Evening star., 1909-04-20
JURY TO take IT UP
Question of Allowing Children
to Hire RoWboats.
DEATH OF ELMER LACEY
Testimony to Be Heard at Inquest
L Tomorrow.
TO PREVENT LIKE TRAGEDIES
Father Of the Drowned Boy Appeals
!, to the Commissioners for the
Establishment Of Safeguards.
DEATH OF ELMER LACEY
TO PREVENT LIKE TRAGEDIES

Il
/ Establishment Of Safeguards.
: The matter of allowing small boys un
attended to hire rowboats on the rivel
will be taken up by the coroner's jury
when II meets tomorrow morning at tht
/: morsue. Testimony will be heard regard
I ing the drowning Of Elmer Lacey at tht
tidal basin Sunday. His body was re
covered shortly after o'clock yesterday
afternoon and the jury viewed the re
mains at Thomas 8. Sergeon's undertak
Ing establishment. 1O11 7th street north
west. this afternoon. Tomorrow a YER
dict will be rendered and 1t Is expected
that recommendations will be made.
Coroner hewitt had given considerable
thought to the drowning before the re
covery of the body. having paid specia
attention to the question Of boatmen being
permitted to hire boats to small boys. ant
pass upon the death and probably Suggest
the adoption of means to prevent sucf
drownings in the future that the inquest
was ordered. 1t Is the opinion of the
. coroner that small boys should not b<
permitted to 60 on the river In boats un
attended. and the way to stop it. he
thinks. Is to enact q law Furnishing boat
men for hiring boats to such children.
Mr. Lacey Urges Safeguards.
Maj. Sylvester. superintendent of police
.Dr. William. B. Hudson, superintendent
.of the bathing beach. and Mr.. Lacey
father Of the drowned boy. also took q
hand In the investigation yesterday. Mr.
Lacey forwarded q communication to the
Commissioners protesting against con.
tinuance OF the practice Of hiring boats
to children. writing:
"As you have safeguarded children
against toy pistols and cigarettes. II
seems to me. distracted parent. that ths
hiring Of boats to children should be pro
hibited by law
Mr.. Lacey told Of the hiring of the boat
= from which his boy was drowned ane
You cannot restore our darling to us
, but you can prevent other parents hearts
being broken In this way"
DR.. Hudson discussed the question will
the Commissioners. suggesting the adop
tion Of an effective regulation. Maj. Syl
vester detailed Detective Cox to make ar
investigation OF the accident. The de.
tectfve went over the. ground thoroughly
saw witnesses, viewed the scene Of the
accident and had the police photographer
photograph the food-gates and piles te
the west Of them where the boat was cap.
sized. Detective Cox has submitted his
report to Maj. Sylvester. and II IL prob.
able that he Will appear at the inquest
This morning while at the Hood gates
Detective Cox made inquiries to ascer.
tain something about the depth of the
water and force OF the current there. I,
10 stated that there was an unusually
when the boat was overturned and three
boys prectpitated into the water. Homer
Lacsy, brother Of the drowned boy. and
Dewey Neil. who were rescued from the
amined at the Inquest tomorrow. They
viii be able to tell about the hiring Of
the boat and Of their exciting time jus,
after passing through the flood gates
Other witnesses will be depended upon
for information about the general condi.
tfons about the scene OF the drowning.
Three Other Boats Capsized.
During the investigation Of the accident
yesterday members Of the harbor precinct
learned that three boats capsized near
the flood gates during the twenty-foul
hours prior to the drowning of the Lacey
boy. There were two men in one Of the
boass. the police were told. and they
managed to get ashore in safety. the Sec
ond boat having only one occupant. He
saved himself. 1t was stated. by reaching
the top OF the piles just west Of the gate
1t 10 stated that 1.-THE plies are In. the river
there for the purpose OF preventing
branches of trees and rubbish from chok.
. ind the waterways at the gates. II they
are to romain there the police say. they
should extend far enough out of the
water In order that an extra high tide
would not cover them.
: The police also think the six flood gates
, should be kept open, In order to reduce
the danger Two Of them are kept oper
all the time. but four Of them open and
close with the change OF tide
IF two Of them are to be kept open.
remarked one Of The policemen today
!. ,'all Of them should be, or they should
. be 20 guarded 40 to prevent boats from
going through.
!. Police LGuneA. Caught In Current.
!; The Star has twice within the past two
/. months called attention to the fact that
. 1t was dangerous for. a small boat to ap.
proach near the tidal basin bridge. at the
. point where little Elmer Lacy lost his life
. Sunday. on account Of the streng current
THAT sweeps In and out of the opening
under the bridge at the various stages Of
.fhe tide. The current has strength enough
seo capsixe a small rowboat. and ex-
: oerienced watermen have to use much
!. caution in approaching the outlet gates
-harbor police had occasion TO go TO the
upper part OF the harbor in the power
Siaunch Mai. Sylvester. At that time moth
sing was known of the danger. and the
: launch was caught In the current. and
!. although Il was In no danger Of overturn-
ling, the policemen aboard IL had much
saificulty in turning the launch around SO
that its engine could be used to get out OF
the strength OF the current. 1t is stated
that this rush OF the water Ia due to the
sact that all the openings under the bridge
except one we're closed by pianking sew
opening the water rushes with great force
Funeral This Afternoon.
!: Eimer's body was recovered by Vincent
: Simmeil Of 1900 street southwest one
{ Of q number Of men who assisted in tn,
work Of dragging for the body. He wa,
In one OF the small boats that was beint
moved about the basin by the launch
Sylvester, in charge OF members OF tn,
crew of the police boat The body Of tn.
boy was found about 800 yards west O.
the flood gates; where the accident hap
pened. and members Of the crew Of tn,
! police boat expressed surprise that +
should have been taken so far away b,
the current.
Coroner hewitt last evening gave per
mission for the removal Of the body Il
the undertaking establishment, releasing
II this afternoon. after 1t had been viewed
and the jury sworn. Parents OF the bo,
arranged for the funeral to take plac,
ct 4 o'clock this afternoon, services I,
be conducted In the chapel at Glenwoot
cemetery. Rev. George w. Havell, whit
has been connected with local mission,
Tor a number Of years. Is to oficiate.