The record-union., 1893-08-03
He COULD NOT SWIM,
So Poor Willie Brophy Went Down to
His Death.
Tho River Claims Another Victim
Harvey Waite Unnerved by the
Terrible Shock.

Yesterday afternoon the Unsuitable river
claimed another victim, an orphan school
boy, named William Brophy.
About o'clock two breathless boys ran
into the police station and informed Chief
Rodgers that a boy had been drowned in
the river. Special officer Goods and
officer Carroll Immediately jumped into
the patrol-wagon, and, piloted by the
boys, went to the spot. near the mouth Of
the American River, where they found
young man named Harvey Waite writh-
ing on the ground, and farther on, several
excited persons rushing about the spot
where they said young Brophy had gone
down.
Having taken grappling-irons with
them, the officers tried for long time to
dnd the body in the deep hole where it
had disappeared, but without avail, the
water being eighteen feet deep there.
Inquiry revealed the fact that young
Waite. in company with William Brophy,
had gone to the river to bathe. Neither
Of them could swim, but they disported
for awhile in the shallow water near the
shore.
The current of the American River runs
out into the Sacramento at their junction
until it loses its force, and then, turn
ing in toward the bank, runs up stream
again, making pocket" The current
washes away the riverbed. so that it
makes a steep and perpendicular bank a
short distance from the shore.
The boys had gone in by themselves,
other parties OF boys being above and be-
low them at short distances. They were
standing together near the edge OF this
bank, unconscious of danger when
Brophy stepped of and in an instant was
in deep water. As he came up he grasped
Waite by the ankle, nearly taking him
to death with him.
Waite managed to free himself and
then saw his companion go down for the
last time. He called to the other boys,
but by the time they arrived all was over.
Waite and two OF the youths started to
town for help, but after running several
hundred yards the former fell, uncon-
scious. and the others went on to the
police station and gave the alarm.
When taken into the wagon and re-
vived it was found that the terrible expe-
rience Waite had gone through had com
IleteIy shattered his nerves for the time
being. He could answer no questions,
but kept jerking up his foot and crying,
Let 60 my leg Let go my leg I" evil
IDENTIFY imagining that he still felt the
grasp of his unfortunate companion upon
H.
When he arrived at the station it was
found impossible to quiet him, and DR..
Wizard was called, who administered
dose Of morphine. The young man sank
into a sleep, but frequently his feet would
be ierlled up ana he would try to rid him
sell of that imaginary grasp.
sumner Waite, clerk in the Breuner
bros. store and a brother-in-law Of
the drowned boy, was notified, and,
procuring assistance, went up TO try to
recover the body, but without success.
The unfortunate youth was about IS
years of age, an orphan, and is highly
spoken Of by those who knew him. At
midnight he had not recovered from the
shock to his nervous system, and
writhed upon his couch in semi
conscious condition. At frequent inter-
walls he would jerk up his feet as if TO
free them from the grasp Of his drown
ing companion.
Early in the evening he recognized his
brother for a moment and remarked,
''Poor Billy is drowned p and then re-
lapsed into his semi-uncouscious condi-
ton.
Louis f. Breuner late last night en-
ployed a number of fishermen to search
lor Brophy's body. but up to midnight it
had not been recovered.