Kaye, John Jr. “Don” 1889 - 1900

KAYE

Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 5/19/2024 at 21:00:38

Source: Decorah Republican Aug. 2, 1900 P 4 C 4

Drowning of "Don" Kaye at Calmar last Wednesday.
The following account of the drowning of “Don” Kaye, youngest son of John B. Kaye, is taken from the Calmar Courier
A very sad affair occurred Wednesday afternoon, when John Kaye, the ten year old son of attorney John B. Kaye, met death by drowning In Dalen’s pond, two miles north east of Calmar.
Soon after the noon hour “Don” (by which name he was known,) went and got Elmer Sandager, about eleven years old, to go with him to the Dalen pond to go bathing.
Elmer’s mother had forbidden him to go bathing at any time so he went without first having obtained permission. Soon after one o’clock Elmer returned but said nothing about Don. Toward evening the Kaye family became alarmed at Don’s prolonged absence and hearing that Elmer had been out there with him they made inquiry at the Sandager home, receiving the reply that Elmer had not been out there with him. Later, however, the boy said he was out to the pond with Don, and that they both went into the water but that he (Elmer) soon came out and wanted to go home. He said Don told him to go if he wanted to but he was going to stay until some other boys came, so Elmer said he came away and left Don wading in the pond.
At about one o’clock Eddie Meyer, Louis Jaegar and Willie Goite also went out to that pond. They said they met Elmer Sandager at no great distance from the pond and that he was running and appeared somewhat excited. The boys wanted him to go back with them but he refused. The boys went on to the pond and remained some time, knowing and seeing nothing of Don.
On hearing the reports of the boys a number of people went out to the pond to investigate. Charley Morton found Don’s clothes, which caused the searching party to believe the body of the boy to be in the pond. Some of the water was then let out of the pond and after wading around for some time Ed. Erickson found the nude and lifeless body of the unfortunate lad. As he could not swim he evidently got beyond his depth and was unable to help himself.
In the meantime Jo. Hamrom, who is building a tobacco shed at Dalen’s, saw the two boys, Elmer and Don, go to the pond and noticing but one leaving, and observing that he was running and apparently excited, he went to the pond to see if anything had happened, but saw nothing and went back to work
Elmer said the reason why he was in such a hurry was that the dog with him was chasing the cattle in the pasture, and having heard that the owner had threatened to shoot dogs bothering the cattle, he was afraid the dog would be shot.
Coroner Jewell was summoned and an inquest held yesterday, with E. C. Walker, W. D. Hurlbut and F. C. Clark as jurors, who returned a verdict of accidental drowning
The above is substantially as developed by the coroner’s inquest.
It was a hard blow to the family and what makes it more sad is that the father is many miles from home, on his way to Europe, unconscious of the end fate of his little son who was his namesake.
The hearts of the people of the whole community go out in sympathy to the bereaved family.

Transcriber’s Note: Find a Grave shows he is buried in Calmar Community Cemetery and was born Nov. 21, 1889.

Calmar City Cemetery
 

Winneshiek Obituaries maintained by Jeff Getchell.
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