Individual Details
Joseph Fischer
(March 25, 1914 - December 24, 1928)
THE DAILY HOME NEWS 16 Pages--Three Cents
New Brunswick, N. J. Wednesday Afternoon, December 26, 1928.
BOYS DROWN WHILE SKATING AT FARRINGTON LAKE
Carl Massing and Joseph Fischer in Skating Accident
Milltown Boys Lose Lives Christmas Eve; Bodies Found Yesterday
Firemen Search for Victims
Went Skating After Confession at Milltown Church Monday
A Christmas eve skating trip at Farrington Lake early Monday night ended disastrously when Carl Massing, thirteen and Joseph Fischer, fifteen, both of Milltown, were drowned. Their bodies were recovered near the head of the dam at 8:30 o'clock yesterday morning.
Both boys had been to confession at the Our Lady of Lourdes church in Milltown on Monday afternoon. The Fischer boy was to act as altar boy Monday night for the first time.
They procured their skates and then went to the lake in back of the Massing home on Riva Avenue, Milltown. They took off their street shoes and put on their skating shoes with the skates attached. Then they started out on the ice covering the lake.
They did not return for dinner on Monday night and after their absence became prolonged a search was made for them. Down at the edge of the lake almost directly in back of the Massing home the shoes of the boys were found, mute evidence that the boys had not returned from their skating trip.
Committeeman Henry Ochs of East Brunswick township was asked to help locate the boys. He called Chief H. A. Christ of the Milltown fire department and asked him if he couldn't send his fire apparatus with its big spotlight down to the lake.
Firemen Make Search
Chief Ochs procured the services of the Milltown fire company and also the truck. Foreman Harry Stein, William Miller, August Janicker, Winfield Fine, Jr, Willaim Willenbrock, Arthur Dickerson and Christian Jensen went to the scene with Chief Christ and a long search was started along the lake. The fire apparatus moved along the edge of the lake throwing rays from its giant spotlight while men in a boat pushed through the ice by using pike poles.
Several holes were found in the ice but the boys could not be found. Until 1:30 o'clock Christmas morning the firemen, together with Jacob Dallenback, Harold Titus, John and Len Heffner, Officers William Buttler, Charles Britton of Milltown, and Commissioner Ochs of East Brunswick continued their search but the boys could not be found.
With the dawn yesterday morning the search was renewed again. One of the holes near the head of the dam was "probed" with a pike pole by Walter Dallenback of Milltown, and he finally located the bodies of the two boys.
Massing's hands were clasped tightly on his chest while Fischer's hands apparently in their struggle to bring the boy out of the lake had grasped finally on the mud at the bottom of the lake.
Found Near Home
The spot where the bodies were found was only a short distance across the lake from the Massing home.
Joseph Fischer was the son of Mr. & Mrs. John Fischer of Riva Avenue, Milltown, and had for a long time attended the Sacred Heart Church in this city. When the church of Our Lady of Lourdes procured a permanent pastor in Father Halloran the boy and his parents and brothers and sister attended the Milltown church.
He is survived by his parents and three brothers, Robert, Edward and William Fischer and a sister, Freda Fischer. He was a pupil in the eighth grade of the Sacred Heart school, this city.
Massing was the son on Mr. & Mrs. Michael Massing of Riva Avenue, Milltown. The father conducts a tailor and haberdashery shop at 71 Albany Street, this city. The boy attended the Webber school in East Brunswick.
Carol Massing is survived by his parents and also two brothers, Joseph and John Massing.
The boys lived near each other and were very close friends.
Funeral Services will be held from their homes at 8:30 o'clock on Friday morning with services in the Our Lady of Lourdes Church at 9 o'clock. Burial will be made in St. Peter's Cemetery under the direction of Undertaker Harding.
New Brunswick, N. J. Friday, December 28, 1928.
DOUBLE FUNERAL IS HELD FOR DROWNING VICTIMS
Joseph Fischer and Carl Massing Buried at St. Peter's Cemetery After Impressive Services at Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Milltown
Two while coffins containing the bodies of Joesph Fischer, fifteen, and Carl Massing, thirteen, of Milltown, were lowered into graves at St. Peter's Cemetery this morning. Pals in life, the once gay Milltown youths were pals in death, amid a funeral service as impressive as any ever held in Middlesex county. The boys were drowned in Farrington Lake Christmas eve, as they were enjoying ice skating on the frozen surface of the large body of water.
