Smith, Elmer (died 1896)

SMITH, MUFFIT

Posted By: Linda Ziemann, Volunteer (email)
Date: 6/21/2011 at 20:27:57

Alton Democrat
August 1, 1896

A LE MARS MAN DROWNED.

A LeMars correspondent says that Elmer Smith was drowned in the Sioux river
near Westfield, about 6 o’clock Tuesday night. A party from LeMars, composed
of Gus Pech, Fred Miller, John Weidenfeller, Frank Walters, Paul Peterson,
and Harry Kassel from LeMars, drove over to the Sioux river Tuesday on a
fishing expedition, and Smith accompanied them. The party arrived at their
camping place about 4 o’clock, and as soon as the camp was pitched they
started to seining in the river. Smith carried one end of the sein and got
into the stream beyond his depth, where the current was swift. He was
carried off his feet and went under. Those with him could do nothing to
assist him. The search for the body was kept up with assistance from Akron
and Westfield, until about 11 o’clock Wednesday, when the body was found
near where he went down. Deceased is a young man about 27 years old and has
made his home in LeMars for some time past. He was supposed to be a single
man, but on opening his valise today at the hotel where he stops an
insurance policy was found, made payable to his wife, Dora Muffit Smith, who
is supposed to live some place in Nebraska.