Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-09-21

TESTIMONY TAEES AT THE CDRhNERs lSSVrsI
OVER TIE BoDT OF HOLLY s. HEATH. DROWNED
LAST TEIDkY-ACcIDESrhL DEATH The YER
DIcT-sUPr. srEvESs PLEADS yoR THE BEACH.
As published in Saturdays STAR. Holly 3
Heath. the Young man WHO was drowned at
the bathing beach, was the third victim within
two weeks and Coroner Patterson and Ieputy
Coroner Schaeffer concluded to make com
plete investigation of the case including an
inquiry into tie nature Of the beach with
view to determining its safety 20 life ard limb
After their visit 20 the Commissioners. a. pub
hshsd in saturdays STAR Commissioner
Douglass addressed Col Moore chief OF po-
lice the following note:
II notice iy the FaTers that another hcT has been
Drowned sac bathing beach. THIS = 10 6iregt you
pl-~se a onss aI1inias ths hah safety an
ysP1r such sdlteDi! saie'i-r- as WI. n axe IL
fullest measure Of safety Prarti able IL L.. u. AZ
such safety can be se-u-ed-'
TsE BEACH CLOSED.
The result of the communication was That the
bisch was closed this morning and no one was
permitted to go in bathing.
Yesterday morning Precinct Detective Bur
rows Of the Georgetown precinct had charge Q:
the case and jury was summoned u hear 'he
testimony The jury was composed o. james
Gallagher, Robert T. Talbot 4. J. Cunning
ham. J. q. Gross, Henry Myers and Frederick
Daw.
After viewing the body at the late home Of
the deceased, No 1903 street. the jury Wer:
10 tie police station AMI heard the testimony
Lawyer Clarence A. BraEdenberg. in who's,
employ me deceased had been FOR some time.
was present in The interest CT the deceased par
snts
ALFRED RocHE's TESTIMONY.
young man named Alfred C. Roche, who
lives near the late home of the deceased. was
tie first witness called. He knew :he deceased
Only by sight. and he at the bathing beach
Friday. Witness did not see the deceased.
The first he heard of him when two Young
men named Selby and Roberts called his at
ten.icn TO the fact that Heath had been III the
water aboCt two hours and had not come out
Witness went to Policeman Cotter. who was on
duty at the beach. and asked him If he could
tell whether Heath had come our OF me water
not, and he said he could not tell by the
books. as no record wa kept OF the time they
cRms out The officer did. however. look over
the tags and discovered that the tag for room
So was missing He went to the edge OF the
beach ard called TO II any one named
Heath in the water. and as no one re-
tponded 10 that name he called al the bathers
oat and examir eS Their tags. Number 50 was
plissing. and soon afterward Superintendent
Stevens went out in a boat and searched for
the body.
Had you been in the habit of going il the
water" inquired the coroner
SAFEGUARDS At THE BFACH.
Witness was questioned as to what safeguards
there were and he said there were a small boat
and life lines on shore and small fence on
either side Of the beach. No one out on
the water looking after the bathers-
Suppose" said juror. that a bather some
distance from shore had been taken with
cramps. could the boat have reached him in
time to have saved him.
II don't know, the witness replied That
would depend upon how far he was from shore"
ERNEST sELBY TELLS HIS STORY.
Another young man named Ernest Selby.
Who was at the beach at the time of the drown
Ing WAS next sworn and testified that he had
missed Heath about twenty minutes before he
spoke to Roche. but he did not say anything to
the keepers because he thought that he
Heath was across the pond a f.Oat. Wit
ness was not personally acquainted with
Heath. but he knew who he was. He saw him
60 in the water about 4:35 and it about
$50 o'clock when he called Roches attention
10 his (Heath's) absence.
The coroner questioned witness about the
time he had been In the water, snd MIR. Bran
denberg remarked that Heath left his office at
Witness. continuing. said he saw Heath hold
his nose with one hand and hold his other hand
In the air.
In answer to a question by juror witness
said: Il am good. strong swimmer, but
never go under the water
Did you ever find any holes in tie beach?''
''No, SIR"
Witness explained that he had not been in
swimming since the beach mad been opened.
Can yen tell hew far you would have to go
out to get IN water over your head:
Yes. sur. j think about nifty feet from
shore"
SAW HEATH DOWN TWICE.
George Roberts, another young man who was
at the beach Friday. said that he did not know
IL L
name when he went in the water Witness saw
him swim out from shore and when out some
distance. not far from the float. witness saw
him go down twice with one hand oyCr h!s nosc
aud the other uplIited- Witness paid no par
tlcular attention 10 nInl. he thought he was
sounding for bottom. That Was the last he saw
OF Heath Later on he saw a man apparently
looking for bottom and he thought IL VS.
Heath. but he soon saw that Il WAS not and then
be looked about for him. but could not iird
him He then called the keepers attention 20
the fact that Heath was missing and Policeman
Cotter called in the oc;hrrz.
sUPERrSTESDEST sILSESs QUESTIONED.
NJ. W. y. Stevens. superintendent of the
beach. was called and Dr Patterson Questioned
him concerning the beach lie SAID tI.at the
beach proper formed a curve and Na- 500 sect
from one end to she other. witness explained
how the I'll IVES made and also gave 70. mras-
uTements, as heretofore published IN he SrAE
d. Patterson explained how he exp rimoEfed
NJ the beach yesterday and said froEI his eNper-
tment he thought thai not more than tHirtv
fee; from shore he judged that the water was
ten feet deep
Witness continuing. said ne walked over the
beach this morning With nj son and ne found
no holes The gra.ie. he said. was one foot in
nve and At no place. he si.i. ON til beach is
the grade sleeper. There are. lie said a Few
small aills OF sand bG. IN no place Is II more
thai one foot high. The beach had 10 refer
ence 10 thai drowning. said Mr.. stevens. be
cause the drowning happened ont in the river.
ANET NEEDED.
DIT. PattsfscL asked il witness had any sug
ges.iep ether man tba; Published in Satur-
day S-Al ard witness said he thought a net
wa the beet thing lie knew % - present. DIR.
Patterson spoke OK his visit 70 he Commissions
or, yesterday and Of the closing o. the beach
enc he said his idea to haye she beach
closed until il could be sounded.
Witness said he though: the beet thing was
what he had done That was 20 AXE e gsogd OF
bays and have them tO take id OF hands and
have them walk across the beach He thought
shat much better than = line souudins The
beach he considered perfectly sale. and only
this morning ne took his con and daughter IL:
the water.
The coroner suggested that the only WAY M,