Source: Alton Evening Telegraph, May 28, 1921
Five Drowned in Godfrey Pond Late Friday
Three boys and two girls lost their lives by drowning in the Godfrey pond Friday afternoon, and the details of the drowning will perhaps never be known. There are indications that at least one of the deaths was due to the self-sacrificing heroism of Russell Hillman, aged 15, who is believed to have tried to save the lives of members of the party. The dead are: Russell Hillman, aged 15; Bertha Howard, aged 15; Ernest Howard, aged 9; Harold Howard, aged 7; Bessie Hobson, aged 17. Wilmot Holmes, a sixth member of the party, escaped with his life. Of the five who drowned, Russell Hillman, it is supposed, from the positions in which the bodies of two of the girls were found, succeeded in towing ashore Bertha Howard, leaving her in shallow water where her hands could easily have touched some planks on shore, but she was too weak to save herself and she drowned in shallow water three or four feet from shore. It is supposed that having towed the Howard girl ashore, Hilman swam out to save Bessie Hobson and that the two went down. Their bodies were found very close together. Wilmot Holmes, the only member of the party who survived, at first told a story that he had not been in the boat with the others and that he did not know what had happened. He said that he was at the pond with the party and that when it was proposed to get into the leaky boat, he agreed to stay out and let the others have it by themselves. He said they told him to wait until they came back and that he waited a long time and when they did not return he went on home. Coroner Streeper and Constable Frank Morrison took Holmes to one side and questioned him closely about the story he told, and he then broke down and told the story as follows: He said that all six members of the party were in the boat and that one of the girls, Bertha Howard, was rocking it. He said that he told her she would sink the boat if she did not desist, and that he leaped out into the water. He said that some of the drowning ones got hold of him and carried him down, and he released himself, swimming ashore, when he saw that the members of the party were lost. He said he was so terrified that he made a long detour around Godfrey and made his way home. The body of Bertha Howard was discovered at 6 o'clock, probably two hours after the drowning. Peter Needham had gone to the pond and while walking along the shore noticed the body of Bertha Howard lying in shallow water close to the bank. He called help and her body was drawn out of the water. Searching parties, learning that there had been a party of boys and girls together began the search for the bodies in the pond. The bodies of Russell Hillman and Bertha Hopson were found together in deep water about 25 feet from shore and that of Ernest Howard was found just a short distance from them. The search was continued for the smallest of the Howard children until late at night. The supposition is that the members of the party became alarmed at the boat taking water fast and in their excitement they tipped it over and all got into the water, and just at that time Russell Hillman, a strong swimmer, came along and went to their rescue, losing his own life for his gallant effort. The three Howard victims are the children of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Howard, who live four doors north of the post office in Godfrey. There are two other children of the Howards, Ward and Lee, both older. Russell Hillman was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas W. Hillman, who live across the road from the C. & A. station at Godfrey. He leaves two brothers, Warren and Travis, and a sister, Katherine. Bessie Hobson was an adopted girl. She leaves a brother, who was notified of his sister's fate. She was employed as housekeeper for an aged lady in Godfrey, and formerly was employed at Beverly Farm by Dr. W. H. D. Smith. Deputy Coroner C. N. Streeper took charge of the bodies after they were taken from the water. He fixed the time of the inquest for Tuesday evening at 7 o'clock. An effort was made to find the Holmes boy after the discovery was made that the party had been drowned and for a while it was feared that he, too, had lost his life. Residents in the vicinity reported having seen a boy leaving the place and so inquiry was made at the Holmes boy's home and he was found there and members of his family told the story which has been given as his story of what had preceded the drowning. He said that he could not see from where he was what had happened, and he did not know that the drowning had occurred. The funeral of the three Howard children will be held from the home Sunday afternoon, and burials will be in Godfrey Cemetery. The body of Hilman will be sent to Pleasant Hill, Ill., for burial Sunday morning at 10 o'clock. The funeral of Miss Bessie Hobson will be held Sunday morning at ten o'clock from the home of M. W. Hopkins, at 620 East Ninth Street, then on to the St. Patrick's Church. The interment will be in the St. Joseph's Cemetery.
