ANTONE BITTER DROWNED THURSDAY - 1901

BITTER, MANN, BURNS, DUFFY, GREU, MCINERNEY, AHERN, CARROLL

Posted By: cheryl moonen (email)
Date: 1/6/2017 at 11:18:03

Dubuque Daily Herald, July 5, 1901

THEIR BOAT SANK
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ANTONE BITTER DROWNED THURSDAY
AFTERNOON JUST BELOW THE CITY
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Water Came Into and Overweighed
Skiff and the Entire Party
Jumped Out
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Antone Bitter and a party of friends were going down the river Thursday afternoon and when opposite the site of old Moore’s Mill at the lower end of the city the boat began to sink. The occupants jumped into the water and struck out for shore. Three of them reached it safely but Bitter, when about half way there, became exhausted and slowly sank to the bottom.

The accident is a sad one and is greatly regretted by the community in general. It was unavoidable and no blame can be attached to anyone.

Antone Bitter was a young man about 17 years of age. A party of his friends were camping down the river near Catfish and they invited him to come down and spend the day. He was in the employ of A. Mann, the butcher, and had to work, in the morning delivering meat. At 12 o’clock he completed his duties and in company with Louis Burns, Joe Greu and Wm. Duffy they left the harbor and started for their camp. The weight was not evenly distributed in the boat, the greater part of it being in the stern. They had not gone very far before they perceived this and so decided to balance their craft in a more even manner by one of them getting into the bow. They were doing this when the water started to come in over the stern. The boys in the boat were all good swimmers so they jumped out into the water and struck out for shore, which was about 200 feet distance.

Bitter was the greatest distance out and seemed to be exhausted. Burns called the attention of the other swimmers to this fact and Greu swam over Bitter, asking if he needed help, at the same time grasping him by the collar. In a few seconds he replied, “I am alright now, although I was a little tired. I can get to shore.”

With these words Greu let go of his friend and swam ashore. He was just in time to help Duffy, who was very near exhausted. Turning around he looked for Bitter. A clear expanse of water met his view. Not a human being was in sight. The skiff was floating peacefully about 100 yards out and this was all to be seen.

The little party of water soaked campers slowly began to realize what had happened. Help was summoned and the young man was found.

Antone Bitter was a young man 17 years of age and resided with his mother, 143 Locust Street. The funeral will be held Saturday morning.

The coroner’s jury composed of John Carroll, M. McInerney, and J. Ahern, returned a verdict that the deceased met death accidentally and that no blame can be attached to anyone.
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