Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-06-05
A SAD DRO WIN IN G
TWO LITTLE BOYS PLAYING
JAPAN-RUSSIAN WAR.

The recent great naval battle in the far
east is said TO be indirectly responsible for
the death by drowning of two little boys,
Lawrence owen and Jettie Darlington,
about $50 o'clock yesterday afternoon, IN
q pond near North Capitol and Detroit
streets.
Come on, Jettie," Lawrence is reported
to have said to his little companion. Let
play war and build some battleships. You
be the Russians and I'll play that l am the
little Japs."
Jettie agreed to the boyish proposition
and the lads proceeded to cast about to
find lumber with which to build their war
ships in miniature. They had been reading
about the great naval fight in the Sea of
Japan and entered into the sport eagerly.
The boys succeeded in finding only enough
timber to construct one battleship, as they
termed it, and they then determined to call
the raft they had constructed their ship of
discovery
Removing their shoes and stockings Law
renee and Jettie pushed the raft from the
shore and sprang en- 1t for the purpose OF
making a voyage. For an instant only the
craft fioated. Then il suddenly went down
ward end-up, precipitating the boys into the
pond. AS they went overheard they shuot-
ed loudly and Willie Williams a siX-year-
old boy who stood on the bank of the pond,
at least six of them Owed into the muddy
water, but the unfortunate little ones were
beyond human aid, and ii fully half
an hour before their bodies were recovered
Lawrence Owens was eleven years of
age, and resided with his parents at 522
K street northwest. Jettie Darlington, the
other unfortunate, was also eleven, and
lived at 1909 9Th street northwest. The
fathers of both boys are grocers
A sad scene was presented when the
bodies of the little fellows were removed
from the muddy pool by tender hands
Their fathers stood by weeping while Drs
schneider and Headley worked hard in
their efforts to reSuScitate the lads Find
ing their efforts were unavailing the bodies
were removed to the morgue and Coro-
Her j. Ramsey hewitt notified
| The boys have long been friends their
families having removed to this city from
Charles county, Md, where they were near
neighbors.
Coroner hewitt visited the scene OF the
fatality this forenoon. and made an in
vestigation of the circumstances surround
| ing the drowning. He also investigated
the pend and had no hesitancy in pro-
nouncng 1t "a vertable death-trap" AS a
result he has ordered an inquest to be
held at the morgue at IL o'clock tomor-
| row. While examining into the circum-
stances surrounding the accident of yes
teroay the coroner learned that several
persons have recently been pulled from the
muddy pool in a half-drowned condition
He said it is a constant menace to per-
sons who have to walk in that neighbor-
hood, especially on dark nights The pond
Is fully fifteen feet deep in its middle. 1t
is in a ravine which is being filed along
side the Glenwood cemetery, near North
Capitol and Detroit streets, and was caused
by an accumulation of rain. The prop
erty is said to be owned by Mr.. Paul a
real estate dealer. while the contractor
WHO is doing the work is said to be a
Mr.. Smoot.
The police of the tenth precinct say the
ZINC two H.
rescue the two boys and in finally recov-
ering their bodies: W. NJ. Jamison of ISL
u street northwest, William Baher of s
Goat alley, George Mickey of 929 street.
Sergt. Slattery and Officers Verr, Wheeler
and Jennings.
i here is reported to be great indignation
today among the residents of that port on
of the city II, which the accident occurred
and there was some talk of holding {,
meeting to enter a protest against The
"death hule. as the pond is now termel