Piro and Huff Drown in Pekin Lake
Contributed by: Carole Martin
Thank Carole!

Nov. 15, 1911 Peoria Newspaper
Hunting Trip Proves Fatal
Charles Huff and Jack Piro Drowned in Pekin Lake - Huff's Body Found- Inquest Held

Charles Huff and Jack Piro two of Pekin's well known young men, drowned in Pekin Lake some time Monday night as they were returning from a duck hunt to Round Pond which lies about one mile north of Pekin lake and west of Grove Siding. Mr. Huff and Mr. Piro had been planning a hunting trip for some time and they decided to make it Monday. They left the city shortly before 10 o'clock. Before leaving both men said they would return about 3 o'clock that evening to look after business affairs.
The last time the men were seen was between the hours of 3 and 5 o'clock in Round Pond. Jacob Becker passed the hunters in a row boat shortly after 3 o'clock. He said they had their string of decoys out and were waiting for a shot. At about 4:15, was the last seen them alive, Joe Albrecht and Geo. Slater, who were also hunting at Round Pond, saw Huff and Piro chasing a tame duck which they used as decoy and that they were getting ready to pull out for home.

Drowned in Pekin Lake
The supposition is that Mr. Huff and Mr. Piro on leaving Round Pond had safely researched Pekin Lake and in attempting to cross in a heavy wind and rough water the boat capsized as neither could swim they were drowned.

Searching Parties Out
At 10:30 o'clock Monday night searching parties started out. Harvey Porter and Gus Schwinn, two old experienced river men, took a row boat and made a search of Round Pond; while others made trips to Grove Siding and places along Pekin and Wesley Lakes in hopes they would be able to find them. Many were of the opinion that the men had become lost, while others thought they probably gone to a cabin boat along the lake to spend the night. The searching parties were out as late as 2 o'clock yesterday morning but no trace of them could be fund.

Finding Huff's Body
As Carl Regenes was returning from a duck hunt yesterday morning, shortly before 1o'clock, he notices a boat drifting and made an investigation. On one of the oar locks was fastened a heavy piece of cord, seemingly to be holding something heavy and causing the boat to be carried on it's side. As Regerts slowly pulled for the end of the cord, he brought the body of Huff to the surface of the water. The cord was wrapped about the arm of the victim in such a manner that leads one to believe that he made a desperate struggle for life and in doing so fastened the cord to the oar lock. The body was found in the lake above the last ice house and pulled to the west side of the lake. Coroner Niegarth was notified and the body was ordered removed to Kueck's undertaking establishment.

The Inquest
A jury composed of J.J. Stumm, foremen, C.A. Back, Frank Brown, Ed Wetzel, Issac Haan and Grant Sturdyvin was empanelled and the Inquest was held at 11 o'clock yesterday morning, the jury returning verdict of accidental drowning.

Charles Huff
Charles Huff was 27 years old and came from Mason City three years ago as a bartender for Jack Richford, then in the saloon business. Later he worked for R. Sunman and for the past two years has been in the employ of William Hoff at 321 Court Street. He is survived by his young widow, who lives on Tharp Place, and by his aged father and other relatives at Mason City.

Jack Piro
Jack Piro has been a resident of Pekin for a number of years. He was engaged in the restaurant and fruit business in the 300 block of Court Street. He is survived by his widow and three children, his aged parents, two brother, James and Giacomo Piro and several sisters, all of this city.
Note from Carole: I only learned of a sister recently. That being Carmella . I have not found any evidence that there were several sisters in this city, although I don't doubt at all that there were many siblings in that Italian family. We know there were relatives in Champaign, IL., St. Joseph, MO., Memphis, TN. and Macon, GA.

Reward Offered
A reward of $10 has been offered for the recovery of Piro's body. Up to the late hour last night the body was not found.

 


Peoria Paper, Pekin Section, Thursday Nov. 16,1911
PEKIN
Body Still in Water
The body of Jack Piro still remains in the water of Pekin Lake. Up to a late hour last evening fisherman and hunters were seen dragging for the remains, but the day's labors were unsuccessful. The body has been in the water now two days and many river men and others are of the opinion that it will probably take some time before the body of Piro is recovered, as bodies are slow in raising to the surface in cold weather. The river is rising and the water in Pekin Lake is a number of feet above the dam. It is not known just where he was drowned and this with the possibility that the body was carried a distance by the waves is a handicap for the searchers. A reward has been increased to $25. by Mrs. Piro and many parties were yesterday with large reins, while others were using grappling hooks.

