The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1897-07-12
TWO DROWNING ACCIDENTS
4. Z. WELLSTED OF WESTVILLE
and LEO NAETOKO, 4 POLE.

ming and We're Probably Seized With
Cramps Each Man Leaves Family
Neither Body Found Last Night.
Leo Martoko, q Pole, tWenty-seven
years old, living at 81 Frank street,
was drowned at 4;45 yesterday after
noon in West river, just above the
Derby railroad pile bridge, and at about
the same time Albert e. Wellsted OF NO.
/ Crescent street, Westville, was
drowned in Quinnipiac river, just below
the Lewis bridge.
Martoko with Frank Daljerker and
two other Poles had gone over to West
river to take a swim. His friends
wanted to paddle about In the shallow
water, but Martoko wanted to get into
deeper water and so swan across the
river to the Orange side. He rested on
the Orange bank a few minutes and
then started to swim back. He mad
reached the middle of the river where
at full tide the water is about twenty
feet deep. The tide was just coming In
at that time, however, and the water
was somewhat less in depth. AS he
reached the middle of the river his COM
panions nearer the east shore saw Mar
toxic suddenly throw up his hands and
sink. They thought that he was simply
sporting in the water until he came TO
the surface, when he again threw up
his hands and yelled Help" in Polish.
Then Daljerke started to swim to him
and reached him just as he was sinking
for the third time, Daljerke caught
hold of the drowning man, but could not
hold him. AS Martoko went down the
third time he caught Daljerke by the
foot and another one of the Poles who
had by this time reached the scene took
hold of Daljerke. and together the two
attempted to pull the unfortunate man
to shallow water, but Martoko's grasp
on Daljerke's foot gave way, and he
sank to the bottom or was carried up
stream by the incoming tide.
The police We're at once notified and
Sergeant Bergin of the Howard avenue
precinct was sent to the scene. A large
crowd of several hundred persons soon
gathered on the railroad bridge and
several parties at once began to search
irons were dragged back and forth
across the river and several men dove
to find the body, but up to a late hour
last evening all efforts to recover it had
failed.
Martoko had been working for about
three weeks at the slaughter house OF
the Merwin Provision company, situ-
ated near where the drowning occurred.
He came to New Haven from Meriden,
where the Poles who were with him
yesterday said he had wife and two
children. He boarded at a Polish
boarding house. 81 Frank street.
Alfred L. Wellsted, with William H.
Bolt. his brother-in-law who lives at
No. 43 Winter street, Henry Russell of
7S Winter street, and Joe Kaiser of the
same number, were claiming on Quin-
nipiac river yesterday afternoon In a
boat. About o'clock they rowed to
the east shore just below the Lewis
bridge at Middletown avenue. They
jumped out on the shore and began get
ting their clothing and other articles
together preparatory to rowing across
the river and starting for home. Well
sted had been claiming with no cloth
ing on but his trousers and shirt, and
just before the party had finished pick
ing up their things preparatory to go
ing home he announced that he was
going to swim across the river He en-
tered the water and started swimming
while his companions were getting
ready TO row across. He had reached
about the middle of the river, where
the water Is very deep, when his COM
panions in the boat saw him suddenly
throw up his hands and sink. They at
once rowed to the spot. but Wellsted
did not rise to the surface. Thorough
ly alarmed the men in the boat rowed
to the shore and secured assistance
and graphing irons TO drag for the
body. The work of searching was
continued to late hour last night
but without success.
Mr.. Wellsted was about thirty-five
years of age and worked as carpenter
for r. S. Andrew & Co. He leaves a
wife and one child.
The actions Of both Wellsted and
Martoko at the time when they sank
would seem to indicate that each was
taken with cramps. Neither one had
swan far enough to become exhausted
when he sank. 1t is probable that Mar
toko's body will be found some dis
tance above where he was drowned
as the tide, which was coming In at the
time, probably carried the body UP the
river. 1t could not, however have beer
carried above Washington avenut
bridge, as there is dam just below
this bridge. The body will probably be
found this morning when the tide is
out.
It is said that in Quinnipiac river
| where Wellsted sank there are severa
undercurrents flowing in various direc
tons, and in which one of these the
body was caught it is impossible tc
say, so that where the body will be
found is a matter of conjecture. This
uncertainty as to where TO look for the
body baff1ed the searchers yesterday
afternoon and last night.