Shortly before 9 o'clock this morning the bodies of the two Milltown boys were borne by their comrades into the Catholic Church of Our Lady of Lourdes, on Main Street, Milltown.
The pure white casket of Joseph Fischer was carried by Robert Starkin, Thomas Kelly, Edward Hackett, Michael Blasi, George Sillcocks, and Philip Maroon, pals of the Fischer boy, who attended the eighth grade in the Sacred Heart School in this city.
Directly following came the pure white casket of Carl Massing, borne by Stephen Chasan, Stephen Molle, Frederick Bertram, Adam Albrecht, Julius Betba, and Robert Laca, pals of the unfortunate Massing boy.
Close relatives followed the procession into the edifice and the sight was touching, the heads of the mourners being bowed low and the sobbing audible to the large gathering about the entrance of the church where the final services for the boys were given.
Solemn Requiem Mass
Solemn requiem mass was celebrated by Rev. Frederick Halloran, pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Church. Rev. Jeremiah Sullivan was master of ceremonies, ad Rev. John West of the Sacred Heart Church assisted in the sanctuary. The edifice was filled with friends of the two youths.
The white caskets rested in the middle aisle of the church during the funeral services. The Fischer family was seated on the left side and the Massing family on the right side of the edifice. There were few dry eyes as the he services began.
After Father Halloran concluded the services, he delivered a fitting sermon taking for his test. "It is appointed for man once to die and then judgment."
"As we scan the obituary or death list in our daily newspapers, the reports do not usually make a deep impression on us," said Father Halloran. "But when the death of a loved one occurs, the significance impresses us. There is nothing as touching as death. Death impresses us with the fact that we must leave our relatives, our money, our jewels, our home. Everything is to be left behind us. If not for this reminder, we might go on forgetting God.
"We know not when, the hour, the minute, when death will come. It comes like a thief in the night. What a consolation it is for a clean living man and woman to know that they will receive justice on judgment day. And what a terror to the wicked to know that at any moment they may be called."
Father Halloran then touched on the fact that to gain the whole world and lose one's soul is of no value. "Lay up treasures in heaven where neither moss nor rust does destroy" he admonished the mourners. "All is vanity except to know, love and serve God."
In concluding, Father Halloran offered words of sympathy to the bereaved.
Sympathy to Family
"In the name of very member of the community, regardless of race, color or creed, to you mothers of these two splendid boys, I offer my heartfelt sympathy." The death of these two boys has not only stirred the whole community, it has stirred the whole country.
"In the sixteen years of my life as a priest, it is the first time I have witnessed a tragedy like this."
"I was informed by a brother of one of the boys that the boys were here to make their peace with God before going skating." Before their pleasures they sought peace with God. Before all else they put the salvation of their souls.
"If they could speak to you now, I know they would ask you to pray for the repose of their souls. May Give give peace and rest to them."
Miss Marie Jones was organist, and the choir was directed by Eugene Morris of the Sacred Heart Church. Funeral services were under the direction of Undertaker William F. Harding.
Joseph Fischer and Carl Massing were chums in life. They lived in adjoining houses on Riva Lane, Milltown. Skating was to be had at Farrington Lake, which is situated in the rear of the Massing Home. It is believed they attempted to skate across the lake, and as they neared the opposite shore the ice gave way.
PALS IN DEATH, TOO
A touching and unusual funeral service was held Friday morning in Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Milltown. There were two white coffins and they contained the bodies of Joseph Fischer and Carl Massing, Milltown boys, who went skating Christmas Eve and were drowned in Farrington Lake. They had ben pals in life and it was proper they should be pals in death. The service as conducted with that thought in mind.
This tragedy and others which caused death in this vicinity over Christmas suggest that we might well adopt a Safe and Sane Christmas as we have adopted a Safe and Sane Fourth of July.
FAMILY NOTES:
William was tormented because he told Joseph the ice wasn't thick enough and Robert was tormented because he gave him the skates.
New Brunswick, N. J. Wednesday Afternoon, December 26, 1928.
