Newspaper Tidbits
The Mishawaka Enterprise, Friday, January 17, 1919, p. 1
IS DROWNED WHILE SKATING
Carey Johnson Broke Through Ice
On River Wednesday Morning.
Carey Johnson, 14 years old, was drowned in the St. Joseph river, above
station three, Wednesday morning about 8:30 o'clock, while skating on the
ice eoroute to school at Osceola. The accident occurred near the Frank
Griffith farm. Mr. Griiflth saw young Johnson in the river clinging to the
broken ice. He called to his wife who notified the Mishawaka police
department, while Griffith procured a boat to go to the rescue of the boy.
Patrolmen Frank DeRose and Charles Gerard responded to the call. DeRose
entered the Griffith boat, while Gerard remained ashore holding a rope
attached to the boat. DeRose made his way toward the boy breaking the ice
with an ax.
In places the stream was frozen to a depth of only about an inch, while in
other places it was very much thicker, and in spots no ice had formed.
Johnson was out about 300 or more feet from shore. He clung to the ice and
called out to DeRose twice, "Aren't you coming?" Shortly afterward in a
despairing way be repeated his appeal, and was then forced to release his
hold, disappearing under the ice DeRose had reached a point nearly half way
to the boy when he had losthis hold.
The body was recovered Wednesday afternoon at 1:30 o'clock by Dr. Proudflt,
Loren Crull and Charles
Curtis of Osceola, after the sun had melted away the ice, making it
possible for them to row on the river. The body was found about 30 feet
away from where it went down.
Corey Johnson was a son of Mr. and Mrs E. E. Johnson, residing at station
three east of Mishawaka.
The boy was born in Peru, Ind., July 12, 1904, and was 14 years old. He
came to this city about three months ago from Burket, Ind. He is survived
by his parents and two sisters.Ignoto and Euda, both at home.
The body was shipped this morning to Palestine, Ind., from where the
funeral services and burial v/ill take place.