Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-15

treated at the hospital We're MISS Eona
Riddleberger a public school teacher,
daughter of the Virginia readjuster SEN
ator; NJ. II. Young. carpenter, twenty
nine years old, living at 80 ODD street
northwest; J. D. Torrey and daughter, lob
North Carolina avenue southeast; H. NJ.
Adams, thirty-six years old, clerk In the
War Department. Ill X street northwest;
c. c. Clark, twenty-seven years old. clerk
in the Agricultural Department, 1909
street northwest, and Miss Thomas, who
died.
Mr.. Belote's Efforts.
Satisfied that score or more of persons
were in the water, Mr.. Belote removed his
coat and made his way to the edge of the
ice, where he fell upon his stomach and
reached out far enough to take hold of
lady who was struggling in the water. The
weight of her body was great that Mr..
Belote was drawn from the shore into the
water, and it then became necessary for
him to save his own life. With the wo-
mans arms still around his neck he strug-
gled in the water, and went beneath the
surface more than once before he finally
managed to release the woman's hold and
get ashore again. life line was formed
with the assistance of Mr.. Ross.
Mr.. Belote returned to the water and sue
ceeded in assisting several person ashore,
among them the woman who was reSpon
sible for his getting in the water the first
time. To Mr.. Ross he gives the credit of
saving him after his hard struggle in the
water. Mr.. Belote recently recovered from
a severe illness, but last nights experience
does not seem to have hurt him other than
to sprafn his wrist. After the excitement
was over he went to the house of James
Carter, on street where he was put to
bed.
The Police Warning.
Reports We're circulated about the city
last night and this morning attributing the
accident to the failure of the police to have
the place protected last night
An investigation made this morning
shows that policemen were on guard there
yesterday and that they warned a great
many people 1t would have been utterly
impossible for the police to have protected
the river at all points where skaters were
enjoying themselves yesterday, for, it is
timated, several thousand persons were on
the river and smaller streams during the
day. Major Sylvester took the precaution
to have the basin guarded, as more people
go there than to almost any any other
point along the river, and number of the
skaters say they were warned of danger by
the police. The messenger boy, Rosson,
says he was warned, and explains that by
taking the advice of the police he probably
kept from the water.
Miss Rddleberger said this morning that
she was awrned of the danger by man
in authority and also by the colored man
who removed her skates. Mr.. Young said
but he paid no attention to what was said
The police, he said, warned the people not
to come ashore at that place on account
of the thin ice. Mr.. c. c. Clark. also a
victim. said he heard the police warn skat-
ers of the danger. He heard them say the.
ice was thin and dangerous near the shore
Search for the Bodies.
Several others called at the hospital, but
they were only wet and did not want more
ctip, 10 I'd taE}
cold. Their names were not registered at
the hospital. Major Sylvester had the Dis
trict Commissioners notified of the acci7
dent, and all three members Of the board
reached the river front before the crowd
had cleared away. The search for the miss
ing ones was commenced as soon as the
police and members of the crew Of the
police boat could improvise a hook This
was done by attaching hooks to a rake, and
after the officers had worked for an hour
they were rewarded by finding the body of
Mr.. Hamil. Major Sylvester. who was
directing this work, wrapped the body in
his carriage robe and directed that a med
fcal examination be made before the body
was removed to the morgue, although he
had no idea that there was any sign of life
left. few minutes later the body OF
Wasserbach was recovered. No other per-
sons were reported missing but the super
intendent of police gave orders that the
search should not be abandoned. Until
boats and dragged the basin, recovering
number of hats, hockey sticks and skates.
Several pairs of skates, pair having
shoes attached to them, were recovered and
sent to the station to be held for their
owners. The skates and hats were taken
to headquarters this morning, where they
are held.
While Policeman Bannigan came in for
much praise last night because of his heroic
work, there were others who showed their
bravery in the matter of helping people
from the water. w. w. Rosson, the mes
senger boy, and Ralph Collins, also a mes
senger, both employed in The Evening Star
office, performed good service. Mr.. A. S.
Belote of 631 G street southwest and Mr..
Lee Ross were also among those who work.
ed faithfully and successfully. Mr. Belote
went to the river with fellow students of
the Columbian University, and had reached
the shore and removed his skates a few
seconds before the ice gave way.
Victims of the Accident
Miss Jessie Thomas, one of the victims of
the disaster, was twenty years old. Her
father, Mr.. Cyrus Thomas, is employed in
the bureau of ethnology. where the daugh-
ter was employed as librarian. The young
lady was considered an authority on scen-
titic literature. Mr.. Thomas lived in Illinois
a number of years ago, but spent a number
of years al Frederick, Nd, before he came
to this city about two years ago. The body
or the young lady was taken to the under
taking establishment of John r. Lowe and
prepared for burial. Tomorrow members
of the family will accompany the body to
Frederick for interment.
HeNry c. Hamill. another Of the unfortu-
nate zones, was thirty-six years old He
was from Lansing, Mich. and had no rela-
tives In this city. He was a clerk in the
War Department and lived at 1928 street
northwest. Hamill was Mason and was
a member of Hope Lodge of that order in
this city. DR.. Collins. who Is worshlpfti
master of that lodge. took charge of Ham
ms body and had Undertaken Hines pre-