Evening star., 1895-06-03
ENTzCED INTO THE BREAKERS.


Sad Drowning Accident at Atlantic
City.
A Special dispatch from Atlantic City to
the Philadelphia Press, dated yesterday,
says:
There was sad case of drowning todly
to mar what otherwise would have been a
most auspicious opening Sunday Of the
early summer season. The victim of the
sea was Miss Jennie McGrogle of 10th and
Dickinson streets, Philadelphia, and the
manner In which she met her fate has
caused Prosecutor Perry to begin an in
vestigation of the circumstances. She went
into the surf this afternoon near Illinois
avenue IN company with Mrs. James Far
ley, wife of an Atlantic avenue merchant,
Mrs. P. McKenna and Miss Clowney.
They met a young man in the water, a
stranger to them, who volunteered 20 take
them out into the breakers His offer was
accepted by Miss McGrogle. and they grad
ually worked their way out into deep water.
Neither knew how to swim, and 1t was
tempting fate for them to act as they did,
in the absence of the life guards. 1t was
apparent to the other bathers in the vi
cinity that the girl was protesting against
being taken out so far, and that her COM
panion was pulling her with him.
When in water which reached to their
necks big breaker rolled over them The
girl was separated from the man, and the
latter upon coming to the surface shouted
for assistance.
There were a number of bathers near at
hand who saw the accident, and realized
that the girl would drown If succor was
not rendered promptly, but all seemed par
alyzed with fear. The shouts of the man,
who was fast becoming exhausted, brought
to the scene Robert Brady, a young bath
house keeper, who was at his dinner, and,
without waiting to divest himself of his
clothing, he sprang into the ocean from
the end of the jetty.
Rescued the Man.
Frank Bew also came from his fathers
bathing establishment with a rope to rem
der assistance. There was no trace of the
girl. Brady brought the man ashore. Dur
Ing the time this was occurring the girls
companions were frantic with the knowl-
edge that she was drowning. The rescued
man was brought ashore in an unconscious
state. He was taken to a bathing estab-
hshment, where restoratives were given,
and he soon recovered. He made an at
tempt to leave the city, but the police stop
ped him at the railroad station and took
MIN INTO CUSTODY to await the outcome of
an Investigation by Prosecutor Perry, who
was notified of the circumstances.
The drowned girl had been visiting Mrs.
Farley for three weeks, and was to return
to her home this evening. 1t is said that
her mother is critically i'll, and fears are
expires sed that if she hears of her daugh-
ter's tragic death it will kill her. A search
has been carried on all the afternoon for
the body.
The young man in custody keenly feels
the situation he is in. When questioned he
first gave the name of Charles Russell
Thomas of Cleveland, and then he turned
1t into Thomas Richards and then George
Crawford of Philadelphia.
A Charge Preferred.
A sensation was added to the case to-
night by Mrs. Farley swearing out war;
rant for the arrest of George Crawford,
meaning the girls companion, charging
him with willfully enticing the girl into
dangerous water which resulted In her
death. Crawford is the name he gave when
called before Recorder Gouldey tonight
No testimony was taken, and he was 1e-
manded to the city Jail without bail to
await the results of the investigation now
in progress under the direction of the cor
oner and Prosecutor Perry. He will prob
ably be given a hearing tomorrow on the
charge.
1t Is asserted by witnesses to the tragedy
that it was the result of the recent build
ing of jetty at the point where the drown
ing occurred. The presence of the jetty
has caused the waves to wash a deep hole
in the sand at its outer end, making
precipitous "step-off'' of great depth in
comparatively shallow water. A gentle
man with two children narrowly escaped
drowning in the same place during the
morning hour, their rescue being effected
only by the extraordinary and timely ex-
ertions of some bathers who were in the