BOYS DROWN WHILE SKATING AT FARRINGTON LAKE
Carl Massing and Joseph Fischer in Skating Accident
Milltown Boys Lose Lives Christmas Eve; Bodies Found Yesterday
Firemen Search for Victims
Went Skating After Confession at Milltown Church Monday
A Christmas eve skating trip at Farrington Lake early Monday night ended disastrously when Carl Massing, thirteen and Joseph Fischer, fifteen, both of Milltown, were drowned. Their bodies were recovered near the head of the dam at 8:30 o'clock yesterday morning.
Both boys had been to confession at the Our Lady of Lourdes church in Milltown on Monday afternoon. The Fischer boy was to act as altar boy Monday night for the first time.
They procured their skates and then went to the lake in back of the Massing home on Riva Avenue, Milltown. They took off their street shoes and put on their skating shoes with the skates attached. Then they started out on the ice covering the lake.
They did not return for dinner on Monday night and after their absence became prolonged a search was made for them. Down at the edge of the lake almost directly in back of the Massing home the shoes of the boys were found, mute evidence that the boys had not returned from their skating trip.
Committeeman Henry Ochs of East Brunswick township was asked to help locate the boys. He called Chief H. A. Christ of the Milltown fire department and asked him if he couldn't send his fire apparatus with its big spotlight down to the lake.
Firemen Make Search
Chief Ochs procured the services of the Milltown fire company and also the truck. Foreman Harry Stein, William Miller, August Janicker, Winfield Fine, Jr, Willaim Willenbrock, Arthur Dickerson and Christian Jensen went to the scene with Chief Christ and a long search was started along the lake. The fire apparatus moved along the edge of the lake throwing rays from its giant spotlight while men in a boat pushed through the ice by using pike poles.
Several holes were found in the ice but the boys could not be found. Until 1:30 o'clock Christmas morning the firemen, together with Jacob Dallenback, Harold Titus, John and Len Heffner, Officers William Buttler, Charles Britton of Milltown, and Commissioner Ochs of East Brunswick continued their search but the boys could not be found.
With the dawn yesterday morning the search was renewed again. One of the holes near the head of the dam was "probed" with a pike pole by Walter Dallenback of Milltown, and he finally located the bodies of the two boys.
Massing's hands were clasped tightly on his chest while Fischer's hands apparently in their struggle to bring the boy out of the lake had grasped finally on the mud at the bottom of the lake.
Found Near Home
The spot where the bodies were found was only a short distance across the lake from the Massing home.
Joseph Fischer was the son of Mr. & Mrs. John Fischer of Riva Avenue, Milltown, and had for a long time attended the Sacred Heart Church in this city. When the church of Our Lady of Lourdes procured a permanent pastor in Father Halloran the boy and his parents and brothers and sister attended the Milltown church.
He is survived by his parents and three brothers, Robert, Edward and William Fischer and a sister, Freda Fischer. He was a pupil in the eighth grade of the Sacred Heart school, this city.
Massing was the son on Mr. & Mrs. Michael Massing of Riva Avenue, Milltown. The father conducts a tailor and haberdashery shop at 71 Albany Street, this city. The boy attended the Webber school in East Brunswick.
Carol Massing is survived by his parents and also two brothers, Joseph and John Massing.
The boys lived near each other and were very close friends.
Funeral Services will be held from their homes at 8:30 o'clock on Friday morning with services in the Our Lady of Lourdes Church at 9 o'clock. Burial will be made in St. Peter's Cemetery under the direction of Undertaker Harding.
New Brunswick, N. J. Friday, December 28, 1928.
DOUBLE FUNERAL IS HELD FOR DROWNING VICTIMS
Joseph Fischer and Carl Massing Buried at St. Peter's Cemetery After Impressive Services at Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Milltown
Two while coffins containing the bodies of Joesph Fischer, fifteen, and Carl Massing, thirteen, of Milltown, were lowered into graves at St. Peter's Cemetery this morning. Pals in life, the once gay Milltown youths were pals in death, amid a funeral service as impressive as any ever held in Middlesex county. The boys were drowned in Farrington Lake Christmas eve, as they were enjoying ice skating on the frozen surface of the large body of water.
Shortly before 9 o'clock this morning the bodies of the two Milltown boys were borne by their comrades into the Catholic Church of Our Lady of Lourdes, on Main Street, Milltown.
