Karl Dick

1935: Unknown newspaper

FALLS INTO CREEK, DROWNS NEAR OLMSTEAD

Aged Man’s Body Is Found a Mile From the Scene

Karl Dick, 83, was drowned late Monday afternoon when he fell or was swept by the strong wind into a creek that he was walking across on a bridge while returning from Olmstead to the home of his daughter, Mrs. Frank Unger, where he lived, a short distance west of the town.  The aged man’s body was found a mile from the point where he had fallen, a swift current carrying it along with great speed in the creek that had become a swollen raging river as the storm broke over the Olmstead area and a near cloud-burst of rain poured upon the hills and rushed into the long, narrow valley.  Mr. Dick was last seen alive by a neighbor, Mrs. John Holhuber, who saw him climb over a fence as he walked toward home. The storm then blotted him out of her vision. Worried, Mrs. Holhuber called Mrs. Unger and asked if her father had gotten home. She didn’t even know her father had left the house. She thought he was still asleep in a bedroom, she having prevailed upon him to lie down and rest during the afternoon following his return from Grand Chain, where he had 14 teeth pulled just before noon.  She quickly looked in the bedroom and found that her father was missing. She then realized that it was her father that the neighbor had seen and that something must have happened to him. A search was quickly made along the route toward where he was last seen. His hat and cane were found at a foot crossing of the small creek just beyond the point where Mrs. Holhuber had last seen him through the storm. Less than two hours later his body was recovered a mile down stream.  One theory of the accident was that Mr. Dick slipped and fell, striking his head so hard that he became unconscious and lay in that condition until the rapidly gathering waters swelled into the creek and then carried him away. It was thought there was not enough water in the creek at the time to move him out into the larger stream. Also, what appeared to be blood stains were found on the stake across the footpath from which he apparently had fallen, his cane being caught around this stake.  The jury’s verdict at the inquest took into consideration the probability that Mr. Dick had fallen and been rendered unconscious before the water was deep or swift enough to carry him away. The verdict was to the effect that he was accidentally drowned after falling and being injured. The inquest was conducted by Coroner O.T. Hudson.  He is survived by seven daughters, Mrs. Unger, Bertha Kynaston of Chicago, Mary Mikken of Mariana, Ark.., Minnie Ohnmais of Chicago, Louise Schnaare of America, Amelia Bagby of Olmstead, and Flo McDaniels of Chicago, and three sons, Otto, Rudolph and John Dick, all of Olmstead.  The body upon being recovered was taken in charge by G.A. James, undertaker. The body was later taken to the home of his son, Otto Dick, in Olmstead. Funeral services will be held Wednesday afternoon at 2 o’clock at the St. Luke’s Lutheran church at Olmstead, Rev. A.M. Galen officiating.  Interment will be made in the Concord cemetery. G.A. James will be in charge.