Gerig Drowning

GERIG, WILHELM, WIEGARD

Posted By: A.M.W. (email)
Date: 5/19/2004 at 16:30:54

June 10, 1908

LOUIS GERIG DROWNED

We take the following account of the drowning of Louie Wilhelm from the Tuesday Burlington Hawkeye. Louie was known here as Louie Gerig, having been taken from the orphans home by Jake Gerig at Noble, when a small child. He left here a few months ago to go see his father. Mr. Gerig furnished him the money for the trip and he had not returned.

Death by drowning came to Louis Wilhelm, sixteen years old, Sunday afternoon in the treacherous waters of Flint Creek near the red bridge, two miles north of the city. The body has not been recovered and has probably been carried down the stream in the swirling flood that now courses between the banks of the Flint. It is possible that the body has been carried out into the Mississippi River. Searching parties were busy yesterday in an effort to find the remains, but were unsuccessful.

Wilhelm came to Burlington about a month ago from Mapleton, Iowa, and had been working for Henry Wiegard as a farm hand. Sunday afternoon, a number of the boys of the neighborhood gathered at the red bridge and engaged in swinging hand over hand along the rods under the flooring of the structure. Wilhelm made a wager that he could cross the stream in this manner and started out on his venturesome attempt. About half the distance across the bridge the lad missed his hold on one of the rods and dropped into the swift current of the stream. Either unable to swim, or the current being too swift, Wilhelm sank before the horrified eyes of his companions gathered on the bridge. The boys made an attempt to aid Wilhelm, but were unable to reach him.