Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-22
WARREN BROWN DROWNED
Accident Occurred ut Bridge Over
Eastern Branch This Morning.
CRASH WAS WITHOUT WARNING
Colored Laborers Were at Work on
Pipe to Be Used a. Conduit r
Searching for Body.

Four colored men were precipitated into
the water by the breaking of q scaffold
upon which they were working under the
bridge which crosses the Eastern branch
at the Benning road this morning about
1890 o'clock. One of the men, Warren
Brown. who lived at 2603 o street, was
drowned, but the others managed to get
ashore after some difficulty and their lives
were saved. They were Isaac Waters liv-
ing at 500 18th street: John III. Boyd. 2t03
I'D street. and Moses Green. 2GO9 o street
Green and Boyd managed to swim ashore.
but Waters had to BID assisted from the
water by Daniel Clearv. foreman on the
work. and Richard Byers. who was in
boat with him.
The men were engaged upon the work of
running iron pipe beneath the bridge. to
be used as conduits by the Potomac Elec-
trio Power Company. in which to carry
heavy wires across the water from the
new power house that Is being erected on
the east side OF the Bennine bridge. They
were standing upon a swinging scaffold
when the timber broke. Il is stated. with
out giving them any warning.
Disappeared Completely.
1t Is stated that Brown disappeared COM
pletely the moment he went in the water.
his body not coming to the surface. and
thu suggestion was made that his head
had probably struck against some hard OBJ
5ect In the water. His hat was found a
short distance up stream after his three
companions had been rescued. tele-
phone message was sent to police head
quarters notifying the police of the acct
dent In less than five minutes after the
men went overheard. The police OF the
ninth precinct were told of the affair. and
the officers Of the harbor precinct were re-
quested to send their crew to the scene
Of the accident for the purpose OF dragging
for the body. Policeman Dawson OF the
ninth precinct made an investigation Of the
accident, and procured the names of wilt
nesses. who will probably tell the coroner
how the accident occurred, In the event or
an Inquest being held. The crew of the
police boat went to the scene of the drown
ing In the launch Richard Sylvester. reach
tng there about noon.
Desperate Battle for Life.
Warren Brown and his three companions
went to work this morning at the usual
hour. going upon the scafrold upon which
they had been working this week. Shortly
after 10 o'clock Foreman Cleary and
Richard Byers went out to where the men
were working and the two men were
the quartet when the scaffold broke. Three
of the men overheard began to struggle in
the water. and ii was apparent to the fore
man and boatman that Waters could not
swim. 1t because of his desperate
battle for life that they went away from
the swimmers and saved him.
When Waters was pulled into the boat he
was in almost a helpless condition, and 1t
was feared that lie could not be resuscitated.
but he recovered in a short while and was
able to walk to the Office of the company,
several hundred feet distant. Green and
Boyd went there Also and they remained
out in the sun until their clothing had dried.
Several of the workmen and men who were
fishing near the bridge rugged appliances
for dragging for the body and the work OF
dragging the bottom of the branch was
commenced long before the arrival Of the
crew of the police boat.