Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-11
A FATAL ACCIDENT
YOUNG MAN DROWNED WHILE
TRYING TO SAVE SISTER.
The Young Woman Rescued by Specta-
tors-Body Of Deceased Conveyed
to Raleigh, N. G.

Walter H. Crabtree twenty-three years
old. employed as clerk in the Post Office
Department, was drowned In the river near
the foot of New Hampshire avenue Satur-
day afternoon shortly after $50 o'clock.
The capsizing of canoe caused the fatal
accident. and the young mans sister, Miss
Alma Crabtrce, and a young man now I'M
known, had narrow escapes.
When the boat capSized and the three
went overheard, they made desperate eff
fort to get to the float, from which they
had just pushed out, located in front OF
John Cumberland's boat house. Two young
men on the float, one Edwin F. Samueis
who came here from Boston about two
weeks ago, and is employed in the patent
Office, and the other c. 8. Grindle, also a
clerk in the patent Office, saw the accident,
but as the canoe had capsized only about
twenty feet from the float, they Thought
the occupants would have no trouble In
reaching shore. They had just returned
from padding on the river themselves and
had kept in near the bank because of the
roughness of the water, although they were
experienced boatmen.
AS soon as they saw the three were in
difficulty and could not hold on to their
canoe long enough to reach Shore Grindle
Immediately pushed out his and Samuels
canoe, which was half full of water. and
he was able to reach the young woman and
grasp her by the collar. The canoe sud-
denly sunk under his weight and he was
submerged to the armoits. at the same
time losing his hold on Miss Crabtree,
whose collar gave way. He managed to
grasp her once more by the hair, however.
and with the assistance of Grindle and Mr..
OTIS who was in charge of the boat house
and hurried to the scene of the accident as
soon as possible. pulled her to shore.
In the meantime Crabtree, who had
made desperate effort to save his sister,
disappeared under the water, and when
the Young woman was taken from the wa
ter he was nowhere to be seem The other
young man had reached the shore by his
own efforts.
The Rescuers' Statement.
Samuels and Grindle said to a Star re-
porter this afternoon it appeared that
neither Crabtree nor his sister could swim
very much, if at all. They both said, also,
that they believed if Crabtree had not
heroically tried to save his sister from
drowning ne would not have been lost
himself
Richard Collins of $3.50 I street and
James Poore, living at 1912 Prospect
street Georgetown, recovered the body OF
the young man, and it was removed tc the
morgue by the police.
AS soon as the incident was over Sdih-
uels and Grindle hurried from the scene.
the former having cold and being AFRAID
to remain out in his wet clothes Their
names were not secured at the time and
no one but themselves knew to whom the
brave rescue of the girl was due. Samueis
modestly said this afternoon tnat ne Had
not endangered his own life in bringing
Miss Crabtree to shore, since he did fiot
have to let go of the canoe pushed out
from the float and it was not necessary
for him to swim at all in saving ner
Coroner's Ger tifcate.
Coroner Neyitt made an investigation of
the sad affair, and gave certificate of ac-
cidentaI death Undertaken Gawler re-
moved the body from the morgue to his
undertaking establishment and prepared 1t
for shipment to the former nome OF the
deceased at Raleigh, N. c. Mrs. Crabtree
and her daughter accompanied the body 10
that city last night The victim OF the ac-
cident came here nearly two years ago
from Raleigh, and was employed as a
clerk in the offices of the southern ran
way1 Later he received the position under
the government. He lived with his mother
and sister at 2O14 G street northwest
There We're no services held over the
body in this city.