Submitted by

Robert L. Haddock

 

 

 

 

Marlin Daily Democrat

Saturday, February 2, 1918

 

 

 

DROWNING TRAGEDY OCCURS

 

JOHN BARTLETT FALLS

THROUGH ICE TO DEATH

IN CHILLING

WATERS

           

           

     Venturing too far upon the thin sheet of ice that coated the oil mill lake this morning, John Bartlett, aged 12 years, broke through and was drowned. George Carter, Jr., fell through nearby almost simultaneously, and but for the shallowness of the water he might have suffered a like fate.

 

     For a little over an hour after the recovery of John Bartlett’s body from the chilling waters, physicians and assistants worked frantically to revive him, but no response was ever received.

 

Were Crossing Lake

 

     The two boys, in company with Willie Bartlett, younger brother of deceased, and James Emerson, all of about the same age, had been playing about the lake, when John and George started across. John had gone nearly half way over some 25 yards from the bank, when the ice broke. George was not far from the bank.

 

Pulled in With Rope

 

     Immediately after the boys fell through the ice, the cries of the two on the bank attracted O. E. Blakely, who with some section hands was working on the H. & T. C. railway nearby. They quickly rushed to the scene. In the meantime, a rope had been secured. It was long enough to reach George, who was standing in water nearly waist deep. With it he was pulled in over the ice that surrounded him.

 

Alarm Turned In

 

     Already the alarm had been turned in from the pumping station at the lake and physicians and many others were rushing to the scene.

 

     In the meantime, Mr. Blakely with the aid of his laborers, had extricated a boat, which was frozen in the ice, and began cutting their way to the middle of the lake to recover John, who had disappeared in the water.

 

     In breaking the ice to effect passage for the boat, the rescuers used an axe, which was lost about half way out. They had to return for another one, which was secured at a nearby house. With this they penetrated the ice to the point where John had broken through.

 

Negro Recovers Body

 

     Alex Wilson, a negro, was let down into the water by others in the boat. He secured a hold on the body by locking his feet around it and it was lifted out.

 

Pulse Was Beating

 

     The lad’s pulse was still beating, according to Mr. Blakely. They let the water out of his body and rushed it to the pumphouse nearby where efforts to resuscitate him failed, after frantic efforts had been made, an oxygen tank finally being called into use in a attempt to sustain life.

 

Made Brave Fight

 

     According to eyewitnesses, John made a brave fight before submerging. The water where he fell in was almost over his head, but for some time he managed to keep his nose and mouth above surface by clinging to the ice, which repeatedly gave way beneath his hold, making it impossible for him to climb. Two theories are advanced as to why he was finally compelled to go under. One is that in reaching for the edge of the ice he missed it and plunged beneath, being unable to return to the top for air. Another is that he simply became exhausted from the effects of the struggle in the icy water, which must have chilled him to the bone.

 

Attended Local Schools

 

     The dead boy had been attending the local schools and was in the high sixth grade. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Z. W. Bartlett, was born October 28, 1905, and had lived in Marlin with his parents all his life.

 

     Funeral arrangments had not been completed at press hour, but is probable that it will be held Sunday afternoon.