ARTHUR SCHMATZ

MANITOWOC MAN FOUND DEAD AT NEWPORT NEWS, VA.
Message Tells of Death of Arthur Schmatz, Branch Man,
Who Left Here on U.S. Boat Surveyor

Messages received here last night brought news of the death of Arthur Schmatz, a Branch man at Newport News, Va., where he was serving aboard the steamer Bulgaria, recently taken over by the United States Government. The body will be shipped to this city and taken to Branch for burial next week.

The message intimated that there may be a mystery in the death of Schmatz, the dispatch giving no details except that Schmatz had been found dead. Whether the man was a victim of foul play, assault or died a natural death, is not known. Recent letters received from him said that he was enjoying good health and he was not known to be afflicted with heart trouble or other ailments that might cause sudden death.

Schmatz, who was 24 years of age, left here on the U.S. steamer Surveyor several weeks ago, as an oiler. He was later sent to Newport News and had been located there for some time, employed on the Bulgaria.

The dead youth was a son of Frank Schmatz, a well known farmer at Branch and up to the time of his departure on the Surveyor had made his home at Branch and in this city.

Messages have been dispatched to Newport to have the body sent here and the funeral will be held at Whitelaw.
Manitowoc Daily Herald, Saturday, November 03, 1917
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DEATH OF BRANCH BOY AT NEWPORT DUE TO FALL INTO HATCH
Arthur Schmatz, Whose Body Reached Here Last Night,
Instantly Killed Aboard Steamer Bulgaria There
Arthur Schmatz, the Branch boy who met death at Newport News, Va., last week (August 17, 1917) while serving on the government steamer Bulgaria, was killed instantly in a fall into an open hatch of the boat, according to a report which was received here with the body which arrived last night. Physicians believe that Schmatz had his neck broken by the fall.

The body of the dead youth reached here at 8 last night and was taken to the undertaking rooms of Urbanek and Wattawa for preparation for burial and will be taken to Branch today and burial will be held at Whitelaw tomorrow.

Accompanying the body was a report from officers of the boat which said that Schmatz had been killed instantly in the fall. The accident happened at 4 o’clock Friday morning and the parents of Schmatz were notified at once that the body would be shipped here.

Schmatz was 24 years of age and left here several weeks ago aboard the U.S. Steamer Surveyor, later being transferred to the Bulgaria which was taken over by the government. Schmatz is survived by his parents and several brothers and sisters.
Manitowoc Daily Herald, Tuesday, November 06, 1917, Page 8