Tragedy Tuesday - The Death of Clement Kreitzer (1904)

While Many Stood By Helpless Clement Kreitzer Drowned In Twin Creek Accident Happened So Quickly That No Aid Could Be Rendered    On last Saturday afternoon Mr. Clement Kreitzer of Pyrmont drove over to Twin Creek on the sheep road to fish a little and wash his buggy.  About three o'clock after fishing all he wished, he made preparations to wash his buggy and started to drive into a pool to soak the mud off the wheels.  This pool has for years not been over three feet deep but investigation since the tragedy shows that the last flood has washed it out to a depth of over twelve feet.  As before stated, Mr. Kreitzer drove in on the ripple at the bottom of the pool when suddenly his horse went off of the offset and it is thought that Mr. Kreitzer was precipitated forcibly over the dash.    At this point, the accounts of the eye witnesses of the account differ,  some saying that the unfortunate man never reappeared while others claimed to see him struggle to gain the top of the buggy.  One thing cert-___________________________ .    After half an hour of work a raft was constructed and floated out over the spot where the unfortunate man went down and he was fished out and laid on the bank.  Dr. Brown who arrived on the scene at this time pronounced life extinct and an examination of the body showed a severe wound on the top of the head under which was sufficant to produce unconsciousness, there was also a bruise on the forehead.    The generally excepted theory is that in falling out of the buggy Mr. Kreitzer either struck the wheel or was struck by the horse in his struggles causing insensibility    In the course of an hour the body of the horse came to the surface and was roped and drawn out.  The buggy had one shaft broken showing that the horse had fallen and doubtless had became tangled in the harness and was unable to extricate himself.  The buggy beyond the one broken shaft was not injured.    Tidings of the sad event were at once sent to the family and undertakers Boice & Dunkel came from Brookville and took the remains in charge.    Mr. Kreitzer was 41 years of age _________________________ six children.    The funeral services, which were attended by an immense concourse, were held at Providence Church on Monday afternoon.  Interment at the same place. **Lewisburg Leader(Preble County, Ohio), 25 MAY 1904, Front Page