OBITUARY: Chicago Tribune, August 11, 1957
James G. Boltz, age 19, suddenly, late residence 6540 N. Oshkosh avenue, beloved son of Major John B. and Alice Boltz, nee Bloomquist; brother of Capt. John D. Boltz of St. Joseph, Mich. Resting at funeral home, 6754 Northwest highway, until noon Tuesday, Aug. 13. Services 2 p.m. at the Edison Park Methodist church, Oliphant and Pratt avenues. Interment Ridgewood cemetery.
Benton Harbor newspaper, Monday, August 5, 1957, page 1
WAVES DASH YOUTH OFF PIER TO DEATH!
Brother Tries To Save Him
Lake Claim Chicagoan
A 19-year-old Chicagoan was swept to his death in turbulent Lake Michigan Sunday afternoon when a crashing wave pulled him off a narrow ledge on the north pier of St. Joseph harbor. The 10th drowning victim of the season in Berrie county was James Boltz, a sophomore student at the University of Illinois and son of Mr. and Mrs. John Boltz of Chicago.
He was visiting his brother John Boltz, 29, of 2917 Lake Shore drive, St. Joseph, and insurance adjuster for Western Adjustment and Inspection company.
The victim, his brother, and a classmate, Denny Barry, 19, had planned to spend the afternoon sailing, but were forced to abandon the idea by towering waves on the lake.
Both companions were nearby when James Boltz was swept to his death.
ROUGH WATER hindered rescue operations of the U.S. Coast Guard and the St. Joseph police harbor patrol. The body had not been recovered this morning.
According to the coast guardsmen, the younger Boltz brother attempted to walk past the main light tower on the north pier, via an 18-inch-wide passage.
Walking on the pier with his companions, he elected to try to get around the light tower on the north side, coast guards said, while the other two chose to go around the south side.
Coast guardsman Charles Denny said the heaviest waves of this season were pounding over the pier from the northwest side of the light tower. He conjectured the youth tried to go around the exposed side of the tower between waves but was struck by a wave before he could make it.
A steel handrail skirts the north side of the tower, but the youth either did not hold onto it or was torn away by the surge of water, Denny said.
The older brother told police later he thought he was going to be able to catch his brother. He said he found a steel ladder over the side of the pier and hung onto it as a waves was sweeping the younger Boltz towards him. Just as he was about to grab him, another wave intervened and pushed the victim back out into the lake.
The older Boltz suffered an injury to his right leg when it was dashed against the pier during his rescue attempt. The injury was treated later at Memorial hospital.
Barry, the classmate, ran to seek the assistance of the coast guards and an unidentified bystander went to get a life preserver thought to have been at the far end of the north pier.
Coast guardsmen said the youth had disappeared beneath the waves when they arrived approximately five minutes later. They attempted to run their boat into the area where Boltz went down, but the heavy seas forced them back. They tied up in the river at the south side of the light tower and threw out dragging lines from the pier.
IN THE HOPE the waves would drive the body toward shore, six men entered the lade from the shore with life jackets and walked out into the surf as far as they dared. This effort was fruitless, too. The six men were Charles Denney, Kenneth McHugh, and Donald Marshall, of the St. Joseph Guard station; Patrolman Francis Teachout, who was on the police department's harbor patrol at the time; the older Boltz brother, and Harold Wolf, a Chicago coast guardsman who was visiting here on Liberty.
Hundreds of persons were attracted to the beachfront by the rescue attempts.
A stiff wind, measured from 25 to 35 miles an hour at the coast guard station yesterday, produced the heaviest seas of the season, the coast guardsmen reported.
James G. Boltz, age 19, suddenly, late residence 6540 N. Oshkosh avenue, beloved son of Major John B. and Alice Boltz, nee Bloomquist; brother of Capt. John D. Boltz of St. Joseph, Mich. Resting at funeral home, 6754 Northwest highway, until noon Tuesday, Aug. 13. Services 2 p.m. at the Edison Park Methodist church, Oliphant and Pratt avenues. Interment Ridgewood cemetery.
Benton Harbor newspaper, Monday, August 5, 1957, page 1
WAVES DASH YOUTH OFF PIER TO DEATH!
Brother Tries To Save Him
Lake Claim Chicagoan
A 19-year-old Chicagoan was swept to his death in turbulent Lake Michigan Sunday afternoon when a crashing wave pulled him off a narrow ledge on the north pier of St. Joseph harbor. The 10th drowning victim of the season in Berrie county was James Boltz, a sophomore student at the University of Illinois and son of Mr. and Mrs. John Boltz of Chicago.
He was visiting his brother John Boltz, 29, of 2917 Lake Shore drive, St. Joseph, and insurance adjuster for Western Adjustment and Inspection company.
