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MARIBEL BOYS ffHO WERE FOUND IN RIVER AFTER WEEK’S ABSENCE ARE TO BE BURIED ON SAME DAYLait Chapter To Happy Birthday Celebration Which Ended In Trtgedy Is Written As Bodies Are Recovered Friday AfternoonDesire to continue a birthday celebration, that started at Polifka’s Corners last Saturday night, to this city, when it appeared that the event was not to continue longer at the country place, indirectly led to the death by drowning, in the river here, of Leo Wanek, 21-year-old Maribel youth, who attained. Uvs majority but crireV hours*befuxc- V,re • L-ifeft-}' plunge off the dock at the fool of South Ninth street here and his seventeen-year-old companion, Marvin Luedtke, also of Maribel.Washington street, to go over Eighth street bridge, and mlspjudg-ed the distance, turning south on Ninth street In the belief that they were on Eighth street.At the dead -end of tho street there Is a red warning light near the North Western spur track, a street light near the water's edge, with a big white and black striped Stop warning board. In addition the bow of tho steamer White Swan, moored at the Oriental dockfor the winter sticks out to beyond fcV.viw'v- of'-tbv* Wfllltk.Recovery of the Wanek car from the river bottom at the bow of the steamer White Swan, at the dead end ol South Ninth street, with Wan-ek’s body behind the wheel, shortly after four o’clock Friday afternoon, was followed au hour later by the hooking of the clothing of tho Luedtke. boy. who bad evidently gone through the fop of the car. The recovery of the two bodies ended a search for a week that has been under way by the parents, and county authorities, started Monday morning, when the pair failed to return to tho homos of their parents, residing on a rural route out of Maribel.And the two youths will be buried In cemeteries near Maribel on the same day. next Monday. Wam-k will be bulled from Kellnersvilb* at ten In the morning. Tho funeral of Mnrvin Lm-dtke will be in thi* afternoon at Maribel.it Is figured, was coming along al a good speed, with the Windshield badly frosted when the big stop sign loomed In fNnt of him. He probably swung the wheel sharply to the left to avoid striking tho sign, and the oar swept over the dock, clearing the nose of the White Swan, and a largo steel mooring chain, and plunged Into the river overturning as it did so and landing on the bottom, wheels upWanek probably died behind the wheel. Whether Luedtko brokeCome Here Too^therPieced together, the Information gnlued from tho parents of the oung men and from their companions disclosed that, while Luedtke and Wanek did not go to Polifka’s last Saturday night together, they came on to Manitowoc Inter in'the evening In Wanek’s Ford coupe. Here tho pair proceeded to a dance in progress at Weber’s ball on Washington street, where Wanek. proud In tho possession of a new $40 accordion, sat in with the or chest ra there and played for the. dance until It broke up nt three Sunday morning. It wns then that. th«* pair started on their fatal ride.The recovery of the bodies of the two young men In the river here was a shock to the parents of both. They figured that the boys had gone off on a trip and would be beard Trom most any time. Hut the Tact that there wan only about $3 or $4 between them In actual cash caused apprehension of something serious hRvlng happened to them as tho days went on with no word.Find First CluesFirst definite clue that tho car and the bodies were in the river camo when Policeman Chns. Novak and Deputies Anton and Jamea Novy from. tho sheriffs oftice. struck an.object on the river bottom at tho foot of South Ninth streot. shortly before two yesterday afternoon. Novy, working about the object with a pike pole, brought up a bit of stuffing or padding usually found In (he tops of a coupe. This resulted in Sheriff Carstens ordering up the big dor.xlckJLCQw of the Antonsen Co. from the foot ~of'RmrnrSl*th“stTDOtr------By this time the news had spread throughout the city and It was e« tlmated that when the scow In tow of the gasoline tug reached the scene shortly after three o'clock there was a crowd of 1.000 people lining the docks on bo1h sldeR o( the river and aeeking vnntnge points on the Whlto Swan and other traft In the vicinity. Tho hooks were dropped Into the river near the dock and soon hooked the car. It was raised to the surface hut the hookR fnlled to hold and it dropped buck to tho bottom. Rut enough was seen to make certain that it was the Wnnek coupe.Only One Bpdy In CarIn the next try the hooks hold and soon extra chains were fastened to the car through the upper frames, as all the windows in the coupe were broken. As the car was raised to tho surfneo again, wheels first, the