Norwich bulletin., 1909-01-11
FIFTEEN YEAR OLD BOY
DROWNED IN PARK.
Paul 5rosofske Broke Through Thin
Ice at spaIdins's Pond-Another
Boy Rescued.

Paul Brosofske, the is year old son
of Mr.. and Mrs. William BroSofske. OF
No. sos Boswell avenue, broke through
the ice and was drowned Saturday af-
ternoon about $3.50 o'clock at Spalding's
pond, in Mohegan park. Another boy
of about the same age, Dan Williams
who lives on North street, also broke
through the ice just afterwards, but
struggled towards shore until he was
reached and pulled out in safety. The
body Of young Brosofske was recover
ed from the bottom of the pond about
o'clock Sunday morning. When found
IL was by the side of a stump on the
bottom and the position Of the arms
indicated that he probably grasped tie
thus kept himself from coming to the
surface.
The unfortunate accident, which put
an end to skating there for the rest Of
the afternoon and evening, occurred
when the pond had a crowd of about
800 skaters on it, the ice being about
four inches thick and furnishing fine
skating except at the upper end near
the shore, where there was a stretch nf
thin black ice which had been newly
formed in the last freeze. While skat-
ing alone, young Brosofske broke
through here and sank after a short
struggle. 1t was said that he could mt
swim. As soon as he was seen in the
water a number of men skated down
the pond to where Superintendent Duff
had a rope which he had provided fo-
such emergencies, and this was thrown
to the boy but fell short and he sank,
and did not rise again.
Just after he had disappeared from
view the Williams boy broke through
some distance farther along the shore
and the rope was rushed over there TO
rescue him and planks were also
brought which Superintendent Duff
keeps i'll the pavilion, having provided
them last week with a view to possible
accidents. The Williams boy could
swim and broke a path through the Ice
for some distance until he was about
ten feet from shore, where tree trunk
was pushed out on the Ice and Harry
Chounaira climbed out on it and pulied
young Williams in. The rescued boy
was taken to the pavilion, where his
clothes were dried out in front of the
log fire. While watching the search a
third boy broke through, going only
up to his knees.
w. Russell Baird with his automobile
drove down to police headquarters for
an officer, returning with Policeman
Irish, who cleared the pond. assisted by
Supernumerary Sullivan, as it was not
considered safe to have a big crowd
EdlIlCA OAA JJlO 4CO " 444AS NAAG AC|ONCAg VI
the body was attempted. Archibald
Torrance, the contractor. offered his
team to superintendent Duff, who came
to the city and secured a boat 1Bvm
Calvin Briggs OF the East Side and
graphing irons from Charles H. Butts
of Thames street. When these had
been brought UP to the pond search
for the body began, H. Levitst1y and
Philip D. Wilhelm dragging the bot
hub vvifhnfTf This u
given up at dark, when the graphing
irons were lost. The boys father also
helped in the search
At daylight Sunday morning Super
intendent E. L. Burnap of the water
Department, Calvin c. williams and
William Bljcq went up to the park with
superintendent Duff and located the
body in at out twelve feet of water, Just
about where he went down. They To-
Gated the spot with stick and Mr..
Burnap brought the body to the surface
with a hook that Mr.Wilhelmi had made
and had brought up to renew the
search.
The body was taken ashore, where
II was viewed by Medical Examiner
Paddock, who returned a verdict OF
accidental death by drowning and gave
Undertaken Murphy permission to take
charge OF 1t.
DR.. Paddock expressed considerable
surprise that there was no hoat at the
pond and said he thought this was a
precaution the park authorities ought
to provide besides having the rope and
planks on hand.
The drowned boy was one of a fam
lily OF nine children, being the fourth,
and would have been Is on the 18th of
this month. He was a native of this
city and was well spoken of by all
who knew him. and much sympathy is
expressed for his family.