Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1904-08-15
TEN PERSONS DROWNED.

TEN PEkSONo DhOWNhD.
Ten persons were drowned as the re-
suit Of the capsizing of naphtha launch
on the Potomac river, of Georgetown,
during the annual Potomac regatta on
Saturday afternoon, an account OF which
was published in the Gazette OF that
day. Four others who were on the
launch escaped. All we're from Wash
ington. The dead are: A. J. Boose,
J. George Smith, Charles +. Blumer,
]. Herbert Coates, John WaldermaD,
William Smith, Mrs. Lulu Dryfus,
Bertha Setback, Helen Hizer, or Hazel,
Helen Moore. The saved are: DR.. G.
w. Wagner, DIR. @. A. Stewart, J. A.
Woulfe and William Lenerer.
The capsized launch was the Recrea-
ton, owned by Drs. Stewart and Wag-
ner, and carried the IA people named.
During the first race the launch got in
the way of the eight-oared shells, and
its wash was such that the officials rep
rimanded its crew and ordered them
out of the way. There was some shcw
OF resentment at this order and the
launch headed for the shore, but mis-
calculated its course and striking the
strong undertow caused by the mill race,
rocked for moment and, as the pas
sengers rushed to one side, turned turtle.
Only few of the thousands of people
that lined the shore witnessed the a.
dent, but the police Immediately
work to recover the bodies.
the spectators, including of.
District government, protestt
the continuance of the racing
of the tragedy, but the officials in
declined to stop the sport, saying tn.
was inexpedent because the people b.
come on from numerous other cities t,
take part, and that the regatta was the
result Of long-laid plans in which many
outside interests were concerned. There
was great deal of criticism of this de-
cision.
Washington, Aug, 15.-Sorrowing
friends and hordes of the curious, crowd
ed the morgue this morning when the
inquest on the ten victims Of Saturdays
regatta accident was began at ten O'Clock.
The coroners jury, after viewing six OF
the bodies that have been in the morgue
since Saturday evening, began the taking
of testimony. Or. Charles w. Wagner
aud DIR. Charles A. Stewart, owners of
the launch that capsized, we're the princi-
pal witnesses. DIR. Wagner was running
the engine of the launch. He explained
that the launch had been run into the
wharf at 33rd street in order to take
aboard party of girl friends. The engine
had been stopped and the swift current
at the wharf, caused by the fume from the
canal, made the boat rock. When the
girls jumped down from the whart-they
were fourth number-their weight caused
the boat to list. AS they felt the boat lean
ing over they all seemed, he said,
to jump for the other side of it. The
weight caused the boat to turn turtle.
The weight of its engines caused it b
sink. The swift current carried every
one down stream, he said, aud that he
had, after an unsuccessful attempt to
save one of the men who was with him,
barely succeeded In getting ashore DR..
Stewards testimony was practically the
same. He remarked that the launch
would stay at the bottom of the Potomac
as he would never consent to its being
raised. The testimony of the police and
other witnesses of the accident all point
ed to an unavoidable accident. The
coroner's jury, after hearing several wit
nesses, rendered a verdict that the acct
dent was unavoidable. Arrangements
for the funerals of the victims have been
made. Four of the unfortunates were
Mystic Shriners. The Knights Templar
will take charge of their funerals.