The victim, his brother, and a classmate, Denny Barry, 19, had planned to spend the afternoon sailing, but were forced to abandon the idea by towering waves on the lake.
Both companions were nearby when James Boltz was swept to his death.
ROUGH WATER hindered rescue operations of the U.S. Coast Guard and the St. Joseph police harbor patrol. The body had not been recovered this morning.
According to the coast guardsmen, the younger Boltz brother attempted to walk past the main light tower on the north pier, via an 18-inch-wide passage.
Walking on the pier with his companions, he elected to try to get around the light tower on the north side, coast guards said, while the other two chose to go around the south side.
Coast guardsman Charles Denny said the heaviest waves of this season were pounding over the pier from the northwest side of the light tower. He conjectured the youth tried to go around the exposed side of the tower between waves but was struck by a wave before he could make it.
A steel handrail skirts the north side of the tower, but the youth either did not hold onto it or was torn away by the surge of water, Denny said.
The older brother told police later he thought he was going to be able to catch his brother. He said he found a steel ladder over the side of the pier and hung onto it as a waves was sweeping the younger Boltz towards him. Just as he was about to grab him, another wave intervened and pushed the victim back out into the lake.
The older Boltz suffered an injury to his right leg when it was dashed against the pier during his rescue attempt. The injury was treated later at Memorial hospital.
Barry, the classmate, ran to seek the assistance of the coast guards and an unidentified bystander went to get a life preserver thought to have been at the far end of the north pier.
Coast guardsmen said the youth had disappeared beneath the waves when they arrived approximately five minutes later. They attempted to run their boat into the area where Boltz went down, but the heavy seas forced them back. They tied up in the river at the south side of the light tower and threw out dragging lines from the pier.
IN THE HOPE the waves would drive the body toward shore, six men entered the lade from the shore with life jackets and walked out into the surf as far as they dared. This effort was fruitless, too. The six men were Charles Denney, Kenneth McHugh, and Donald Marshall, of the St. Joseph Guard station; Patrolman Francis Teachout, who was on the police department's harbor patrol at the time; the older Boltz brother, and Harold Wolf, a Chicago coast guardsman who was visiting here on Liberty.
Hundreds of persons were attracted to the beachfront by the rescue attempts.
A stiff wind, measured from 25 to 35 miles an hour at the coast guard station yesterday, produced the heaviest seas of the season, the coast guardsmen reported.
OBITUARY: Chicago Tribune, August 11, 1957
James G. Boltz, age 19, suddenly, late residence 6540 N. Oshkosh avenue, beloved son of Major John B. and Alice Boltz, nee Bloomquist; brother of Capt. John D. Boltz of St. Joseph, Mich. Resting at funeral home, 6754 Northwest highway, until noon Tuesday, Aug. 13. Services 2 p.m. at the Edison Park Methodist church, Oliphant and Pratt avenues. Interment Ridgewood cemetery.
Benton Harbor newspaper, Monday, August 5, 1957, page 1
WAVES DASH YOUTH OFF PIER TO DEATH!
Brother Tries To Save Him
Lake Claim Chicagoan
A 19-year-old Chicagoan was swept to his death in turbulent Lake Michigan Sunday afternoon when a crashing wave pulled him off a narrow ledge on the north pier of St. Joseph harbor. The 10th drowning victim of the season in Berrie county was James Boltz, a sophomore student at the University of Illinois and son of Mr. and Mrs. John Boltz of Chicago.
He was visiting his brother John Boltz, 29, of 2917 Lake Shore drive, St. Joseph, and insurance adjuster for Western Adjustment and Inspection company.
The victim, his brother, and a classmate, Denny Barry, 19, had planned to spend the afternoon sailing, but were forced to abandon the idea by towering waves on the lake.
Both companions were nearby when James Boltz was swept to his death.
ROUGH WATER hindered rescue operations of the U.S. Coast Guard and the St. Joseph police harbor patrol. The body had not been recovered this morning.
According to the coast guardsmen, the younger Boltz brother attempted to walk past the main light tower on the north pier, via an 18-inch-wide passage.
Walking on the pier with his companions, he elected to try to get around the light tower on the north side, coast guards said, while the other two chose to go around the south side.
Coast guardsman Charles Denny said the heaviest waves of this season were pounding over the pier from the northwest side of the light tower. He conjectured the youth tried to go around the exposed side of the tower between waves but was struck by a wave before he could make it.
A steel handrail skirts the north side of the tower, but the youth either did not hold onto it or was torn away by the surge of water, Denny said.
The older brother told police later he thought he was going to be able to catch his brother. He said he found a steel ladder over the side of the pier and hung onto it as a waves was sweeping the younger Boltz towards him. Just as he was about to grab him, another wave intervened and pushed the victim back out into the lake.
