Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-19
HAD A NARROW ESCAPE
HUMPHREY X. COOKIES EXPERT
ENcE IN NEW YORK.
Found in River and Was Saved by
Hard Work Of Fire
men.

Humphrey X. Cooke of No. 1 Cooke
place. Georgetown. who left Washington
last Thursday against the wishes of his
family, ostensibly for the purpose OF en-
tering the Office of brokerage firm in New
York. was rescued from a watery grave in
East river at an early hour yesterday
morning. He is the youngest son of the
late Henry D. Cooke. the first governor of
the District of Columbia and is twenty
eight years old.
The dispatches from New York relative to
the incident were confirmed at the Cooke
residence today. Mrs. ]. r. Magruder. a.
sister of the young man. left last night for
New York, it was stated, in response to
telegram.
dispatch today states that she called at
Bellevue Hospital upon her arrival there
and arranged to accompany her brother to
this city. Cooke. 1t was stated, is unable to
explain why he suddenly found himself
swimming for life among the floating ice
cakes off the water front.
Rescued in Unconscious Condition.
Dispatches received contained a graphic
account of Cookies narrow escape He
was first noticed in the swirling tide
off the Battery at o'clock yesterday morn
Ing by Fireman John D. Kerrigan, who
ran out to the extreme end of the pier
nearly parallel to the Battery wall and
there found Cooke struggling about ten
feet away in the ice and yelling for help.
kerrgan. the fireman who was on watch a.
the dock of the fire station was startled
by the unfortunate mans crisS and looked
in vain for something to throw to the
swimmer, everything being hidden beneath
a blanket of snow which had enveloped the
city. The gong at the fire house was at
once sounded and soon fifteen able bodied
men commanded by Capt BREASTED came to
FIR ~ let rx-ftI boot
hooks, ropes and blankets. Cooke, who
had been clinging to a huge piece of ice.
grabbed the boat hooks which were thrown
TO him and he was pulled out.
Cooke. who by this time was almost half
frozen and unconscious. was taken into tho
fire house and there rubbed thoroughly
Soon he was able to give his name. and
explained that his sister was Mrs. ] r.
Magruder of Georgetown. After Cooke had
been taken to the Hudson Street Hospital
he became anxious about some papers that
h, said he had in his pockets. These the
firemen had already taken out and put in
an envelope. He stated that the papers
were a bond to secure the payment of
$4,000 to. him from the Magruder estate
in Washington and a note for the motley.
When asked how he happened to get into
the river he said he could not remeu bcr
He could only recall that h. went out IN
the afternoon with an overcoat and money
in his clothes. =
Circumstances Peculiar.
The circumstances under which Cooke
was found were very peculiar and he is
suffering from shock and exposure and
has not yet been able to give lucid state
ment as to his experience. The opinion
prevails, however. that in buffeting the
unusually strong wind at the time of the
heavy snow storm he stumbled over the
string piece near the fire boat pier at the
Battery and fell into the ice-illed river.
Near the edge
there was also the imprint of mans body
in the snow. The theory of attempted sui
eide Is not entertained for a moment by
his friends here, who say he is not given to
vicious habits and would have had no
reason to end his life. Mr.. Cookies rela-
tives here are much perturbed over his sad
plight and are reluctant to discuss the
matter.
Cooke is a graduate of the law depart
ment of George Washington University and
during his residence in this city followed no
regular calling beyond very limited ex-
perience In banking and insurance. 1t is
stated that he had become respondent
over his bad prospects here and had gone
to New York to enter the brokerage bust
ness with the pro rata money which came
out of the settlement of the estate of his
mother. whose death occurred three months
ago at Atlantic City, n. j.
The Cooke family have been socially
prominent here since civil war times. Dur
ing Grants administration it is said the
Cooke mansion was second only to the
White House as the center of the capital 8
fashionable functions. Mrs Magruder. the
young mans sister, states that he is not
given to gambling and she is unable to
account for his losing the money with
which he was provided when he left this
city. The family stated last night, how
ever, that the young man had been drink
| ing heavily of late and it was their wish
| that he stay at home and take treatment
| for alcoholism.