Evening star., 1896-08-13
THROWN OVERHEARD
Story Told by Clarence Loefler to Star
Reporter.
Sad Experience on Indian Head
Police Inves-
tiRatiOn.

Clarence Loeffler, fourteen years old, had
the sympathy of all the passengers on the
steamer River Queen on the boats return
trip yesterday afternoon, because Of his
pitiable condition, as we'll as for the cause
which he assigned for his ailment. Both
his feet and his right hand had been badly
burned. and his story was that he had
been thrown overheard to drown by the
captain Of a bugeye, which had on board
load Of watermelons consigned to a local
dealer from growers near Maddox creek.
According to the boys story, he had a
thrilling experience of Indian Head about
$50 o'clock yesterday morning
His mother keeps a hotel at Colonial
Beach, and Monday night he wanted to
come home from the river resort. The
excursion steamer had departed, but the
boat laden with melons touched the wharf
and the captain, Charles Bryan, he says.
welcomed him aboard and seemed glad to
have him to do the cooking. All went we'll
until yesterday morning, he says and then
the trouble occurred.
The Boys Story.
IT was In the cabin" he said to Star
reporter on the boat, land Captain Bryan
came in and turned on the gasoline. pre-
paratory to getting breakfast In doing 80
he spilled some Of the fluid, and when 1 ap-
piled the match of course there was an
explosion. The first thing 1 did was to
grab a blanket to wrap about me In an
effort to extinguish the flames, but the cap
tain got angry, and, throwing. me over
board, said: Swim ashore the best way
you cam I managed to get ashore and
saved my life.'
There are two sides to every story. and
the policemen on the boat who heard what
the boy said expressed the belief that the
captains side would be entirely different
from what the boy had said.
But the boy was surely in the water,
and that he was burned cannot be ques-
toned. He could not have got ashore
at better place than Indian Head, how
ever, for there he fell into the hands of
good people. Lieutenant Mason. who Is
on duty there, is one Of the noblest men
good attention as If he had been his own
child. His wet garments were removed
and dry ones put on. and the kind-hearted
officer dressed the wounds and made the
sufferer comfortable.
To Lieutenant Mason the suffering boy
related his experience and told of how
much he suffered while making an effort to
reach the shore. He got on shore some
distance below Indian Head, but managed
to walk to the proving station.
Brought Up on the River Queen.
When the steamer River Queen reached
Indian Head Lieut.. Mason had the boy put
on board in charge of Purser Bell, to
the police. This note recited briefly the
case as the boy had reported it, and sug-
gested that an investigation be made
While on the trip TO the city the boy
burns were scothed with mixture given
the boatmen by Lieut. Mason, and when
the wharf was reached the fourth pre-
cinct patrol wagon was in waiting and he
was conveyed to the Emergency Hospital
Policeman Perry. acting captain Of the
police boat ice Blackburn, listened to the
boys story and concluded al once that an
arrest should be made and the case thor
cughly investigated. With this purpose in
view he made a start down the river with
the boat and went some distance below the
District line, but being unable to find the
thrown overheard. he returned to the city
to await the arrival here of the boat
with its cargo of melons.
Capt. Bryan's Story.
This afternoon Capt. Bryan called at the
fourth police station and told the officer.
that there is not one word Of truth in the
boys statement When the boy caught OF
fire. the captain says, he jumped overheard
and he the captain) caught him and pulled
him back in the boat. When he got of
Indian Head he took the boy ashore in 8
row boat and there left him.
The police were satisfied that the cap.
tain's story is the true version OF the af.
fair, and he was not arrested