnished with grappling hooks and other paraphernalia for this type of work by the Wausau fire department. Also during the afternoon a crew under the direction of...
(Mosinee Times-5 July 1939)