New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-06-14
BOY STEERSMAN LOSES
LIFE ON TRIAL TRIP
Fell Into Water as the Launch
Eva Was Testing Speed
Down the Hudson.
FATHER ATTEMPTS SUICIDE
Crowd on Shore Sees Drowning
of William Lehman, Who
Helped Build the Boat
at His Home.

The fast launch Eva, with her owner,
Henry Lehman, a contracting steamfit-
ter, of No. 118 West 9Sth street, at the
engine in the bow and his son William,
nineteen years old. at the rudder,
chugged her way down the Hudson River
yesterday afternoon at her best speed,
as if to justify the faith of her builders,
the father and son. AS passengers on
the boat were two friends of the Leh-
mans With his eyes keen for obstacles.
William stood at the rudder alone The
two friends were in the bow with his
father
AS the Eva sped by a point about op-
posite 13Sth street, William leaned his
back against the small inclined flagstaff
in the stern. The staff seemed strong,
but suddenly it snapped. and with hardly
splash William fell backward into the
river The Eva kept on.
When he had driven the launch a few
hundred feet from the spot where his
son fell into the river, Mr.. Lehman no
ticed that the little craft was off the
right course. He was about to turn to
speak TO the boy when he heard shout
mega phoned from shore. He saw sew
eral men and women on the float OF the
Colonial Yacht Club at 140th street
gesticulating and pointing toward the
stretch of river behind him. He looked
back and discovered that his son was
struggling for his life in the water, sew
eral hundred yards behind.
One of his friends jumped to the rud-
der and the launch was put about and
headed for the struggling boy. At the
same time several boats put out from
the yacht club float and from a boat
house near it. In the boats which pulled
out from the yacht club were George "A.
Vestner, a former commodore of the
club, and A w. Holliker, its rear COM
modore. But the race was lost.
for the lad disappeared beneath the
waters as the boats reached him. The
boats were stopped and held to the spot
to await the boys temperance. He did
not come. His cap fioated on the sur
face.
The fathers cries for his son alarmed
his friends, and it was decided to take
him ashore The Eva was run to the
yacht club float. Mr.. Lehman stepped
on the float. then tried to throw himself
into the river. His friends were barely
in time TO catch him A policeman took
Mr.. Lehman TO the West 10th street
station. as his frantic actions in the
boathouse gave rise TO the fear that
grief had unsettled his mind. He was
ouieted at the station house by an am
bulance surgeon. and sent to his home.
where he could be watched by friends.
Just before he left the station house
the father asked for drink OF water.
A policeman handed him glass. AS he
did so he noticed Lehman's hand go tow
ard his throat The policeman drop
ped the glass to the floor and grasped the
hand From it fell a pocket knife with
one of the blades opened.
William Lehman and his father built
the Eva indoors. When the time came
to put her in the water 1t was found that
she was too wide TO be run out. The
boat was run upstairs to the second floor
Of the Lehman home and then lowered
TO the street. A truck bore her to the
Hudson.