Appleton, WI World War I Veterans Drown, May 1929

WAR VETERANS MISSING SINCE SUNDAY NIGHT

Part of Boat Men Used to Cross River Is Found in Water.

More than a score of boats were dragging the Fox river below the bridge across the river near the Little Chute paper mill Monday noon for the bodies of August Mollen and George Van Berkel, who are believed to have drowned early Sunday evening.

The two men were last seen about 7:45 Sunday night in a small skiff in the tailrace below the bridge. They had been fishing. Early Monday morning a small seat, which was known to have been in the boat occupied by the pair was taken from the water at the Combined Locks boom and Little Chute authorities immediately issued orders to begin dragging the river.

The searching parties were working under direction of Anton Jausen, village president, and James Gerrits, chief of police.

Both Van Berkel and Mollen are married men and the fathers of four children, and both are veterans of the World war. Van Berkel is a government employe[sic] and Mollen is a carpenter.

Appleton Post Crescent, Appleton, WI 13 May 1929
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Transcribed by Linda Horton. Thank you, Linda!