Five Drowned in Godfrey Pond Late Friday
Three boys and two girls lost their lives by drowning in the Godfrey pond Friday afternoon, and the details of the drowning will perhaps never be known. There are indications that at least one of the deaths was due to the self-sacrificing heroism of Russell Hillman, aged 15, who is believed to have tried to save the lives of members of the party. The dead are: Russell Hillman, aged 15; Bertha Howard, aged 15; Ernest Howard, aged 9; Harold Howard, aged 7; Bessie Hobson, aged 17. Wilmot Holmes, a sixth member of the party, escaped with his life. Of the five who drowned, Russell Hillman, it is supposed, from the positions in which the bodies of two of the girls were found, succeeded in towing ashore Bertha Howard, leaving her in shallow water where her hands could easily have touched some planks on shore, but she was too weak to save herself and she drowned in shallow water three or four feet from shore. It is supposed that having towed the Howard girl ashore, Hilman swam out to save Bessie Hobson and that the two went down. Their bodies were found very close together. Wilmot Holmes, the only member of the party who survived, at first told a story that he had not been in the boat with the others and that he did not know what had happened. He said that he was at the pond with the party and that when it was proposed to get into the leaky boat, he agreed to stay out and let the others have it by themselves. He said they told him to wait until they came back and that he waited a long time and when they did not return he went on home. Coroner Streeper and Constable Frank Morrison took Holmes to one side and questioned him closely about the story he told, and he then broke down and told the story as follows: He said that all six members of the party were in the boat and that one of the girls, Bertha Howard, was rocking it. He said that he told her she would sink the boat if she did not desist, and that he leaped out into the water. He said that some of the drowning ones got hold of him and carried him down, and he released himself, swimming ashore, when he saw that the members of the party were lost. He said he was so terrified that he made a long detour around Godfrey and made his way home. The body of Bertha Howard was discovered at 6 o'clock, probably two hours after the drowning. Peter Needham had gone to the pond and while walking along the shore noticed the body of Bertha Howard lying in shallow water close to the bank. He called help and her body was drawn out of the water. Searching parties, learning that there had been a party of boys and girls together began the search for the bodies in the pond. The bodies of Russell Hillman and Bertha Hopson were found together in deep water about 25 feet from shore and that of Ernest Howard was found just a short distance from them. The search was continued for the smallest of the Howard children until late at night. The supposition is that the members of the party became alarmed at the boat taking water fast and in their excitement they tipped it over and all got into the water, and just at that time Russell Hillman, a strong swimmer, came along and went to their rescue, losing his own life for his gallant effort. The three Howard victims are the children of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Howard, who live four doors north of the post office in Godfrey. There are two other children of the Howards, Ward and Lee, both older. Russell Hillman was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas W. Hillman, who live across the road from the C. & A. station at Godfrey. He leaves two brothers, Warren and Travis, and a sister, Katherine. Bessie Hobson was an adopted girl. She leaves a brother, who was notified of his sister's fate. She was employed as housekeeper for an aged lady in Godfrey, and formerly was employed at Beverly Farm by Dr. W. H. D. Smith. Deputy Coroner C. N. Streeper took charge of the bodies after they were taken from the water. He fixed the time of the inquest for Tuesday evening at 7 o'clock. An effort was made to find the Holmes boy after the discovery was made that the party had been drowned and for a while it was feared that he, too, had lost his life. Residents in the vicinity reported having seen a boy leaving the place and so inquiry was made at the Holmes boy's home and he was found there and members of his family told the story which has been given as his story of what had preceded the drowning. He said that he could not see from where he was what had happened, and he did not know that the drowning had occurred. The funeral of the three Howard children will be held from the home Sunday afternoon, and burials will be in Godfrey Cemetery. The body of Hilman will be sent to Pleasant Hill, Ill., for burial Sunday morning at 10 o'clock. The funeral of Miss Bessie Hobson will be held Sunday morning at ten o'clock from the home of M. W. Hopkins, at 620 East Ninth Street, then on to the St. Patrick's Church. The interment will be in the St. Joseph's Cemetery.
