Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1906-08-04
WAS A VERY SAD AFFAIR
Oe'als Of the Tragedy at WAtump.
ka SATURDAY Afternoon.
MISS YfARlCK VICTIM or FATE
Went to Her Death Despite Heroic
Efforts to Save Her Funeral
Held THIS Aftarcnoo
Held This Afternoon .

a telpehone message received here
Saturday afternoon at late hour
from Falling Waters conveyed the sad
Intelligence Of the drowning Of Miss
Winifred Yeariek. daug ter of Mr..
and Mr.. Frank Yearick. Of THIS CITY.
which occurred about o'ol ok III
the Potomac river near the wetump.
ga club houss.
The rews OF the traredy was a great
shock TO the many friends OF tbs
Young lady in this city, and brought
fourth mauv expressions OF regret.
She was aged about % years. and il
survived be her parents aud one sister
Mrs Nevin Dektrick, of waynesboro,
Pa.
Later details Of the sad tragedy at
Falling Waters on Saturday afternoon.
when Miss Winifred Yearkick vent
down 10 watery grave, were received
here late that night, and STOW that
the Young lady went to her death in
one of those strange and inexora-
BILE turns of fate that human bravery
sud human endeavor were unable to
overcome.
The Young lady was one of merrv
party that sought the still and placid
waters of the Potomac for swim as
the shadows of the afternoon were
beginning TO lengthen toward the east.
With her were Miss Mayme Barr,
Of Winchester Mrs May Roiph, OF
Baltimore Miss May Tanning, of
Philadelphia; Mr.. Adam Nicklas and
DR.. Harry Sperow. of MartinsburR.
Bouyant with life. and without
thought OF danger. the partv entered
the water upon q bar OF sand that
jutted into the waters at point
nearly opposite the Wetumpks clob
house. But in the exhuberance of
youth they reckoned not with the
rise that made the usually still
| waters trsacherous and uncertain.
Lauehingly the merry party traversed
the shifting sands to the point where
the declivity into the deep waters was
sharp and sudden. Poising second
uyon the verge. Miss Yearick aud DIR.
Sperow realiz.d the danger OF their
position, and each called to the other
that there was danger beyond. The
young lady, losing her footing. cried
to her companion that she was sink
ing. Instantly, and without thought
of self. DIR. Sperow, Young and power.
fuD and a splendid swimmer. went TO
the rescue of the lady.
Here the thought of life and the
natural fear Of the young of death en-.
tered into the dread tragedy. Miss
Yearick. intent upon her safety
made the fatal movement of grasping
her rescuer closely about the throat
Slight and weak. her desperate p, ST.
ton endowed her with superhuman
strength, and in the struggle the
Young lady defeated the very effort
put forth for her rescne. Struggling
with his burden. DIR. Spprow was
carried beneath the flood. crying out
for help.
Mr.. Nicklas, realizing that the sit.
nation was desperate, sprang into a
beat and stroye with his utmost
| pow 10 reach the scene of the trag
edy. Swift and strong were his
strokes, but before he could traverse
the distance between the bank and
the deep water. DR.. Sperow and Miss
Yearick were separated in the terrible
struggle, the young lady sinking
never to rise again, aud the man com.
ing TO the surface juss long enough
to re rrasped by the willing hands Of
the man n the boat
The unconscious form of DR.. Sperow
was eougat 10 the bank. but the body
of the delicate and helpless girl sank
TO the bottom, not to be recovered an.
til all vestige Of life had left the slen.
der form. The scene on the bank was
heartrending. Attracted by the cries
of the ladies, the campers at the club
house thronged the rivers edge, help.
less and despairing. and unable to do
ANYTHING toward the rescue of the
unconscious form that reposed upon
the cold sands of the rivers bottom
The search for the form of the girl
was kept up. however, until success
rewarded the efforts. but life was ex-
tinct when the body was brought to
the bank. Anxiously did those who
sought for the body look for signs OF
life, but the memorable waters of the
historic old stream, that had looked
with cold ayes upon so many TRACE
dies. had well done their work. and
the grief-stricken campers were com.
Delied to abandon their efforts at re-
suscitation.
The remains were brought to the