Madison County
Edwardsville (IL) Intelligencer, August 11, 1930
Two Edwardsville Women Lost Lives in Mississippi River; Double Tragedy Ends Picnic
Step into Deep Water, Caught by an Undertow
Mrs. Dunstedter and Mrs. Klein Swept Away in Presence of Others, Bodies Recovered and Brought Home
Found Near Place Where They Sunk
Searchers Spent Part of Night in Vain and Return to Scene at Sunrise, Funeral Arrangements are not Completed.
Mrs. Leona Dunstedter, wife of George J. (Nude) Dunstedter, and Mrs. Dora Klein, a widow, both of Edwardsville,
were drowned in the Mississippi River, on the shore of Eagle's Nest Island opposite Elsah Sunday afternoon at 4
o'clock shortly before a picnic party of which they were members was due to return to Alton. Elsah is about 10
miles north of Alton. Miss Hazel Betzold of Edwardsville, sister of Mrs. Dunstedter, and Mr. Dunstedter, narrowly
escaped getting into the deeper water where the two victims sank from view and are believed to have been carried
away by a swift undertow of the stream. During the afternoon members of the party donned their bathing suits and
helmets to splash around the shallow water near the shore. Little swimming had been done and the deep water a short
distance away had not been discovered.
Searching parties were organized last night and worked for several hours. Failing to find any trace of the bodies
the searchers went home, returning to the scene early this morning. After the bodies were recovered, they were
placed aboard the Keller launch and brought to Alton. Deputy Coroner Robert Streeper took charge of the bodies
and conducted the inquest at 4 o'clock this afternoon. He said the bodies were found on the Illinois side of the
stream and just below the Madison-Jersey county line, some distance down stream from the island. The two women,
neither of whom were able to swim, were wading in the water not deeper that their knees. They had the hands of
Miss Betzold, who is also unable to swim. Almost at the same instance, they released their grips and were swept
away. Mr. Dunstedter was unable to reach them.
The nine persons in the party had gone to the island in a 20-passenger motor boat owned by Udell Keller, owner
of a fish market at Alton, a former resident of Edwardsville, Harvey Baker, pilot of the launch, and expert swimmer
dived in hopes of finding the two women. After he failed, Mr. Keller went for help. A bright moon and search lights
from motor boats helped the men using grappling hooks but after six hours they gave up until this morning. Those
in the party yesterday were Mr. and Mrs. Udell Keller, their son Earl, 6 years old, Mr. and Mrs. Dunstedter, Mrs.
Dora Klein and son, Junior Fremont, Miss Hazel Betzold, and Harvey Baker. The two children of Mr. and Mrs. Dunstedter,
Norma and Donald, remained in Edwardsville yesterday and visited their grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Betzold.
Word of the double tragedy reached Edwardsville shortly after 5 o'clock last night. Early reports indicated that
Mrs. Dunstedter and the son of Mrs. Klein were the two who lost their lives. Mrs. Dunstedter's tragic death is
the first in the family and a sever shock to the family. She was the eldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Betzold and
would have been 37 years old on Oct 24, next. She was born in Ft. Russell Township and spent her life in Edwardsville
and vicinity. During the summer of 1914 she was married to Mr. Dunstedter, automobile dealer and connected with
the garage at the Edward Hesse station on South Buchanan Street. Besides her parents, husband and two children,
she is survived by two brothers and three sisters. They are Elmer and Percy Betzold, Miss Hazel Betzold of Edwardsville
and Mrs. Elsie Hammond, Chicago and Mrs. Doris Wickenhauser of Alton.
Mrs. Klein was also a native of Ft. Russell Township, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Otto Mehmken, now of Roxana. The
date of her birth was July 23, 1896 and she observed her 34th birthday a few days ago. Her husband ended his life
here about 2 years ago in his gasoline service station at Main and Union streets. Besides her parents and son,
she is survived by a sister and four brothers. They are Mrs. Udell Keller, August, Fred, Edward, and Herman Mehmken,
all of Rozana.
