The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1893-06-17
THEY SANK TOGETHER.
Rev. Father McKenna and His
Cousin Drowned.
SAD ENDING OF A PLEASURE TRIP

The Death Grasp of the Woman He wa'
Trying TO Rescue Causes Both to Die Ia
the Waters of the Hudson-The Drowned
Woman Bride of Two Months Both
of the Bodies Recovered.
New YoRK, June 17-Rev @. P. Nc
Kenna, priest attached to St. AIMS
church, in East Twelfth street, and Mrs
Mary Burchell, his cousin, whose home
was in Pittsburg, Pa, were drowned in the
Hudson at the foot of West One Hundred
and First street.
II was at the end of days pleasure.
They had been rowing and had returned to
the Bloomingdale Boat Club house
Mrs Burchell had left the boat and
stood upon the float. She dropped a glove
and in STOPPING to recover it stepped upon
the boats gunwale. The boat tipped and
Father McKenna and Mrs Burchell were
thrown into the water. The priest swan
to save the woman. She seized him and
they sank together, re-appearng 100 feet
away as the ebb carried them out.
Help came moment later, but it was
too late then. The priests strength had
been overtaxed. They sank together
Mrs Burchel was married only two
months ago to Charles Burchell, of Pitts
burg. She came TO this city ten days age
to visit the father of the man who died in
attempting to rescue her The priests
father, Hugh McKenna, lives in the Boule-
rard, between One Hundred and Twentieth
and One Hundred and Twenty-nrst streets
The young priest borrowed a boat from
his younger brother to give Mrs. Buchell
a row on the Hudson. They started at
o'clock from the float of the Blooming
dale boat club, at the foot of One Hundred
and First street. They reached the club
house again at 5. As the boat came along.
side the float Mrs Burchel got out, leav-
ing her companion in the stern. He had
left the oars and was busy In the stern
with his back toward her In attempting
to recover a glove which had fallen Mrs
Burchell stepped off the float and her
weight tipped the boat 50 far that she los,
her balance and fell overheard. Father
Mckenna fell from the other side of the
boat at the same moment and both sank.
The priest soon regained the float, but
as he graspad it he saw his cousin rise to
the surface and he turned back to her res
cue.
Two or three members of the club were
on the second floor of the boat house at the
time, but they did not hear the alarm uu
til it was too late
The tide set out strongly, and before
Father McKenua had reached the drown
ing woman both were quite distanc
from the float. She threw her arms abou
him and tney both sank.
The woman was dead weight and her
grasp hampered the rescuer's arms
they came to the surface again he had freed
one of his arms. He raised it and shouted
for help
George Copeland, who was in the club
house, heard the cry, but he was up stairs
and before he could reach the float the
strength of the swimmer was exhausted
and both had sunk.
James Elliot boy who witnessed the
accident from the shore, told Policeman
Enright about it, and the policeman re
covered the boat.
Mrs Burchell was the daughter of a
Pittsburg manufacturer named Gurley
She has sister in the Dominican Convent
Father McKenna was 20 years old He
was graduated from Manhattan College
When but a boy he rescued his sister and
two younger brothers from burning
house in Madison street For his heroism
two medals were given to him. He was
admitted to holy orders last year.
Father McKenna was a practised swim
mer, and it is supposed that the strength
of the ebb tide against which he struggled
accounts for the fact that he was able to
support his companion for so short time
The bodies have bsen recovered.