The Washington herald., 1909-06-28

seeking 10 escape the heat by bathing
IN the Potomac River and adjoining wa
ters. five persons yesterday lost their
lives by drowning. The death list IN
-cludes a white man. two negro men. and
two negro boys.
Following is a list OF the drowned:
LLOYD CROSS. white. thirty-siE years old. Os
I12s9 rventy-third street noTthwest.
HENRY SMITH, negro. ;wenty-one years old. Of
i62i Church street northwest.
THOMAS H. PERRY. negro thirty-elght years
old. Of 81 Nicholas avenue. Anacostia.
JOSEPH PERRY. negro. fifteen years Old. son
OF Thonas Il Perry
THOMAS PERRY. negro. eleven years old. son
q Thomas H. Perry.
The bodies OF Cross and Smith were re-
covered. but at a late hour last night the
police Of the Harbor precinct were stin
dragging for the bodies OF the three
PeTys.
A Strange Similarity.
There was a strange similarity in each
OF the five cases. The batbers were ap-
parently unable 10 reach shore after they
ventured beyond their depth. and went
down before help arrived. Seldom before
has tie rivers death toll been so large IN
q single day.
Cross was bathing IN the Potomac about
a mile below Chain Bridge. He was one
OF a party OF several men who went I'D
the river TO F'letcher's boathouse. at Lock
Cove.
say. fellows. that river looks good TO
me-" said Cross. and he started for q
little pier which reaches out into the wa
ter small houseboat was rnoored AT
the end Of the pier. and Cross made for
# As he passed the boathouse he was
warned against taking a plunge. but the
advice was unheeded
Cross reached the houseboat and m
dressed He dived overheard and rade
for the middle OF the river with strong
steady strokes Although he was appar-
entity stropg swimmer. the men on shore
watched the bather. anticipating trouble
suddenly It vas seen Cross was in dif
nculty- He appeared TO be exhausted
Before a rowboat could be put out he
threw his arms above his head and ssnk
Several rowbOats were manned and
reached the spot where Cross disappeared
IN a few minutes. but the bather did nor
come to the surface.
II is supposed he was caught IN tba
Strong undertow at the cove and carried
against the rocks which stud the water
In every direction Cross was probably
stunned. The current kept his body q,
the bottom Graphing hooks were low,
cred, and after searching for more than
an hour. z. l. Kendig. OF COS Irving
street northwest. and John West, who is
employed by Fletcher, found the body
and drew It to the surface.
Formerly in Business.
Cross was formerly in business IN
Washington He conducted a cigar store
at Pennsylvania avenue ard Twenty-sec-
ond street. and was well known. His
wife died about eighteen months ago He
IS survived by his mother, Mrs. Mary A
Cross. a sister. Mrs. George Goodacra
wife OF a weil-known lunch-room pro-
prietor. and two brothers. Pinckney
Cross. member Of Truck Company . OF
lle AIe department. and Hayward Cross
VINO IS IN the automobile business.
Cross was drowned at 8 o'clocJ, in ,ba
afternoon. The body was recovered az
$40 O'Clock, and removed 20 the rpo-gua
Inc tragedy in Eastern Branch nearly
eXterminated a negro family. Thomas
II Perry and three sons-Joseph. Thomas
and James, the latter aged thirteen years
were bathing on the Anacostia side Of
the branch. near the grounds Of the Gov
ernment Hospital for the Insane
dredging machine has been deepening the
channel at this point. and the negro and
his sons probably waded into a deep hole
when they thought they were In no
danger.
About o'clock. when they had been
u-1~~
called TO his boys 10 wade out with him
With the three boys IN his wake tho
rather walked out until he was nftv
yards from shore. He suddenly disap-
peared and his sons thought he was try
ing 20 fool them. They continued N
wade out until they stepped into deep
water and sank. At the moment the
boys went under the father came TO the
surface and called for help.
William Pru!t, OF 80 Nichols avenue
was watching the bathers from the shore
lie called 10 the crew Of the dredging ma
chine 10 put out rowboat. and pulling
OH MS coat ard shoes plunged into the
water and started TO the rescue. Perry
had reached two OF his sons. Josenb anI /
ThoPas. and was making frantic efforts /
70 reach shallow water with them. James |
Perry was struggling In the water alone /
Pruit made for the boy. thinking the
father could care for the o'her two
Saved Boys Life.
Pruit grasped the boy and started for
shore when he heard a cry from Perry
Looking around the white man saw the
father and his two sons had disappeared /
Knowing he could not rescue the three no
continued 10 shore with James, and then
returned TO the spot where the father
and sons went down. He could not find
them. Police OF Sub-A precinct were
notified, and the launch Maj. Sylvester
was sent 10 the scene.
Henry Smith lost his life about O'Clock
In the afternoon. He was bathing IN the
Tidal Basin near the inlet 20 the Potomac
River. A swift current has worn a deem
channel at this point. Smith was caught
IN the current and became exhausted
battling against the stream. A throng
OF persons in carriage and afoot on the
esplanade near the bandstand saw the
negro's fight for life, but he was too FIR
put 70 be aided by those on the speedway.
The body was recovered by police OF the