The pure white casket of Joseph Fischer was carried by Robert Starkin, Thomas Kelly, Edward Hackett, Michael Blasi, George Sillcocks, and Philip Maroon, pals of the Fischer boy, who attended the eighth grade in the Sacred Heart School in this city.
Directly following came the pure white casket of Carl Massing, borne by Stephen Chasan, Stephen Molle, Frederick Bertram, Adam Albrecht, Julius Betba, and Robert Laca, pals of the unfortunate Massing boy.
Close relatives followed the procession into the edifice and the sight was touching, the heads of the mourners being bowed low and the sobbing audible to the large gathering about the entrance of the church where the final services for the boys were given.
Solemn Requiem Mass
Solemn requiem mass was celebrated by Rev. Frederick Halloran, pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Church. Rev. Jeremiah Sullivan was master of ceremonies, ad Rev. John West of the Sacred Heart Church assisted in the sanctuary. The edifice was filled with friends of the two youths.
The white caskets rested in the middle aisle of the church during the funeral services. The Fischer family was seated on the left side and the Massing family on the right side of the edifice. There were few dry eyes as the he services began.
After Father Halloran concluded the services, he delivered a fitting sermon taking for his test. "It is appointed for man once to die and then judgment."
"As we scan the obituary or death list in our daily newspapers, the reports do not usually make a deep impression on us," said Father Halloran. "But when the death of a loved one occurs, the significance impresses us. There is nothing as touching as death. Death impresses us with the fact that we must leave our relatives, our money, our jewels, our home. Everything is to be left behind us. If not for this reminder, we might go on forgetting God.
"We know not when, the hour, the minute, when death will come. It comes like a thief in the night. What a consolation it is for a clean living man and woman to know that they will receive justice on judgment day. And what a terror to the wicked to know that at any moment they may be called."
Father Halloran then touched on the fact that to gain the whole world and lose one's soul is of no value. "Lay up treasures in heaven where neither moss nor rust does destroy" he admonished the mourners. "All is vanity except to know, love and serve God."
In concluding, Father Halloran offered words of sympathy to the bereaved.
Sympathy to Family
"In the name of very member of the community, regardless of race, color or creed, to you mothers of these two splendid boys, I offer my heartfelt sympathy." The death of these two boys has not only stirred the whole community, it has stirred the whole country.
"In the sixteen years of my life as a priest, it is the first time I have witnessed a tragedy like this."
"I was informed by a brother of one of the boys that the boys were here to make their peace with God before going skating." Before their pleasures they sought peace with God. Before all else they put the salvation of their souls.
"If they could speak to you now, I know they would ask you to pray for the repose of their souls. May Give give peace and rest to them."
Miss Marie Jones was organist, and the choir was directed by Eugene Morris of the Sacred Heart Church. Funeral services were under the direction of Undertaker William F. Harding.
Joseph Fischer and Carl Massing were chums in life. They lived in adjoining houses on Riva Lane, Milltown. Skating was to be had at Farrington Lake, which is situated in the rear of the Massing Home. It is believed they attempted to skate across the lake, and as they neared the opposite shore the ice gave way.
PALS IN DEATH, TOO
A touching and unusual funeral service was held Friday morning in Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Milltown. There were two white coffins and they contained the bodies of Joseph Fischer and Carl Massing, Milltown boys, who went skating Christmas Eve and were drowned in Farrington Lake. They had ben pals in life and it was proper they should be pals in death. The service as conducted with that thought in mind.
This tragedy and others which caused death in this vicinity over Christmas suggest that we might well adopt a Safe and Sane Christmas as we have adopted a Safe and Sane Fourth of July.
FAMILY NOTES:
William was tormented because he told Joseph the ice wasn't thick enough and Robert was tormented because he gave him the skates.
Events
| Birth | March 25, 1914 | East Brunswick, New Jersey | |||
| Death | December 24, 1928 | East Brunswick, New Jersey | |||
| Burial | St. Peter's Cememtery |
Families
| Father | John Baptist Fischer (1863 - 1930) |
| Mother | Frances Meier (1871 - 1934) |
| Sibling | Freda Fischer (1894 - 1986) |
| Sibling | Robert Daniel Fischer (1896 - 1977) |
| Sibling | Edward Francis Fischer (1899 - 1964) |
| Sibling | William Fischer (1901 - 1973) |