Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-07-26

Howard Fsunteroy Meets His Death ut the
Bathing Beach.

Bathing Beach.
THE ooRoNER's INQUEST IN TEE CASE OF
PATRICK sHEAHAN-rfsrrMoNY GIVEN ny
POLICEMAN coTrER, ONE OF THE KHEpEns--
THE VERDICT OF THE JURY AND WHAT THEY
THINK SHOULD BE DONE
Yesterday afternoon. only q few hours after
the recovery Of the body of Patrick Sheahan.
who was drowned at the bathing beach, Howard
Faunteroy, a sixteen-year-old colored boy, lost
his life. Howards name was put on the register
in the regular form aud he told the keepers
that he could swim. He told the TRUTH for he
was coed swimmer, but he remained in the
water nearly two hours, and about ten minutes
after 2 o'clock he went under for the last time.
There were numerous boys In the water at
the time and they were all having good time.
They were playing their usual pranks and one
Of the boys cried "Copr' The swimmers had
Of o "cop," or policeman, would always cause o
stampede, and for the time being they forgot
that they were In a place where they were not
to be arrested
Most of the boys made a rush, and
In the confusion the Faunteroy boy
cred before life was extinct. The body
was recovered in about fifteen minutes and DR..
Woodward, from the Emergency HOSPITAL
worked for nearly an hour, but to no purpose.
The boy was dead and the body was removed
from the beach to the home Of his parents.
TIE coRoSERs INQUEST.
The inquest in the case Of young Sheahan
was held this morning at the sixth precinct
station. Policeman Cotter went on duty at the
beach Sunday morning and during his two days
there he has had to care for two dead bodies Of
persons who lost their lives while in bathing.
He was the first witness called at the
inquest over Sheahans body. He testified that
he had never seen Sheahan to his knowledge.
He did not register at the beach, and therefore
witness could not say what time he was drowned,
nor could he say that Sheahan had on bathing
suit.
CRY OF DROWNING.
"Sunday afternoon" he said, "some young
man raised cry of drowning. When heard
1t called to all those who could swim, and
specially to the older ones. to go out there and
try to save the man."
Gould you see the MANI"
mo. sir. 1 never saw him"
Continuing, he said: "Mr. Adams, one Of the
keepers, got a large cunning skiff out in the
water and did all he could to recover the young
man. Later OF Mr.. Stevens went out with
seine and tried TO recover the body"
How long was that after the cry of drowning
was raised?''
uoH AHOW, repueO Witness. Il O10u
look at my watch during the whole proceed
ings."
WAS it an hour?'
81 think not"
"Half On hour?'
81 don't know
the deceased had not registered: that he could
not swim, and ono OF the boys said, HE was in
our ROOM
'"How do persons get into the beach without
registering?' inquired the coroner
Witness replied that such persons can get in
by living to the keeper When he appears to
register. In the latter event. however, he
would have to register
''We have no dry land tests as yet," re-
marked the officer, "to determine the ability Of
man to swim"
do you know how the deceased got into the
water?"
"Only from what have been told be an
swered. I've been told that he went into the
room OF Mr.. Jere Cullinan and there he proba-
bly, put on suit Of tights."
NUMBER OF PERSONS REGISTERED
Sunday, said witness, about 2s5 persons reg
istered and yesterday there were about 2O5 who
registered and about $50 we're turned away.
DR.. Patterson said that there were more than
2Oo In the water yesterday, for he had seen the
books and had counted 24 names.
Witness, In answer to jurors question said
that about two-thirds of the boys bring their
own suits. There were only twenty-three suits
at the beach.
From what he was told he thought Sheahan
sunk about fifty or sixty feet from the Shore
The tide was low at the time He was unable
to tell whether the beach had changed any since
last year, rs he had not been in the water this
year. He wanted to go in the water, but think
ing some one would get drowned it would be
said that he was enjoying himself and that he
was responsible.
The coroner thought differently. He thought
that If the officer or any one else was in the
water he would be more able to render assist
ance.
Witness said there were three keepers at the
beach, one was Mr.. Adams, about twenty or
twenty-one years old, another was Mr.
salkeld. about eighteen years old, and the
third one he did not know. Hes
an old-fashioned sh-American. said witness,
| about eighteen Years old" He explained that
one man was kept busy at the register and the
others were Oh duty outside about the houses.
NO BOAT on THE WATER.
"Is there any boat outside ON the water?'
the coroner asked.
mo, sir" he answered, ''bnt there should
be one there by all means. There should be a
boat manned by an expert swimmer and with
all modern life-saving appliances
1T Is my opinion, said the witness, shat
il Il lifeboat had been out there the young man
would have been saved''
Witness said that the place pointed out to
him ss the place where the deceased went down
was about twelve feet deep.
Witness explained how Mr.. Stevens had at
tempted to make the beach as safe as possible
and said that the pool system was the only safe
beach to make. mir. Stevens asked Congress
for an appropriation for such place, but Con-
gress did not give one cent. With a pool beach
1t would be almost impossible to get drowned"
SAFEST PLACE IN THE DISTRICT
Witness thought the beach today was the
safest place in the District for swimmers He
thought that lifeboat, good batteau and
good swimmer with modern appliances would
make :he beach perfectly safe.
The coroner asked witness what were his par
ticular duties at the beach and he said like
Others there. he was general utility man.
Il was detailed there as assistant supern-
tendent to Mr.. Stevens, who is a patent attor-
ney. He is now in New York. When he is in
the city he comes down to the beach two or
fhroe times day, as that is his hobby"
All the men. he said, are instructed to drop
everything 20 save human life.
The matter of refusing persons who cannot
swim was discussed and the officer said it had
been his experience that more good swimmers
sc. drowned than do those who cannot SWIM
DR.. Patterson remarked that IL a person re-
fused ndmittance to the beach wanted to 60 in
the water he could 20 q short distance down
the beach and 60 in. The bather would no
doubt be in greater danger. but in event of his
being drowned the reputation of the beach