Days Gone By In Staunton

Thursday, June 28, 1923 -- LIVINGSTON MAN DROWNED FRIDAY -- Lost Life While Swimming in Reservoir -- Anton Korun of Livingston Friday afternoon at about 4 o'clock was drowned in the reservoir east of Livingston while he was out swimming. A number of Livingston people were at the reservoir at the time, enjoying an outing. Most of the people there at the time were unable to swim, and Korun, who was a large and powerfully built man, offered to carry members of the party to the other side of the reservoir on his back. He took a boy of about eleven years, and with him on his back, started to swim across to the other shore. When about half way across, members of the picnic party noticed Koran make an effort to turn back and then suddenly disappear in the water. Wm. Langer at once started after the boy, who could not swim, and brought him safely to shore.

Koran went down and according to witnesses, his body did not come up again and he drowned in about 12 to 15 feet of water. The body was recovered several hours later and Coroner Mercer conducted an inquest Friday evening at Livingston, where a verdict of accidental drowning was returned. The body, when found, was near the spot where Korun disappeared in the water and was located by Fred Miller.

Korun at the time of his death was 36 years, 3 months and 5 days old. Funeral services were conducted Monday morning at 9:30 o'clock from the Miners' Hall, followed by interment at the Spangle cemetery. Rev. M. A. Souers of Staunton was the officiating clergyman and the Livingston Miners' Local, of which deceased was a member, was in charge of the funeral. Korun had been married but was divorced and so far as could be learned had no other near relatives in this vicinity.

EMIL F. GRABRUCK KILLED BY TRAIN -- Accident at Worden Resulted in his Death Several Hours Later -- Emil F. Grabruck, one of the well known men of our community, Thursday afternoon died at the St. Francis Hospital at Litchfield from the effects of injuries sustained several hours earlier when a Ford coupe in which he and Thomas Brewer were riding was struck by a Wabash freight train at the K.D. crossing at Worden.

Mr. Grabruck was engaged in the timber business and owned a piece of timber land near Worden. Mr. Brewer had a contract to cut some props for the K.D. mine at Worden and the two men were returning to the mine after looking over the timber when the accident occurred.

According to evidence brought out at the inquest, which was conducted Thursday evening at Litchfield, the front end of the coupe was struck by the locomotive of the train and the car was literally torn to bits. How the men escaped instant death is little short of miraculous. The engineer and fireman testified that they gave the customary signals for the crossing and that the view at this point is unobstructed.

Grabruck had both legs broken, one of them at two places, and several ribs were fractured and pressed against the heart. A special car was at once summoned on the Illinois Traction System and the two men were rushed to the St. Francis Hospital, where Grabruck expired a short time later. Hasty examinations made while enroute to the hospital indicated that he had but little chance to live. Emil Grabruck was 51 years old at the time of his death.

Brewer's injuries consisted of a broken arm and bruises about the head and body and he is at present convalescing nicely at the St. Francis Hospital.

PLANNING TO BUILD CLUBHOUSE SOON -- The first annual meeting of the stockholders of the Oak Hill Country Club was held Saturday evening at the office of President Paul Luker. Among the business transacted at this session was the election of three directors to fill the expired terms of three members of the Board of Directors.

Those chosen for this purpose were Bruno F. Meyer and Fred J. Stolse of our city and A.E. Fischer of Mt. Olive. After considerable discussion of various matters of interest to the members of the Club, a motion was carried to proceed at once to draw up plans for an adequate club house and when the plans and specifications have been prepared and the cost determined, another meeting of the stockholders is to be called at which time the membership is to place its stamp of approval on the work done.

The hot weather of the past week or so has caused a great many of the members of the Club to visit the grounds and seek relief from the oppressive heat in the cool shade of the great trees which abound on the grounds. The little swimming and bathing pool in the creek is one of the most popular spots on the grounds and on Sunday afternoon was visited by large numbers. Quite a few people on Sunday also enjoyed an outing at the club grounds, bringing their lunch and spending the day.

A number of the members are at present arranging to erect benches and tables at various places for the accommodation of picnic parties and several temporary structures to be used as dressing rooms for the golf players and bathers are also to be built.

With each succeeding day the membership is showing more and more interest in their beautiful picnic grounds and once the club house is added to the other attractions, Staunton people will make regular pilgrimages to the club grounds in large numbers. Expert swimmers find great pleasure in the large reservoir, which, thanks to the heavy rains of the past several months, contains a considerable quantity of water.

The Oak Hill Country Club has gotten under way and accomplished a great deal in a comparatively short time and if the members will continue to work in harmony, a recreation ground which will be the pride of the community will result.

FARMERS CUTTING WHEAT -- These are busy days for the farmers as the wheat harvest is on full blast. Some started cutting Saturday; and on Monday practically all farmers were on the job, cutting the golden grain. In a number of instances tractors are being used for pulling binders and these people are making short work of what otherwise is a hard and tiresome task. The yield promises to be very satisfactory in most instances.