The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-06-20
They Succeeded In Saving the Lad,
but Gave Up Their own Lives I'm
Their Brave Effort.
BOTH STUDENTS FOR MINISTRY
A SAD HAPPENING I'm FALL CREEK
NEAR COLLEGE AVENUE.
Men Who Looked On and Gave No Aid
Tragic Death of the Boys
Father Recalled.

Drew and Lee Black, who lived with their
widowed mother at No. 403 Cornell avenue,
were drowned yesterday evening in Fall
creek, near College avenue, in heroic eff
fort to save their younger brother, Bruce
Black.
After supper the three brothers drove to
Fall creek to wash their buggy. When the
work was completed they decided to take
plunge. Bruce the youngest, got beyond
his depth Lee saw that he was in danger,
and although he could not swim himself,
he bravely plunged in and struggled
through the deepening water. Lee was I'M
able to render his younger brother any
sistance. Drew, the eldest, realized in
moment or two that both were in great
peril and swan towards them. After strug-
Cling for some seconds he managed to
shove Bruce toward the shore. The little
fellow struggled up the bank half exhaust
ed. He was Mortified on turning about to
see both brothers disappear under the
water. He screamed for help as he ran
down the bank, intending to go to their res
cue, blind to the fact that he could not
swim. A man on the opposite side shouted
to him to keep back. The little fellow
wrung his hands and cried out in anguish
as he saw his brothers rise and sink for the
last time.
When Drew reached his brother Lees
side, after rescuing Bruce, Lee was already
nearly exhausted, and in faint voice he
cried:
I'm drowning, Drew, help me!'
There was a gurgling sound in the water
as Drew reached out hand The drowning
brother seized it with a deathgrip, and as
so frequently happens, hampered his res
cuer SO that he could not save either his
brother or himself. The boys sank to-
gether
Bruce realizing the awful calamity that
had come to the family, hurried home.
Amidst his sobs he revealed the accident
to his mother and elder sister, Grace. Mrs
Black was terribly overcome by the shock.
The heartbroken sister, with remarkable
fortitude and heroic efforts to calm herself,
folded the mother in her arms and COM
forted her as best she could. The entire
family are highly esteemed, and many
sympathizing friends and neighbors hurried
TO the stricken home.
Drew Black was about twenty-five years
of age. Lee was three or four years
younger. Both boys have been studying for
the ministry ar the University of Kentucky,
an institution under the control of the
Christian Church, located at Lex
ington, Ky. Last March the boys
came home TO work through the sum-
mer in order to get funds to complete their
studies. They were employed at the In
dianapolis veneer works. Their employers
speak in the highest terms of both, char
acterizing them as earnest, trustworthy
and energetic. Drew Black had already
done some preaching. Both gave promise
of bright futures. Their sister Grace is a
teacher in the public schools of the city.
She is musician of considerable ability,
and is the organst of the Third Christian
Church, to which the entire family be-
longed. c. e. Thornton, who is member
of the church and intimately acquainted
with the family, said that they are re-
garded as among the best workers in the
church, The funeral will occur from the
church of which the young men were mem
bers tomorrow afternoon at o'clock, the
pastor, Rev. Bruce A. Jenkins. officiating.
A tragic fate seems to hang over Mrs.
Blacks life. A few years ago her husband
was instantly killed on the tracks of the
L., e; w Railroad; His body was re-
stead of to the home. The widow was al
most frantic from the shock Little Bruce,
then a child, was with his father and saw
him ground to death. The lad is now sew
enteen years old, but slight for his age.
He adored his elder brothers. and his grief
and anguish as he told the story of their
death was pathetic His self-reproaches
touched his hearers.
The boy asserts that when his brothers
pushed the buggy into the creek to wash it
some men, who were fishing, cursed them
for disturbing the water and refused to do
anything to save them when they were
drowning. No was able to learn the
names of the fishermen. Coroner Brayton
talked to a man who said that he was an
eyewitness to the tragedy He said that
he was fishing on the opposite bank. He
admitted that he shouted roughly at
Bruce when he turned about and at
tempted to rush in to rescue his drown
ing brothers, but only did so with the hui
name idea of keeping the lad from rushing
to his own death. Some friends of the
family think that the boys mind was SO
excited that he mistaken about the
| men who were fishing.
A man by the name of Wiltshire came
| along Just after the drowning and set to
| work to get the bodies out of the water. At
| that point there is deep hole, and it was
| with some difficulty that he found them.
| Men from Kregeos undertaking establish
| ment removed the bodies to the home.