Jasper County Democrat, Volume 13, Number 76, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 January 1911 — FURTHER PARTICULARS [ARTICLE]

FURTHER PARTICULARS

Of Drowning of Henry Downer Near Thayer Saturday Night. Henry Downer of Thayer, aged 35 years, met death in a tragic manner Saturday night while trying to save a companion. Mr. Downer and Vernon Cyphers of Thayer tqok Adolph Peevensdorph of Chicago, out for a coon hunt. Their hounds treed a coon 'and they cut the tree, but the coon got’ away and crossed the, river and the boys started to cross over also. Peevensdorph was ahead with the lantern. Downer and Cyphers saw an opening in the ice and warned him, but it was too late. He stepped off into the opening and the others stopped, and Downer reached out to help Peevensdorph out, but went in, too. Cypher ran and got a pole and when he returned Peevensdorph was the nearest. He held the pole to him and he caught it and Cyphers pulled him out and started to help Downer when he was going down the third time. But Downer said “I’m gone,” and sank from sight. The body was in the water twelve hours before they found it. Cyphers dragged Reevehsdorph % of a mile before he could get help. He was in a critical