The Washington times., 1905-06-06
DEATH Of BOYS
NOT UNAVOIDABLE
Cor0ner's Jury Recommends
Fencing of Pond.
MENACE TO PUBLIC SAFETY
Testimony Given at Inquest on Drown
ing OF Lawrence Owen and
Jettie Cunningham.
MENACE TO PUBLIC SAFETY

After an hours deIiberation the coro-
ner's jury which held an inquest over
the bodies OF little Lawrence Owen and
Jettie Darlington, who were.S drowned
in the pond near the filtration plant,
came 70 the conclusion that the boys
came to their death in an accident
which was not entirely unavoidable.
The jury ascertained from witnesses
that the pond was regarded as a danger
Gus place and "a menace to public life
and safety. In spite of this, however,
there was no danger sign or fence
around the pond. and 1t was recommend
ed that the pond be filled in or sign
or fence put up to keep youngsters
away from it,
At II o'clock Coroner Nevitt took
the members of the jury to the home of
the parents of the Darlington boy
There both bodies We're viewed and the
jurors sworn in. They then returned
10 the morgue and the taking of testf-
mony was Immediately begun
Sergt. Daniel Slattery. OF the Tenth
precinct, was the first witness called
by Coroner hewitt. He told of the ere
alton of the pond at the east end OF
Glenwood Cemetery by the work on the
nltrauon plant. It has been filled In
divers tines,s but was still deep and
dangerous; in fact the exact depth is
not known by anyone. Sergt. Slattery
said ne had never heard any complaint
about the pond, which was caused by
rain water running down ravfne ana
waste water from the trough where
gravel is mixed for the filtration plant.
Policeman Ven said he was informed
that two boys had been drowned in ne
pond, and Immediately hurried to TIE
scene of the accident. Ven saw the
shoes and stockings on the bank of the
pond and the raft floating on the sur
face Of the water. He got on the raft,
but it would not bear his weight Ven
then got two small eolored boys to
dive for the bodies, and saw them re-
eoyeF the bodies after half an hours
physicians in their eadeavors to re-
vive the boys. So far as witness knew
no complaints had been received about
she pond.
0blivious of Danger.
Testimony was heard from Policeman
Wheeler. who is one of the men detailed
a. the filtration plant. He said he knew
tie pond was on the piece of land leased
By SEaoot & Co.. who furnished the
san used at the plant. Although Wheel
er had often been near the pond and had
seen children playing on its banks, he
said he never dreamed it was deep
enough to drown anyone
Did it ever suggest itself 10 You that
this was dangerous place for children
to play?'' asked Coroner hewitt.
No, SIR replied the witness
Did the man who conducts the little
lunch house ever tell you that he had
pulled people out of that pond lust in
time to save their lives?" inquired the
Coroner :
Witness answered in the negative and
was then excused,
DO you know personally whether any
chiidren other than the two on last Sun
day have ever fallen into the pond back
or your lunehroon?" was the first cues
ton put TO John Hamburg, the proprie-
tor or the eating stand at the plant, and
VINO was next called n faSf
Rescued Two Boys.
t'Yes. SIR" said the witness. @I,ess
than two weeks ago I heard cries Of
murder and ran To the pond. where I
rescued boy who had fallen from a
raft"
Witness said the pond was 100 feet
long and 50 or 30 feet wide He
thought the water was about twelve
or fourteen feet deep. Mr. Hamburg
said be did not think there was any
special watchman to warn persons
away from the pond
Red-headed. chubby-faced little will
lie Williams then told his story to the
IIqry He went out to the pond. or
hole" on Sunday. and they would not
let him get on the raft which they
built He said he saw the two boys
1a4 M on the raft and ran to a workman
man said he did not have time to help
rescue drowning boys.
Willie said Lawrence Owen could
swim and was making good headway
toward the bank after falling into the
water, but Jettie Darlington caught
hold OF him and pulled him under the
water. The two boys struggled for a
moment and then disappeared.
Had Warned Watchman.
Coroner hewitt then took testimony
from Roy Earl. fifteen years old. of 230
street northwest, who recovered the
body of Jettie Darlington from the
pond. Witness had been employed in
the lunch house for about two years,
the pond, which he considered dan
the land belonged to real estate agent
named Paul, and was leased by SInoot,
''the sand man" Roy said he had in
formed Watchmen Donaldson and Studs
at the plant that he had rescued two
boys from the pcnd. and thought IL
Supt Thomas j, Herbert of the iltra-
ton plant, said he had often CHASED
boys away from the pond. {"
Asked by Attorney George 2. Hoover,
rington boy. why he did not suggest to
Mr.. Smoot the advisa bility of putting
UP a danger sign or erecting a fence
around the pond, witness said he didn't
know the pond Was leased by his en-
pioyer.
Informed by the attorney that the
lease covered the land at the bottom Of
the pond, witness said he had learned
something.
Mr.. Herbert was then excused and the
jury composed of Frank K. Raymond,
foreman: J. S. Wainwright, Arthur 3 ar
rows. L. {. Remey, Thomas Walker,
and Henry Newman, took the case un-
der consideration.