Nov. 18, 1911
Eighty Dollars for Piro's Body
Pekin Lake will be dynamited Today- Searchers Handicapped Yesterday by high winds and rough water

The body of Jack Piro remains in the water of Pekin Lake. Yesterday the searchers were greatly handicapped in their work account of high wind and rough water, and only a few parties were seen dragging for the remains. The body has been in the water now four days. It now appears that all attempts by dragging are futile and the use of dynamite will now be resorted to. R.E. Rossiter an experienced river man and Harvey White the electrician of the sugar works, will be employed to touch off the explosives today.
With the passing of the fourth day without the recovery of the body the reward, to the one who finds the body, has been raised to $80. Of this amount, the family will give $50 and the other $30 will be given by J. M. Seibert, Dr. H.D. Manchester and Adolph Nierstheimer, friends of the deceased.


Monday, Nov. 20, 1911
Jack Piro's Body still in Lake

Although the searchers have been spurred on by the offer of a reward of $80 for the body of Jack Piro, their efforts have been unsuccessful and the body of the fruit dealer is still at the bottom of Pekin Lake, where he met his death in the double drowning a week ago today, when he and Charles Huff were returning from a hunting trip.
Sunday a party composed of E.H. Rosseter and A.W. Bandy and others were employed in firing dynamite to bring the body to the surface. A number of blasts of a pound and a half each were placed in the water and fired with a water proof fuse, but they did not have the desired effect and the body of the drowned hunter still rests in the lake.
It is not known just where Piro was drowned. Nobody saw the accident, consequently it is not known just where it occurred. The body of Huff was found by the boat about forty yards from the west bank of Pekin Lake across from the last ice house, but the boat may have drifted with its human burden in tow for some distance across the lake before being stooped by a snag in the underbrush.
The underbrush is dense near the west side of the lake, but the high water now covers it, and Sunday hunters and men who know the lake gave out that they believe the body has been entangled in this underbrush and thus cannot be secured by hooks or dynamite.

Note from Carole : Note: None of the news stories mention Jack’s Empire Ice Cream & Candy Shop which I know he had. The fruit Business must have been in the Piro blood. Giacomo and Cosima Piro and Charles and Charles Carmella Pamson were also in the fruit business. Giacomo and Cosima’s store was located at 427 Court St. While Charley and Carmella’s store was in the 5 points area, which would be around the 600 block of Court St. today. Another news article mentioned Jack’s business being in the 300 block of Court. Perhaps where the Empire Theater was later located??


April 1, 1912, Peoria paper
Piro Body Recovered
Found Frozen in Ice in Pekin Lake Sunday Afternoon
Was drowned Nov. 13, 1911
The body of Jack Piro, who drowned on Monday, November 13, 1911, was found in the west side of Pekin lake Sunday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock by Henry and Wm. Hinkle and Lee Bandy. The body was discovered in the ice as the men were nearing a fishing net which they intended to buying from a Peorian.

Piro was found about forty yards from the west side of the lake, across from the last ice house and about 100 yards below where Carl Regents found the body of Charles Huff on the following day of the drowning of the hunters.

Coroner Notified
Immediately after finding of Piro yesterday Wm. Hinkle rowed to shore, while his companions guarded the body and notified Coroner Niergarth. Upon the arrival of the coroner, he, with the Undertaker Wilmot was rowed to the west side of the lake. The ice was chopped from the human form and the body was towed to the east shore, from where it was ordered taken to the Kueck's morgue at which place an inquest will be held this morning.

The Drowning
Jack Piro, with his companion, Charles Huff, was drowned in Pekin Lake on Monday. Nov. 13, 1911 as he was returning from a hunting trip to Round pond. A fierce gale whipped the lake on the night of the drowning And the supposition is that the boat capsized while the hunters were attempting to cross to the east shore. The body of Huff was found the following day.

The Reward
To encourage the prosecution of the search for Piro last fall a reward of $70 was offered by the family and several intimate friends of the dead man. The reward offered will probably be divided equally between the Hinkle brothers and Bandy.

Engaged in Fruit Business
Prior to drowning Jack Piro was engaged in the fruit business to acquire a competence. He was passionately fond of fishing and hunting and his love for the latter sport led to his untimely death. Beside his wife he leaves several children and a number of relatives. Funeral arrangement will be made later.

April 2, 1912
Funeral services for Jack Piro who was drowned in Pekin Lake Nov. 13, 1911, will take place tomorrow morning at 9 o'clock from St. Joseph Catholic church, with Father Sullivan officiating. The body may be viewed at the Kocck's morgue this afternoon between the hours of 2 to 4 o'clock. The casket will not be opened at the church.
Notes can't make out._

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