body of Wnnek was In the enr slumped over the steering wheel. But Luedtke was miRS-!ng. The body was taken front the car and placed on tho dock and then the car raised higher and Bwung over on the largo derrick scow.The scow was moved out a bit from the dock and drags secured to search for the Luedtke body. Shortly before five o'clock Policeman Novak with his drag caught the trouser leg1 of the Luedtke lad. and pulled him to the surface. And not until then did tho crowd move away from the scene. Neither body was badly bloated or marked up In any way.Reconstruct Last RideAuthorities today were able, to reconstruct the story of Just wha» took place. Last Saturday night was the coldest of the present winter,. The thermomeUM' dropped to 13 below zero. During the hours that tho Wanek coupo was parked near tho Wo her parlors on Washington streot It Is presumed Hint nil tho windows frosted up badly wanek and Luedtke, starting on their return Journey, went east onfi'*t* through the tup of the coupi after it struck the water Is not known. His body may have worked free from tho coupo days after tho fatal crash. With tho bodies recovered and turned over to undertakers. tho work of the rescuers was over. The scow was taken back down the river and the Wanek coupe was placed on the dock and later removed to the Huppert ga-rage.Wanek’g Father HereFrank Watirk of Maribel accompanied by rriends was in the city VMStcrday. and two hours before tbs discovery of tin* car and the bodies, was in the HoraJd-Ncws office, expressing tho hope that some word from his son and Luedtko would be heard. The parents of the Luedtko boy at Maribel were not it led at onco of the finding of the body of their son.The two young men are members of a party of youths in tho vicinity of Maribel who have been In the habit of meeting often. It was such a gathering that waa arranged for last Saturday night, with Wanek the principal figure by reason of the fact that Sunday was his twon-tv-first birthday. When the birMu dav festivities at I'olifka’s Corner?* did not turn out as expected a shift to Manitowoc was decided on. Wanek. an only son. had for years 1m.m ii a musiciun and played the accordion. Only a few weeks aco his parents presented him with a new instrument, lie took It with him last Saturday night, tu aid in the birthday festivities. And so when ho and Luedtke reached the dance here, he took his accordion Into the hall and Joined In with the orchestra playing there until tho good night waltz was played.Complete Funeral ArrangementsThe body of Marvin Luedtko was token to the Wattawn. I'rbatick Schlef parlors. It will he removed to the home on route 1, Maribel, Sunday where It may he viewed tip to the time of the funeral. The youth was seventeen years of age. and after completing the grade school, worked with his father on tho farm. Besides tho parents, Mr.- and Mrs. Carl Luedtke, four brothers. Ervin of this city, Raymond and Leroy at Cireen Bay. and Clarence at homo and ono sister. Elfrleda at home, survive. Funeral services will be held Monday afternoon at one o’clock from the homo and at two o’clock from the St. jQlm.3.a.uthlt;Lr(in chnxch. liL.Mtvr. ibel. Mrs. Luedtke Hub been an invalid for years and n shock from her son’s dentil is feared.The remnlns of Leo Wanek were removed to the Emil Husar under taking parlors at Kellnersvllle and will be taken to the home tomorrow. Tho parents. Mr. and Mrs Frank Wanek. nre the sole survivors. Funeral services will he held at ten o’clock Monday morning from the St. Joseph church Rt Kell-neraville.Rocovery of tho two bodies late yesterday afternoon relieved the strain that the parents and friends of tho young men hnvo been under for the past several days. Eveu this morning there wus a throng of tho Idle curious gathered at the dock nt tho foot of South Ninth street, where the Wanek car made the fatal plunge In the early morning hours of last Sunday’s Ll-helow. zero weather,alStlLudauperep(MANITOWOCcor$ cor a PI tod grt unc inCbtiochitiotrhtiore?terbeeLIMAN HIGH FORSTATE JOB.. ’• Lmmi» Wire!MADISON. Fob. 6—Victor K. Hendries, Manitowoc, Charles A. GUI, Sun Prairie, and Harold F. Crawford, Madison, have been certified to'the state dairy and rood division today as eligible for appointment as seulei of weights and measures, A. E. Carey, stale personnel director, announced today. Due job is to he filled.i, 1LeiPeiiycorsetfor1Melfor/pitlurevlioiMr. Hendries Is u ehemlbL with • he Allwood.Lime Company and resides In this city. He Is marriedand resldOB at 727 N. Ninth street.IAllanlt;braye*cet
Newspaper Details
Manitowoc Herald News
Manitowoc, Wisconsin, US
Sat, Feb 06, 1932
Page 6
Full Page
Clipped by
Badgerlink
WI, USA 17 Nov 2016
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