Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1892-08-31
CLUNG TO THE BOAT.
How Maggie Smith Es-
capped a Watey Grave.
HER COMPANION DROWNED.
Peculiar Fatality Yesterday Afternoon
at Rhodes-on- the -Pawtuxet.

Patrick F. mckinley OF Providence was
drowned In the Pawtuxet river near the
villages of Pawtuxet at 4:l5 o'clock yes
terday afternoon by the overturning OF
small row boat. The accident was the
result OF peculiar combination of cir
cumstances the omission OF any one of
which would have prevented the catas-
trophe. The unfortunate man was
drowned within few feet OF the shore,
and In sight OF number of his friends,
none OF whom could reach him In time to
give him assistance.
Mr.. McGinley was sergeant in Com
pany b, First Battalion Cavalry, and he,
together with about 40 OF his comrades
left the city at about 0 o'clock Yesterday
morning to participate in the annual field
day OF the company at Rhodes on-the.
Pawtuxet. The morning was passed
pleasantly, the soldiers enjoying them
selves in various ways. Tho clambake
was to have been opened at 4 O'Clock, but
1t being delayed for few minutes, Ser
geant mckinley thought he would pass
away the time by taking a row up the
river.
AT o'clock the sergeant, accompanied
by a lady friend, Miss Maggie Smith,
started on the row, and is minutes later
his body was lying at the bottom of the
river.
MIR. mckinley had proceeded up the
river about quarter of mile when he
increased his speed, not noticing that
there was bend in the river and that the
boat was headed directly for the shore.
The boat was going at pretty good rate
OF speed when II struck the bank near the
mouth of small stream, known as Still
river. The bow Of the boat was imbedded
In the mud to considerable depth, and
when Mckinley tried TO get back into the
stream the boat would not move.
He finally took an oar and, standing at
the bow, tried to push the boat from the
| bank. The craft remained fast In the mud
for time, but suddenly yielded to Nc
Ginley's efforts and shot out from the
shore toward the centre Of the river. Nc
Ginley lost his balance and was thrown to
the opposite side of the boat overturning
IL and throwing both himself and
Miss Smith into the water. The spot
where the boat capsized was distant but
a few feet from the shore, and the water
was hardly more than five feet deep.
Mckinley and Miss Smith, as they were
thrown into the water, grasped for the
submerged craft and saved themselves
from sinking. Mckinley seemed to be-
come confused and instead of remaining
at the bow Of the boat he went around to
the stern and started to swim away from
the boat. He had gone but few feet
when he suddenly sank from sight. Hal
the unfortunate man remained clingin;
to the boat, or had he swan from the bow
toward the shore he could easily have
been saved. AS It was, however, he took
the longest way Of reaching the land.
Those who saw the accident could give
no very satisfactory reason of the sudden
sinking Of the struggling man. Some
say that he could not swim, while Others
think that he was seized with a sudden
cramp which rendered him powerless. AT
any rate, he sank Immediately to the bot
tom and did not rise to the surface again.
There were several boats on the river near
by, bu. when they reached the spot where
mckinley had disappeared they could find
no trace of him. The tide was running
rapidly and the body was carried toward
the channel, several feet from where it
sank, where II was subsequently recovered.
Charlie Fearncy, lad about IL years of
age, was near the scene Of the disaster,
and he Immediately rowed to the spot
where Miss Smith, clipging to the gun
vale OF the overturned boat, was strug-
ling in the water. The young lady grasped
the stearn of Fearneys boat and was
taken safely to the shore whore she soon
recovered from the effects of her struggle
In the water.