Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2017 All Rights Reserved USGenNet Data Repository Please read USGenNet Copyright Statement on this page: Transcribed and submitted by Linda Talbott for the USGenNet Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ =========================================================================== Formatted by USGenNet Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. =========================================================================== The Sturgeon Bay Advocate Vol. 51. No. 40 Thursday, December 26, 1912 FIRST DROWNING ACCIDENT GEORGE PINNEY LOSES HIS LIFE SATURDAY AFTERNOON WHILE ICEBOATING BARNEY MULLEN HAS CLOSE CALL Fatality a Great Shock to Mother and Community. Family Were Christmas Shopping. The community was shocked on Saturday afternoon by the announcement of the death by drowning of GEORGE PINNEY. The accident happened at a point a short distance north from the Leathem & Smith wharf between 2 and 3 o'clock. BARNEY MULLEN came near losing his life at the same time. The story of the distressing accident, as told by the survivor, is this: At about 2 o'clock GEORGE came to the house and suggested taking an ice-boat ride, the boys having a boat in partnership. He said he had a couple of hours to spare and they would try out the craft. BARNEY was at dinner at the time and GEORGE started down to the bay ahead of him. When BARNEY went down he found that GEORGE was out near the channel with the boat, and he started out on foot to reach him. As he was passing the wreck of the Fountain City which lies submerged at the end of the L. & S. dock, GEORGE called out to him to be careful as the ice was soft around where he was walking. The warning had no sooner been given then BARNEY broke thru, and found him- self up to his neck in the chilling water, being kept from going further by throwing out his arms. By kicking hard with his feet he managed to get his body up onto the firm ice and roll out of danger. When GEORGE saw BARNEY go through the treacherous ice he started toward him and broke through himself. Then BARNEY had gotten out by this time and throw- ing off his heavy water-soaked overcoat, started to give his companion aid. Before reaching him the latter went down out of sight and BARNEY laid down on the ice and waited for his reappearance, only to break thru again in the same hole in which GEORGE had disappeared. Loudly crying for help BARNEY strug- gled desperately and finally managed to get out again. Diver PEARL PURDY, who was working on the tug John Hunsader, heard the cry for help and hurried to the scene. BARNEY pointed out the place where he had last been seen and together they shoved the ice-boat over the opening to hold their weight and Diver PURDY, who had a long sounding stick reached down with this and at the first attempt managed to catch the body, which he pulled out on the ice and attempted to re- susitate. The dray wagon of HENRY PUEHLER, in charge of CURT FELIX, happened to be on the shore near by, and calling for assistance the three men carried the body to the vehicle and at break neck speed rushed to the undertaking rooms of H. J. HAHN, in hopes that there was still lie in the body, which had not been under the water ten minutes at the outside. Drs. NORDEN and WAGENER were on the scene when the body was brought to the undertakers and im- mediately went to work in an effort to resusitate the inanimate form. They worked hard and diligently for three-quarters of an hour but the spark of life had been extinguished before reaching them and their hereculean efforts were in vain. This they felt al- most certain of when the first examination was made, but in view of the fact that the body was said to have been in the water so short a time felt that they would do what they could to bring back the circulation. It was possible to ge (sic) respira- tion thru the lungs, but not once did they succeed in getting a heart-beat. In the meantime BARNEY had been taken to the office of the Leathem & Smith company to get warm, but as he was not succeeding determined to run for home, which he did, and it is no doubt the exercise that prevented his having any serious results. On arriving home he was rolled into a warm blanket and rubbed with alcohol and given a drink of gin- ger tea, and outside of a couple of chills suffered no bad effects, being able to be on the street the following morning apparently none the worse for the experience - except in peace of mind at the terrible ending of what was to be a couple of hours of pleasure, the two boys being chums and great friends. MRS. PINNEY was down town shopping, while the boys had delivered some Christmas trees to those who had ordered them sometime before. Among the purchases was a present for GEORGE. Little did she dream while she was enjoying the pleasures that comes from buying gifts for the children that her boy was then dead. All had come to town in the morning with hearts filled with the good cheer that prevails at this particular time. It was an awful shock to the mother when the terrible news was broken to her, and it was feared for a time that she would be prostrated or the mind give way under the awful anguish. But after the first poignant grief had worn away the brave woman partially recovered and was able to be taken to her home at Evergreen by friends. The death of her oldest son soon after away of her husband is a terrible blow to MRS. PINNEY. GEORGE had taken up the business at Evergreen and bid fair to make a success of the undertaking under her guidance and advice. He was an exceptionally bright young man, with a mechanical turn of mind and a natural business ability. Deceased was a graduate of the local high school, being a member of the class of 1910. He was the editor of the high school paper last year and was a leading spirit in the work. After leaving school he took an exami- nation for West Point and passed with high honors, but when the appointment was offered declined because he felt that his duty called him to stay at home and assist his mother in carrying on the evergreen business which had been established by his father. =========================================================================== If you've reached this file through a SEARCH, you can access more of our growing collection of FREE online information by going to the following URL: http://www.us-data.org/ ===========================================================================