David Fiedler Obit

HEART COLLAPSE FATAL TO SCOUT IN KANSAS LAKE

David Fiedler, 12, Is First Boy to Die in Water, in History of Council

TRY TO RESTORE LIFE

Heart collapse was blamed by doctors for the death of David Fiedler, 12, 411 South Yale, while in swimming Monday at the Boy Scout camp at Santa Fe lake near Augusta.

Members of the Wichita Scout council met with Camp Director Harold Baker and other officials at the camp last night to make further inquiry into the first death classed as drowning at an official Wichita Scout camp. The investigation was in addition to that of the Butler county coroner, Dr. Kassabaum, and doctor and directors of the camp made yesterday afternoon.

In a statement issued late last night Dr. Kassabaum ascribed the death to collapse of the heart rather than drowning.

The boy was not submerged more than 10 minutes, the investigation shows. He went down without outcry or any action which attracted attention from any of the 11 boys within a few yards of the spot.

Though he passed the medical examination given last weekend before he went to camp, attention was called to the fact that he had within the past three years been sick with scarlet fever, which leaves recessive weaknesses. Dr. Maslon, Augusta, who arrived a few minutes after the body was taken from the water, told officials after his examination that he believed it would be found that the boy had one of several illnesses which leave recessive heart weaknesses which are not generally realized by the victim or noticeable.

INTO WATER AT 11:15

Camp opened yesterday and Fiedler arrived with his troop, No. 22. There was an early delay in the opening schedule and the swim period was at 11:15 instead of 10 o'clock. Each boy was assigned a "buddy" and passed his swimming test to classify for the section of the swimming area which he was to enter. At 11:15 the boys entered the water. Every 10 minutes a bell rings and the boys must account immediately for their buddies before they can continue swimming.

Fiedler and his buddy played together for about five minutes after which his buddy was playing with some other boys. At 11:25 when the bell rang the buddy failed to locate Fiedler and immediately called his number, "13".

Both boys were "beginners" and in that area which has a lifeboat with two guards at the edge of the deeper water. As the number was called Ed Swartz, one of the guards and assistant camp director, plunged into the water. The other five guards immediately started diving in the vicinity the buddy indicated, as other boys were ordered out of the pool. Investigation of tents also was started to see whether he had left the swimming beach.

MONTAGUE FINDS BODY

An Arkansas City guard, Montague, is credited with finding the body, which was within five feet of where the buddy was standing. However, the first guard was too exhausted from being under water to bring up the body and another guard brought Fiedler's body to the top.

Guards and doctors worked for three hours before they gave up hope of restoring life, in spite of the doctor's statement about the collapsed heart. The resuscitation work started at 11:30.

The body was in water about five feet deep. The beginners' territory grades from the beach to between five and six feet in depth. Other roped-off areas include space for non-swimmers, which does not exceed three and one-half feet at any spot, and for the "swimmers," which is for expert swimmers only, and goes to as deep as 12 feet. One boat is in the beginner's section, two in the swimmers, each carrying two guards.

MAKE OFFICIAL INQUIRY

Members of the council making the inquiry last night were A. J. Cleary, Fred Anthony and Martin Hellar. Albert Miller, Wichita Scout office manager, was at the camp at the time of the accident and was the first Scout official to return to Wichita headquarters. C. B. Warner, field executive, upon receipt of word here immediately went to the camp to assist in the preliminary investigation and remained until late last night.

First word came to Wichita in a long distance call for a physician who asked police to locate the parents, Mr. and Mrs. F. C. Fiedler, who immediately went to the camp. The boy had been a Scout but a short while.

In addition to his parents, Fiedler is survived by a sister, Betty Lou, and a brother, Edmond, both at home; and his grandmothers, Mrs. Betty Horner, 421 South Bluff, and Mrs. E. Fiedler, Kechi.

He was a student at Sunnyside and Robinson intermediate schools and a member of Hillside Christian church.

The Downing mortuary is in charge of services.

AUNT IS GRIEF-STRICKEN

Miss Opal Horner, an aunt, was particularly grief-stricken over the boy's death, as she had helped him get permission of his parents to attend his first Scout camp, which was to be a high point in his experience in Scouting.

The Scout camping program will not be affected in any way and the periods from now on until the close on July 29 are filled. More than 250 boys have been in camp. With close to 7,000 boys in official council camps, in addition to the many troop camps, yesterday's was the first loss of life in the water in Wichita's 15 years of Scouting, records show. Last year there was only one drowning in official Scout camps among 230,000 boys.
(Wichita Eagle ~ Tuesday ~ July 14, 1936 ~ Submitted by Lori DeWinkler)

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BURY SCOUT TODAY

Rites for David Fiedler to Be Held at Downing's This Morning

Funeral services for David Fiedler, 411 South Yale, who died of a collapsed heart while in swimming at the Boy Scout camp at Santa Fe lake Monday, will be held today at 10 a.m. at the Downing mortuary, with Rev. C. O. Stuckenbruck officiating.

Boy Scouts and officials will attend the services in a body. Pallbearers will include close friends and fellow Scouts. They are: Robert Helsel, Robert Buser, Paul Buser, Jr., Wilkie Miller, John Martin, and Harold Budke.

Taps will be sounded at the grave in Maple Grove cemetery. The Wichita Transportation company will furnish buses to bring Scouts from the camp at Santa Fe lake for the services.
(Wichita Eagle ~ Wednesday ~ July 15, 1936 ~ Submitted by Lori DeWinkler)