Zieg, Charles (Died 1903)

ZIEG

Posted By: Linda Ziemann, volunteer (email)
Date: 8/18/2009 at 11:09:56

DROWNED IN WILLOW CREEK
Charles Zieg of Oyens, a Well Known Young Farmer, Meets Death While Bathing

In the pride of his strength and the glory of his youth, Charles Zieg, a
well known Plymouth county young man, was seized by the icy hand of death
and in the twinkling of an eye his soul had passed to eternity. He was the
victim of death by drowning, the fatality occurring on Tuesday evening
between seven and eight o’clock at a point in the Willow Creek, a few rods
south and west of the little town of Oyens, situated five miles east of this
city.

Charley Zieg in company with Arthur Laudi, the cashier of the Plymouth
county bank at Oyens, went down to the creek shortly after supper on Tuesday
evening to take a swim, tempted to the cool and limpid waters by the burning
heat of a scorching July day.

On arriving at the creek Zieg went into the water first and was paddling
about. Arthur Laudi was at a point about thirty yards away from the place
where Zieg had gone in, standing in a pool of mud on the bank. Laudi told
Zieg it was muddy and the later shouted to him to come where he was as there
was a good clean sandy bottom on which to land. As Laudi pulled his legs out
of the mud to go to the spot, he saw that Zieg appeared to be in
difficulties and hastening to the spot plunged in. He swam up to Zieg and
told him to make for the other shore. Zieg said nothing but grabbed Laudi’s
hand after going down once. Zieg let go of Laudi’s hand and went down and
never came up again. Mr. Laudi says Zieg never made any out cry, nor did he
call for help or say a word. Zieg was paddling dog fashion and did not
appear at home in the water. He did not act like a drowning man and Mr.
Laudi says the first time he went under water he acted like a man who was
making a dive to come up on the further side.

Laudi after making vigorous attempts to find the body of his unfortunate
companion hurried back to Oyens and a large number of people assembled and
began to make efforts to recover the body. The body was found about ten
o’clock by Theodore Hentges and Eugene Treader, who with others had been
engaged in the search for the remains.

The body was taken to Oyens and the firm of Peters & Wiltgen was notified
and went out to take charge of the remains. At the place where the young man
was drowned the water was about twelve feet deep, right off the bank. The
creek is not ordinarily a dangerous place in which to swim or bathe but the
tremendous rains of this spring and summer have made a large river of the
ordinary small and insignificant creek and on Tuesday evening the creek was
many feet wider than it has ever been and the familiar landmarks were
obliterated by its flooded condition.

Zieg was in the center of the stream when he went down.

The condition of the body when it was recovered did not indicate that he had
been seized with cramps and very little water had been absorbed into the
lungs and stomach.

It is stated that young Zieg’s heart was not very strong and the accident
might have been due to a sudden attack of heart failure. Mr. Laudie said
that he did not think that Zieg realized that he was drowning and also said
that he did not act as he had always been told drowning men do.

Mr. Laudi is nearly prostrated by the sad accident. He had recently become
acquainted with Zieg and had been rooming with him at Oyens for the past few
months.

Zieg had been in the habit of bathing in the place here he was drowned both
this and in former years. He could hardly swim at all.

The deceased was twenty seven years old and the eldest son of Mr. and Mrs.
Nicholas Zieg, who reside on the Curtis farm southeast of town. The mother
was prostrated with grief at the sudden shock of the bereavement. The day
her boy drowned she had been at Remsen waiting to attend the funeral of her
brother, Charles Wagner, who died on Monday. The double bereavement was a
terrible stress on her nerves and fortitude.

Chas. Zieg had lived all his life in this county. He worked for Nic Freymann
at Oyens in the grain business and this summer Zieg and J. P. Weis were in
the horse business.

He was a stalwart fine built young man over six feet in height and was well
known and well liked by many. In addition to his parents he leaves several
brothers and sisters to mourn his loss.

The funeral was held yesterday at St. Joseph’s church in this city and many
friends and old neighbors attended as a mark of respect and friendship to
the bereaved family, who have the sympathy of the community in their loss
under such tragic circumstances.

~Source: The LeMars Sentinel, Friday, July 10, 1903