Evening star., 1898-08-15

Pratt were at the scene Thinking that
possibly the life of Royce might be restored
with proper medical assistance, the patrol
wagon was summoned by Sergeant Myers
and hurried trip made to the Emergency
Hospital Life was extinct, however, and
the corpse was brought back to the George
town station and the coroner notified.
The Other. Bodies Found.
The search at the scene Of the drowning
was continued for Several hours after the
recovery of .Royce's. body, but at last the
drasgers gavs UP thk task. The police har-
Dor boat was notified and instructed to
reach the scene this morning and to drag
the river bottom. Before the boat reached
Georgetown this morning. however. the
othsr TWO bodies had been recovered, and
were taken to the GEORGETOWN station. The
remains OF Warwick were brought up with
the aid or graphing hook about o'clock
iris morning, and Hess than two hours
later the BODY of Henderson was brought
up, Frank Reynolds being successful in
doing this.
Certificate of Accidental Death.
Shortly before Ii o'clock this forenoon
Deputy Coroner Gazebrook appeared at
the station house, and viewed the remains.
Several of the survivors were present,
among the numbsr being Benjamin Royce,
Robert Coxon and Harry Macaboy. The
two first named told their story, and GER
tifcates Of accidental death, due to drown
ing, were issued. The remains of Warwick
ana Royce Were turned over to Undertaken
John Mccarthy of M street, to prepare for
lnterment, While another undertaken took
charge of the remains of Henderson. War
Wick, whose parents are dead, resided at
1924 Bath street Henderson lived at 34th
and L streets, while Royce lived at 2o64
32d street.
Accounts by Survivors.
According to Coxon, who told his story
to Star reporter this morning, he did not
see any Of thu three drowned young men
after all hands went overheard. Coxon was
the first man to go overheard, and he swan
lem the place to the wharf. 'Tt was late
in the afternoon when / went over to the
island he said. Il was with John Hen
derson, one of the drowned men, and
another young man by the name of Fowler.
We mat another boat with the young men
IN IT, and they invited us over to the island.
when we got there the keg of beer was
nearly empty and did not have any more
than one or two gallons in it. had just
liked up my horse before 1 met my COM
panions. When the beer was all gone we
started for home. Serrin had his boat and
look over about eleven or twelve in the
first load. l wouldn't go over in the first
Doat because OF the crowd, thinking that
IL might De swamped. In the second load
there were only eight Of us. One of the
while Henderson, Royce and Warwick were
up in front. When we were near the
Georgetown wharf Flossie Mertz gave Ben
Royce slight push. He grabbed hold of
me, and both of US went overheard When
l came up the boat was upset and four or
hVe yards from me. l thought that l could
swim to shore and started out. While on
my way met a man coming in boat and
asked him to take me in, but he said he
was gong after the others / reached the
wharf, caught hold of pile and climbed
ashore None of the party were drunk
Royce, brother of one of the drowned
poys, told substantially the same story
He, however. claimed that he did not feel
Mertz push him, as Coxon stated. When
ne went overheard the bateau upset, and
when he came up he strus gled to reach the
Keel of the upturired boat He was sue
cessful in this and hung on until rescued
He further claimed that none of the party
were drunk and that there was no fooling
on the Journey across the river
Harry Macaboy, another of the party
stated to Star reporter that as soon as
the two boys, Royce and Coxon, went
overheard the boat upset and threw all
hands in the watersh He could not swim
and struggled hard to save himself. He
stated that he went down twice before he
was able to grasp hold of the boat He
held on to 1t like grim death until rescued.
he, like the other tive, claimed that all In
the boat were sober.