Source: Alton Evening Telegraph, May 28, 1921
Five Drowned in Godfrey Pond Late Friday
Three boys and two girls lost their lives by drowning in the Godfrey pond Friday afternoon, and the details of the drowning will perhaps never be known. There are indications that at least one of the deaths was due to the self-sacrificing heroism of Russell Hillman, aged 15, who is believed to have tried to save the lives of members of the party. The dead are: Russell Hillman, aged 15; Bertha Howard, aged 15; Ernest Howard, aged 9; Harold Howard, aged 7; Bessie Hobson, aged 17. Wilmot Holmes, a sixth member of the party, escaped with his life. Of the five who drowned, Russell Hillman, it is supposed, from the positions in which the bodies of two of the girls were found, succeeded in towing ashore Bertha Howard, leaving her in shallow water where her hands could easily have touched some planks on shore, but she was too weak to save herself and she drowned in shallow water three or four feet from shore. It is supposed that having towed the Howard girl ashore, Hilman swam out to save Bessie Hobson and that the two went down. Their bodies were found very close together. Wilmot Holmes, the only member of the party who survived, at first told a story that he had not been in the boat with the others and that he did not know what had happened. He said that he was at the pond with the party and that when it was proposed to get into the leaky boat, he agreed to stay out and let the others have it by themselves. He said they told him to wait until they came back and that he waited a long time and when they did not return he went on home. Coroner Streeper and Constable Frank Morrison took Holmes to one side and questioned him closely about the story he told, and he then broke down and told the story as follows: He said that all six members of the party were in the boat and that one of the girls, Bertha Howard, was rocking it. He said that he told her she would sink the boat if she did not desist, and that he leaped out into the water. He said that some of the drowning ones got hold of him and carried him down, and he released himself, swimming ashore, when he saw that the members of the party were lost. He said he was so terrified that he made a long detour around Godfrey and made his way home. The body of Bertha Howard was discovered at 6 o'clock, probably two hours after the drowning. Peter Needham had gone to the pond and while walking along the shore noticed the body of Bertha Howard lying in shallow water close to the bank. He called help and her body was drawn out of the water. Searching parties, learning that there had been a party of boys and girls together began the search for the bodies in the pond. The bodies of Russell Hillman and Bertha Hopson were found together in deep water about 25 feet from shore and that of Ernest Howard was found just a short distance from them. The search was continued for the smallest of the Howard children until late at night. The supposition is that the members of the party became alarmed at the boat taking water fast and in their excitement they tipped it over and all got into the water, and just at that time Russell Hillman, a strong swimmer, came along and went to their rescue, losing his own life for his gallant effort. The three Howard victims are the children of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Howard, who live four doors north of the post office in Godfrey. There are two other children of the Howards, Ward and Lee, both older. Russell Hillman was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas W. Hillman, who live across the road from the C. & A. station at Godfrey. He leaves two brothers, Warren and Travis, and a sister, Katherine. Bessie Hobson was an adopted girl. She leaves a brother, who was notified of his sister's fate. She was employed as housekeeper for an aged lady in Godfrey, and formerly was employed at Beverly Farm by Dr. W. H. D. Smith. Deputy Coroner C. N. Streeper took charge of the bodies after they were taken from the water. He fixed the time of the inquest for Tuesday evening at 7 o'clock. An effort was made to find the Holmes boy after the discovery was made that the party had been drowned and for a while it was feared that he, too, had lost his life. Residents in the vicinity reported having seen a boy leaving the place and so inquiry was made at the Holmes boy's home and he was found there and members of his family told the story which has been given as his story of what had preceded the drowning. He said that he could not see from where he was what had happened, and he did not know that the drowning had occurred. The funeral of the three Howard children will be held from the home Sunday afternoon, and burials will be in Godfrey Cemetery. The body of Hilman will be sent to Pleasant Hill, Ill., for burial Sunday morning at 10 o'clock. The funeral of Miss Bessie Hobson will be held Sunday morning at ten o'clock from the home of M. W. Hopkins, at 620 East Ninth Street, then on to the St. Patrick's Church. The interment will be in the St. Joseph's Cemetery.
