Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 40, Number 98, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 August 1908 — DAVID WHEELDON DROWNS IN RIVER [ARTICLE]

DAVID WHEELDON DROWNS IN RIVER

After Rescuing Another Swimmer He Thought to Swim Awhile But Soon Sank to His Death. * * David Wheeldpn, a ditcher, was drowned between 1 and 2 o’clock this afternoon in the Iroquois ditch, near the stock farm. Omar Osborne, who hadrbeen swimming in the river, became exhausted, and Mr. Wheeldon, who was ditching near by, ran to the river and helped Osborne out. As he had his clothes all wet, he thought he would swim for a little while, and he went across the river and cut a pole to fish with and had returned to this side and said he Was going to remain in awhile, but in just a second or so he sank and never came up. Osborne was too exhausted to try to rescue him, and two old men, named Byrd and Hurley, Were the only other persons within hearing. The body was recovered in about half an hour. Ed Duvall, son of John t)uvall, dived into the water and found the body only a shoit distance from where it sank. He brought it to the surface and Jqlm Merrit and several others pulled it to the bank, but life was extinct. Wheeldon resided in the Blankenbakes property in the northwest part of Kensselaer and leaves a wife and two children.