The older Boltz suffered an injury to his right leg when it was dashed against the pier during his rescue attempt. The injury was treated later at Memorial hospital.
Barry, the classmate, ran to seek the assistance of the coast guards and an unidentified bystander went to get a life preserver thought to have been at the far end of the north pier.
Coast guardsmen said the youth had disappeared beneath the waves when they arrived approximately five minutes later. They attempted to run their boat into the area where Boltz went down, but the heavy seas forced them back. They tied up in the river at the south side of the light tower and threw out dragging lines from the pier.
IN THE HOPE the waves would drive the body toward shore, six men entered the lade from the shore with life jackets and walked out into the surf as far as they dared. This effort was fruitless, too. The six men were Charles Denney, Kenneth McHugh, and Donald Marshall, of the St. Joseph Guard station; Patrolman Francis Teachout, who was on the police department's harbor patrol at the time; the older Boltz brother, and Harold Wolf, a Chicago coast guardsman who was visiting here on Liberty.
Hundreds of persons were attracted to the beachfront by the rescue attempts.
A stiff wind, measured from 25 to 35 miles an hour at the coast guard station yesterday, produced the heaviest seas of the season, the coast guardsmen reported.
James G. Boltz, age 19, suddenly, late residence 6540 N. Oshkosh avenue, beloved son of Major John B. and Alice Boltz, nee Bloomquist; brother of Capt. John D. Boltz of St. Joseph, Mich. Resting at funeral home, 6754 Northwest highway, until noon Tuesday, Aug. 13. Services 2 p.m. at the Edison Park Methodist church, Oliphant and Pratt avenues. Interment Ridgewood cemetery.
Benton Harbor newspaper, Monday, August 5, 1957, page 1
WAVES DASH YOUTH OFF PIER TO DEATH!
Brother Tries To Save Him
Lake Claim Chicagoan
A 19-year-old Chicagoan was swept to his death in turbulent Lake Michigan Sunday afternoon when a crashing wave pulled him off a narrow ledge on the north pier of St. Joseph harbor. The 10th drowning victim of the season in Berrie county was James Boltz, a sophomore student at the University of Illinois and son of Mr. and Mrs. John Boltz of Chicago.
He was visiting his brother John Boltz, 29, of 2917 Lake Shore drive, St. Joseph, and insurance adjuster for Western Adjustment and Inspection company.
The victim, his brother, and a classmate, Denny Barry, 19, had planned to spend the afternoon sailing, but were forced to abandon the idea by towering waves on the lake.
Both companions were nearby when James Boltz was swept to his death.
ROUGH WATER hindered rescue operations of the U.S. Coast Guard and the St. Joseph police harbor patrol. The body had not been recovered this morning.
According to the coast guardsmen, the younger Boltz brother attempted to walk past the main light tower on the north pier, via an 18-inch-wide passage.
Walking on the pier with his companions, he elected to try to get around the light tower on the north side, coast guards said, while the other two chose to go around the south side.
Coast guardsman Charles Denny said the heaviest waves of this season were pounding over the pier from the northwest side of the light tower. He conjectured the youth tried to go around the exposed side of the tower between waves but was struck by a wave before he could make it.
A steel handrail skirts the north side of the tower, but the youth either did not hold onto it or was torn away by the surge of water, Denny said.
The older brother told police later he thought he was going to be able to catch his brother. He said he found a steel ladder over the side of the pier and hung onto it as a waves was sweeping the younger Boltz towards him. Just as he was about to grab him, another wave intervened and pushed the victim back out into the lake.
The older Boltz suffered an injury to his right leg when it was dashed against the pier during his rescue attempt. The injury was treated later at Memorial hospital.
Barry, the classmate, ran to seek the assistance of the coast guards and an unidentified bystander went to get a life preserver thought to have been at the far end of the north pier.
Coast guardsmen said the youth had disappeared beneath the waves when they arrived approximately five minutes later. They attempted to run their boat into the area where Boltz went down, but the heavy seas forced them back. They tied up in the river at the south side of the light tower and threw out dragging lines from the pier.
IN THE HOPE the waves would drive the body toward shore, six men entered the lade from the shore with life jackets and walked out into the surf as far as they dared. This effort was fruitless, too. The six men were Charles Denney, Kenneth McHugh, and Donald Marshall, of the St. Joseph Guard station; Patrolman Francis Teachout, who was on the police department's harbor patrol at the time; the older Boltz brother, and Harold Wolf, a Chicago coast guardsman who was visiting here on Liberty.
Hundreds of persons were attracted to the beachfront by the rescue attempts.
A stiff wind, measured from 25 to 35 miles an hour at the coast guard station yesterday, produced the heaviest seas of the season, the coast guardsmen reported.
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