Five Drowned in Godfrey Pond Late Friday
Three boys and two girls lost their lives by drowning in the Godfrey pond Friday afternoon, and the details of the drowning will perhaps never be known. There are indications that at least one of the deaths was due to the self-sacrificing heroism of Russell Hillman, aged 15, who is believed to have tried to save the lives of members of the party. The dead are: Russell Hillman, aged 15; Bertha Howard, aged 15; Ernest Howard, aged 9; Harold Howard, aged 7; Bessie Hobson, aged 17. Wilmot Holmes, a sixth member of the party, escaped with his life. Of the five who drowned, Russell Hillman, it is supposed, from the positions in which the bodies of two of the girls were found, succeeded in towing ashore Bertha Howard, leaving her in shallow water where her hands could easily have touched some planks on shore, but she was too weak to save herself and she drowned in shallow water three or four feet from shore. It is supposed that having towed the Howard girl ashore, Hilman swam out to save Bessie Hobson and that the two went down. Their bodies were found very close together. Wilmot Holmes, the only member of the party who survived, at first told a story that he had not been in the boat with the others and that he did not know what had happened. He said that he was at the pond with the party and that when it was proposed to get into the leaky boat, he agreed to stay out and let the others have it by themselves. He said they told him to wait until they came back and that he waited a long time and when they did not return he went on home. Coroner Streeper and Constable Frank Morrison took Holmes to one side and questioned him closely about the story he told, and he then broke down and told the story as follows: He said that all six members of the party were in the boat and that one of the girls, Bertha Howard, was rocking it. He said that he told her she would sink the boat if she did not desist, and that he leaped out into the water. He said that some of the drowning ones got hold of him and carried him down, and he released himself, swimming ashore, when he saw that the members of the party were lost. He said he was so terrified that he made a long detour around Godfrey and made his way home. The body of Bertha Howard was discovered at 6 o'clock, probably two hours after the drowning. Peter Needham had gone to the pond and while walking along the shore noticed the body of Bertha Howard lying in shallow water close to the bank. He called help and her body was drawn out of the water. Searching parties, learning that there had been a party of boys and girls together began the search for the bodies in the pond. The bodies of Russell Hillman and Bertha Hopson were found together in deep water about 25 feet from shore and that of Ernest Howard was found just a short distance from them. The search was continued for the smallest of the Howard children until late at night. The supposition is that the members of the party became alarmed at the boat taking water fast and in their excitement they tipped it over and all got into the water, and just at that time Russell Hillman, a strong swimmer, came along and went to their rescue, losing his own life for his gallant effort. The three Howard victims are the children of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Howard, who live four doors north of the post office in Godfrey. There are two other children of the Howards, Ward and Lee, both older. Russell Hillman was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas W. Hillman, who live across the road from the C. & A. station at Godfrey. He leaves two brothers, Warren and Travis, and a sister, Katherine. Bessie Hobson was an adopted girl. She leaves a brother, who was notified of his sister's fate. She was employed as housekeeper for an aged lady in Godfrey, and formerly was employed at Beverly Farm by Dr. W. H. D. Smith. Deputy Coroner C. N. Streeper took charge of the bodies after they were taken from the water. He fixed the time of the inquest for Tuesday evening at 7 o'clock. An effort was made to find the Holmes boy after the discovery was made that the party had been drowned and for a while it was feared that he, too, had lost his life. Residents in the vicinity reported having seen a boy leaving the place and so inquiry was made at the Holmes boy's home and he was found there and members of his family told the story which has been given as his story of what had preceded the drowning. He said that he could not see from where he was what had happened, and he did not know that the drowning had occurred. The funeral of the three Howard children will be held from the home Sunday afternoon, and burials will be in Godfrey Cemetery. The body of Hilman will be sent to Pleasant Hill, Ill., for burial Sunday morning at 10 o'clock. The funeral of Miss Bessie Hobson will be held Sunday morning at ten o'clock from the home of M. W. Hopkins, at 620 East Ninth Street, then on to the St. Patrick's Church. The interment will be in the St. Joseph's Cemetery.
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