The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-07-25
ALTON PARKER
 NEAR DEATH
PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE CHOK- ED BY GRANDSON WHILE
 SWIMMING.
Lad Hides on Elders Back-Chance Spectator Dives to Rescue anA Bringu the Chtld to
 the Surface.

Esopus, N. Y.,-(Special. )-Alton Par- ker Hall, the 6-yttr-old grandson of former Judge Alton B. Parker, narrow 1y escaped drowning while bathing in the Hudson River with his grandfather this morning. For a time also, Mir. Parker was in grave danger, and the accidental presence of Edward Fritz, a Poushkeepsie photographer. alone pre- vented a tragedy.
 The recent democratic presidential candidate was swimming with the lad astride his back. the boy holding on with his arms about MT. Parker's neck. Becoming frightened, the lad began to cling tighter, the tension about the grandfather's throat becoming more distressing, until the latter was fairly strangling. In his effort to dislodge the boy and to carry him in another manner. MT. Parker threw him into the water and failed to catch him again. Parker h Exhausted.
 The boy sank to the bottom. and the elder man was too exhausted tenn porarily to attempt his rescue. At this junsture Fritz. who had been watching the two. came up and happily proved successful in his effort to secure young Hall.
 Fritz was standing on the Parker dock at Rosemount when the jurist came along and Fritz handed him to his grandfather, the latter floating away on his back with the youngster astride his chest.
 T didn't like the position MT. Parker assumed" said Fritz in describing closely, not only because of a natural interest in the famous man and the boy, but because was not easy in my mind. I remarked to Mrs. Fritz that I always swam with my boy on my back. thinking 1t much easier and much safer.
 After they were out awhile Mir. Parker shifted the boy to his back by turning in the water. It looked tri- fle risky to me. and the lad seemed to enjoy 1t. but it seemed to me that 1t was a new position to him and he was not at ease.
 Sees Parker is Choking.
 T was afraid he would slip off and was need, when I saw a change in Mir. Parker's stroke. It seemed to get feeble and uncertain. ana he shook his head as though he were trying to get loose from something. l realized at arms about the judges throat until the latter was choking and the boy was too scared to let go.
 Trouble in Keeping Afloat.
 T pulled off my coat and jumped into the water. and soon came to the
 
 the boy had been. The man was alone. and seemed to have trouble in keep ing himself afloat. saw some bub- bles nearby and dived in that direc- tion.
 The Hudson River water Is so dark one cannot see a thing until close, and by luck 1 landed close enough to the boy to see his little white hand. got a good grip on him. and up we went.
 At the surface I saw MT. Parker had recovered control of himself. and seemed to be about to go under to hunt for his grandson. I shouted to him that had got the poy. and, know ing Mir Parker was now in no danger, I took the lad ashore. the man follow ing close behind. It didn't take long to get the boy back in shape. and then we all went to MT. Parkers home, where I put on dry clothing belonging to Judge Parker. They were both all right when I left them."
 At the Parker home this evening the announcement was made that both vic tins of the accident were recovered, but the former judge pleaded fatigue as an excuse for not discussing the affair.