Evening star., 1909-04-19
MAY CAUSE new LAW
Renting of RoWboats to Chill
dren May Be Prohibited.
DEATH OF ELMER LACEY
Boys Unable to Control Craft in
Dangerous Current. :.
TWO SAFELY TAKEN TO SHORE
Police Search Long But Vainly for
the Body Of the. victim-Rewerd
= for It's Recovery. offered. :
TWO SAFELY TAKEN TO SHORE

! The drowning OF Elmer Lacey yesterday
afternoon may result in the pronufgation
of regulations prohibiting the renting oi
rowboats to boys unaccompanied by q
person capable Of managing the craft. :.
Dr. Hudson. superintendent Of the bath
ing beach, was an early caller at the Dis
strict building this morning TO make sug-
szestions regarding the question :Ce yenil-
,.dren being permitted to go sAlonS In hired
boats He thinks the practice 10 = DANGER
GUS one, which should be stopped, and his
object in calling at the building 50 early
was to interest Commissioner West In the
question while the drowning case Is fresn
in the minds of the public.
The drowning said DIR. Hudson to a
Star reporter, 'also shows the necessity
for teaching children how to swim. Last
year sixteen boys were drowned In local
waters and none OF them knew now 70
SWIM.
Coroner Nevitt tSis morning began an
investigation Of the drowning with view
10 holding an inquest. He told star re-
porter that he thought the question Of hir-
ing boats to children should be regulated
by law and he thinks jury should hear
the testimony In the case under investlga-
tion with view to making recon-
mendation Of some kind. DR.. hewitt does
not believe that children should be per-
nnitted to hire boats and go about the
river unattended. 1t does not make much
difference II they are able to swim, as II
frequently happens. that good swimmers
are drowned.
Upset in Dangerous Current.
Elmer Lacey. thirteen-year-oid son OF
]. Elmer Lacey of COT New York avenue.
was drowned yesterday afternoon about
$50 O'Clock just west OF the Mood gates
at the tidal basin. Homer Lacey, twin
brother of the drowned boy, and Dewey
Neil, ten years of age, were thrown into
the water when the boat in which they
were rowing capsized, but were rescued
H. B. White Of 2s17 Quarry road. r. H
Bernard OF 439 New Jersey avenue south.
street and an unidentified colored man
composing the rescue party. The body OF
the drowned boy was not recovered last
evening anu members of the crew OF the
police boat were out early this morning
dragging the river. reward OF 80 was
offered by the father of the boy for the
recovery of the body. =
4 hundreds of automobilists. drivers and
pedestrians we're in the. vicinity OF. the
3idaI basin yesterday when the accident
occurred. They Witnessed the exciting
scene In the water. but only Few per-
sons were able to reach the two boys
and save them from drowning. The water
was somewhat higher yesterday than
a very swift current made 1t dangerous
but these conditions did not have the
effect of keeping small craft from" the
river. The boat occupied by the three
boys was only one Of hundreds that were
on the river yesterday afternoon, although
no other accident was reported.
IT Is stated that the boat was hired
from house near the steamboat wharves,
the boys starting west to reach the inner
basin where many others were In boats
and from where they could get 2 view
OF the turnouts on Potomac drive. In
order to reach there Il was necessary for
them to pass through the flood gates. q
trip that is considered perilous one.
When they had passed through they
found the current so troublesome that
they were unable to manage the Boat.
Two Of the boys tugged at the oars In
their efforts to get the boat to move
ahead, and it was while the effort was
being made that the boat turned turtle
and threw its occupants into the turbu-
lent stream. A cry Tor help attracted
occupants Of small craft and persons on
shore. and there was rush In the di-
rection OF the gates.
Dewey Neil and Homer Lacey managed
TO keep from going below the surface
but Elmer Lacey was not SO fortunate
The unidentified. colored man who as
sisted In th~ rescue OF the two boys
after he had satisfied himself that the
two boys were safe. and others about
the scene Of the accident knew nothing
OF the drowning until Homer Lacey asked
for his brother. Then II was realized
that the third occupant OF the boat had
been drowned. Il
Looking for the Body.
Etfcrts were made by the several men