The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-06-14

DIED A HEROIC DEATH
A. L. BOZELL, OF THE SUNSHINE,
DROWNED AT BROAD RIPPLE.
His Boat COllided with a Couple of
Skifs and He Was Drowned While
Rescuing the Others.

AS the result of collision with two skiffs
last night above Broad Ripple, Arthur L.
Bozell, captain of the steamer Sunshine,
was drowned and four persons were SUBJ
jected to a severe wetting and narrowly
escaped death in the water. The steamer
Sunshine left her dock at the Broad Ripple
Park for the last trip and had proceeded
about two miles up the river. There was
aboard crowd of nearly fifty people, and
merry time was being had Suddenly
the lights of the boat showed two skiffs in
the water ahead, and a cry was started for
the boat to stop. But the pilot evidently
did not realize that the skiffs would not
get out of the way, and, as it was after
ward learned, the occupants of the small
boats did not know the steamer vas bear
ing down on them.
The steamer swamped the skiffs and threw
their occupants into the water. The first
boat struck was occupied by Robert Neigh
Dor and young lady. They passed quickly
under the boat and were picked up by an
other boat which was trailing at the stern
of the steamer The other boat was occu-
pied by William Field and a young lady.
Captain Arthur Bozell. of the Sunshine.
reached the prov of the steamer just as
the second boat was struck, and, without
moments hesitation, sprang overheard
and went to the rescue of the woman. He
was seen by those aboard to grasp her
about the waist and make an effort to swim
with her; but just then the steamer struck
them and they disappeared. The young
woman appeared again in a moment at the
stern, and was picked up by a passing skiff,
almost drowned; but Bozell never again ap-
peared. 1t is supposed that he was struck
~ h. H.
unconscious, as he was known to be a good
swimmer.
All of the four persons thrown into the
water by the collision were rescued without
difficulty. it happened there were other
skiffs close behind the steamer at the time
the accident happened. The only person to
lose his life Captain Bozell and that
was lost in an effort to save the lives of
others.
Bozell lived until recently with his mother
at 25N East Michigan street. The family
left this home within the last few days,
and Bozell had been boarding at Broad
Ripple. He was carpenter by trade. Last
summer he was in the employ of Col Eli
Lilly at Wawasee, and acquired consider
able knowledge of the handling of launches
and small lake steamers and secured posi-
ton with Frank Norville as captain of the
steamer Sunshine at Broad Ripple. The
passengers on board the Sunshine last night
who witnessed the collision say that Bozelrs
act was one of exceptional bravery. The
steamer struck the small boats by pure ac-
cident, and it is the opinion of those who
saw 1t it was the fault of the people in the
skiffs. -.
Robert W. Neighbors lives at 1905 Central
avenue. He had not returned home this
morning at o'clock, when Journal re-
porter called. His mother said that the boy
had rickety boat at Broad Ripple, and she
was not surprised that it had capsized.
She did not know the name of the young
woman he was with.