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Liechty, Adolph (1907-1938)
Christlicher Bundesbote obituary: 1938 Apr 26 p. 13
Birth date: 1907
Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1938 Apr 20 p. 1
text of obituary:
Compositor of Berne Witness Co. Meets Death by Drowning.
The Berne Witness of Berne, Ind. reports the following tragedy which occurred there on Saturday, April 9:
Berne, April 11. — Adolph Liechty, 30, son of Mr. and Mrs. Peter Liechty of one mile north of Berne on highway 27, and Berne Witness company compositor met with tragic death at about 3:00 o'clock Saturday afternoon by drowning.
The accident happened when the canoe, to which was fastened a sail, overturned in the Wabash River back water about two miles south of Berne on the Tile Mill road on the Peter M. Neuenschwander farm. The flooded region is generally known as the conope.
His body was not recovered until 7:40 o'clock, although five boats and nealy [sic] a score of men searched the cold waters more than four hours. All but one of the boats were motorized.
Liechty's companion and neighbor, Jonas Neuenschwander, age 18, son of Chris Neuenschwander of north of Berne, was able to swim to shore but collapsed when he entered the door of his grandfather's house.
Liechty's body was recovered not far from the place he was last seen by Norbert Hoffman, Fire Chief Leonard Baumgartner,Leonard Whitehurst and Ermin Bixler, all members of the Berne Volunteer Fire department. The body was about 500 feet from land, in water between six and eight feet deep.
The two young men began sailing the canoe at the canope school house bridge and were enjoying the fun, according to Clarie and Marvin Sprunger, sons of Leonard Sprunger, who were witnesses to the entire tragic affair and who sounded the alarm for help as promptly as possible.
Funeral services were held Tuesday afternoon, April 12, at the Berne Mennonite church, Rev. C. H. Suckau, officiating.
