JOHN RUSTON-DROWNED 1901

RUSTON, SALOT, SHAW

Posted By: Cheryl Locher Moonen (email)
Date: 1/8/2017 at 22:50:25

Dubuque Daily Herald, August 2, 1901

DROWNED IN RIVER
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JOHN RUSTON, SON OF REV. & MRS.
RUSTON, MEETS A TRAGIC DEATH
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WAS BATHING AT GREEN’S ISLAND
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Heroic Effort Made to Save Him
By Howard Salot and Harry
Shaw - Body Found

Before the eyes of a horror stricken party, including his parents, John A. Ruston, aged 21 years, and the son of Rev. W. O. Ruston, D. D., pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, was drowned in the Mississippi River near Showandasse, at 4 o'clock Thursday afternoon. Of the long list of drownings that have occurred in this vicinity in years past it is doubtful if ever before have the circumstances been as sad as in the death of young Ruston. The very manner of which the young man met his death is the basis for a pathetic story, but when it is considered that John Ruston was one of the most promising young men in Dubuque and the only child of devoted parents, the news of his drowning touches a sympathetic cord in the hearts of every resident of the city.

The drowning of young Ruston was the culmination of a merry party which went down the river Thursday morning for an outing. None of the party were more buoyant or full of hope and promise than the young man whose lifeless body was brought to the city last night.

The facts of the drowning as learned from several who were present are substantially as follows: Mr. and Mrs. George Salot own a cottage on Green's Island which is opposite Showandasse. A party composed mostly of the Ladies' Aid Society of the First Presbyterian Church went down to the cottage Thursday to spend the day. Late in the afternoon some of the party went in bathing but only three, Howard Salot, John Ruston and Harry Shaw, ventured into the deep water. Salot and Shaw are good swimmers and Ruston could swim but little. The cottage is situated on the East side of the island facing the channel but as the river is now low there is a sand bar between the island and the channel. The sand bar is directly opposite the island, about twenty-five feet from the shore, and it was in the strip of water between the island and the bar that young Ruston was drowned. The three young men had been in the water about twenty minutes and had gone over to the sand bar. The bank of the bar near one place is steep and the water at this point is quite deep. Shaw and Salot were sitting on the bank when Ruston started to wade out towards the deep place. Salot cautioned him not to go too far out and Shaw swam out and let himself down to show Ruston how deep it was. When Ruston saw his companion disappear beneath the surface he remarked that the water was pretty deep and the words were his last. Then Shaw came up and swam to where Ruston was standing in the water up to his shoulders. Just then Ruston struck out as if he was swimming and Salot called to Shaw to bring Ruston to the bank. Shaw started out and just as he reached Ruston the latter plunged and grasped him, pulling him under. Realizing that Ruston had gone beyond his depth and was sinking, Salot swam out and attempted to assist Shaw in getting Ruston to shore. The three had nearly reached the bank and hope was beginning to supplant fear among those on the shore when young Ruston struggled again and sank into the water, dragging his companions with him. The three came to the surface in an instant but they had swallowed so much water that they were nearly exhausted. Again his companions tried to get Ruston to shore, and again all three went beneath the surface of the water. When they came up Salot shouted for a skiff, but realizing that a skiff could not be pushed out in time he grabbed a large minnow box and pushed it out in the hope that Ruston might grasp it, but the young man was so weak that he could but make a weak effort to save himself and sank for the third time.

The death struggle was witnessed by the parents of the young man and a party of ladies and children and their feelings could better be imagined than described.

When Ruston went down for the last time his companions persisted in their efforts to rescue him. Diving was tried but the water was too deep. A long pole was secured and efforts were made to locate the body with this but it proved fruitless. Finally drag hooks were secured and not until after nearly two hours' search was the body recovered. This was about 6 o'clock and from then until about 7:30 the body was worked over in an attempt to resuscitate it but without avail.

Coroner Bennett went down to the scene of the drowning and brought the body to this city in a boat.