Edwardsville (IL) Intelligencer, August 12, 1930
Drowned Victims Funerals Planned
Services will be Held Wednesday for Two Who Lost Lives Sunday in Mississippi
Verdicts of death from accidental drowning were returned late yesterday afternoon by a coroner's jury, which investigated
the deaths of Mrs. Leona Dunstedter, wife of George J. Dunstedter, Jr, and Mrs. Dora Klein, a widow, who were drowned
in the Mississippi River south of Elsah Sunday afternoon.
The bodies were recovered yesterday morning at 10 o'clock. They were found floating in the water along a sandbar
near the place where they sank Sunday. The very low stage of the Mississippi River at present contributed in the
deaths. The two women were wading the shallow water along a sandbar that would be naturally covered at this season
of the year. The bottom of the stream is very uneven at these places and the victims stepped from the shallow water
into one of the deeper depressions.
The bodies were removed to the Straube-Schneider funeral home this afternoon. That of Mrs. Dunstedter was taken
to the home of her parents Mr. and Mrs. Fred Betzold, on Center Street, Edwardsville. That of Mrs. Klein was taken
to the home of Mr. and Mrs. Udell Keller on the Edwardsville-Alton road at Roxana.
Funeral services for Mrs. Dunstedter will be held Wednesday morning at 10 o'clock from the Betzold residence to
Eden Evangelical Church at 10:30 o'clock. She will be buried at St. James' Cemetery, north of Edwardsville.
Services for Mrs. Klein will be held Wednesday afternoon at 1:30 o'clock from the Keller residence to Eden Evangelical
Church here at 2 o'clock. She will be buried at the Wanda Cemetery.
Rev. H. J. Bredehoeft will conduct both services.
Edwardsville (IL) Intelligencer, August 14, 1930
River Victims Funerals Held
Services for Mrs. George Dunstedter and Mrs. Dora Klein Are Conducted Yesterday
Funeral services for Mrs. George Dunstedter and Mrs. Dora Klein, who were drowned in the Mississippi River south
of Elsah Sunday afternoon, were held yesterday. The services for Mrs. Dunstedter were held yesterday morning at
10 o'clock at the Fred Betzold residence here, thence Eden Evangelical Church at 10:30 o'clock with Rev. H. J.
Bredehoeft officiating.
Thos attending the services from out of town were, Mrs. Richard Betzold, Mrs. Edward Rutger of St Louis; Mrs. Edgar
Ruffner, Mrs. Fred Buck and Edward Dirking and son Warren of East St Louis; George Betzold of Collinsville; Mrs.
John Betzold of Chicago; Mrs. Lula Cuetkin and daughter Velma and son Roy, Mrs. Sophie Betzold and Adam Betzold
of Nokomis; Mr. and Mrs. John Wickenhauser and two daughters, Rose and Bertha, Mrs. Joseph Wickenhauser and Mr.
and Mrs. William Wickenhauser and daughter Katherine of Alton; and Mr. and Mrs. August Bolhorst and daughter of
East Alton. The pallbearers were, Frank L Nash, L T Cullens, Mart Nash, Charles H Soelke and Joseph Lieber. Interment
was in the St James' Cemetery, north of Edwardsville.
The services for Mrs. Klein were held yesterday afternoon at 1:30 o'clock from the Udell Keller residence near
Roxana to the Eden Evangelical Church here at 2 o'clock. Rev. H. J. Bredehoeft conducted the rites.
The persons attending the services from out of town were, Mr. and Mrs. George Neunaber, Mr. and Mrs. Edward Neunaber
of Alton, Mr. and Mrs. William Neunaber, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Vaughn of Bethalto, Mr. and Mrs. E W Vaughn, Mr. and
Mrs. Russell Durham, Carl, Walter, Lewis, and Miss Lucille Vaughn and Herman of Wood River, John Neunaner and daughter,
Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Neunaber of Bethalto, Mr. and Mrs. Eldon Vaughn, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Neunaber of Upper Alton.
The pall bearers were George, Herman and Henry Neunaber and Louis, Walter, and Charles Vaughn. Interment was in
the Wanda Cemetery.
Back to Madison County Main Page.
©Genealogy Trails