Ft.
Wayne, Indiana
Frederick C. Geerkin Drowning
May 9, 1895
SMALL BOY DROWNED.
Sad Accident Near the Columbia Street Bridge.
Frederick C. Geerkin, Aged About Seventeen,
Meets With a Sad Death
---The Body Recovered.
This morning, about 10 o’clock,
Frederick C. Geerkin,
the seventeen-year-old son of
Frederick H. Geerkin,
of No. 38 Eliza street, met with death by
drowning in the Maumee river, just below the
Columbia street bridge.
The young man, in company with a newsboy named
Ira Croy, of
58 Harmer street, and Charley Dinnen, of 314
Horace street, had gone to the river to fish.
During the past few days the stream has risen
about three feet and the boys started to wade to
the small island, or rather rock pile, which
formerly made a resting place for one of the
piers of the old bridge. The current was quite
swift and in crossing Fred stumbled on a stone
and fell. As he did so he tried to grasp the
hands of one of the boys but the current was too
swift and he was borne down to a point where the
water was ten feet deep.
The other lads shouted for him to swim and
hurried on across. Fred made an effort to reach
the shore but not being a very good swimmer soon
sank.
The alarm was soon given and
Superintendent Liggett
and Lieutenant Lapp
at once went to the scene. A boat and a long
hook were secured and
Henry Hazzard, J.W. Craigue and
Joseph Beamer,
after two hours’ search, succeeded in finding
the body.
For some months past Fred has been employed as a
caller by the Grand Rapids and Indiana railway,
but lately he has not been working. His father
is a Pennsylvania company machinist.
The funeral will be held Sunday afternoon, at 2
o’clock, from the St. Paul’s Lutheran church, on
Barr street.
The Fort Wayne Sentinel, Fort Wayne, IN 9
May 1895
Transcribed by
Loraine Jordan. Thank you, Loraine!
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