Keowee Courier

MAN DROWNED IN CANAL AT COLUMBIA

Employee of Broad River Power Company Backed Car Off of Bank Into the Canal, Losing Life.

Columbia, April 30.—John Vincent Lannon, of Hazleton, Pa., about 33 years of age, chief dispatcher for the Broad River Power Co., and wounded World War veteran, was drowned a short while after 6 o'clock yesterday afternoon when he backed his automobile off the Columbia Canal bank at the spillway of the Broad River Power Company, near and across from the city waterworks and State penitentiary. The body was recovered about 30 minutes later at the racks near Gervais street, and vain efforts at resuscitation were made by Jack Crawford, well known swimmer and student of life-saving methods, and a doctor and nurse from the Baptist Hospital.

According to eyewitnesses who could be found and would talk, Mr. Lannon had made an inspection of a small building of the company's on the canal bank, which houses the machinery operating the gates, entered his automobile and started to turn around to return to the city by Gervais Street, when the car backed off the narrow roadway into the water, turning over completely and finally righting itself with a bare portion of the top out of the water. Witnesses say the drowning man at first attempted to crawl upon the car, but it turned over or sank beneath him, and he was washed down the canal, vainly battling with the waters to regain the shore. Mr. Lannon could not swim, and after rising once or twice disappeared from view and was not seen again until his body was recovered from the canal racks or strainers near Gervais Street.