The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-06-27

James river claimed It's first Victims
OF summer bathing in its waters SUN
day afternoon when Make and Sydney
Cohen, ten and eight years of are ro~@
spectiveiy, sank beneath a whirlpool
near the foot of Twelfth street on tha
North side. Their bodies have not been
recovered.
But for heroic and daring work on
the part of Earl Nicholas, fourteen-
year old boy, who lives In Barton
Heights. Mr.. Meyer Cohen, father OF
the drowned boys, would to-day b
sleeping beneath the rolling waves ~
the turbulent James. He is alive and
sits with his wife and their other chill
dren I'm his home, ,29 South Second
street. because of the remarkable pres
ence of mind of the Nicholas boy. who
plunged into the roaring stream and
guided the man to a fish trap, then
dragging the unconscious form clear Of
the splashing waters and holding him
until boat could arrive.
He Was Fishing.
Taking his two boys with him. Mr..
Cohen went fishing on the banks a.
The river near the power house Euntnx
afternoon He left home shortly nk1la
t~elvs In %bouyant spirits assd
10 his wife about two hours latef e1&3E
he readfui story OF the drowniuk
mis- children to unfold. M
sitting on the wall he watched htoN
children undress and wade out intu
the water that pours In great volumes
through the gates above. Close -
the shore the depth Is not more than
two feet-neither of the boys was more
than three feet tall. Suddenly the
youngest of the boys was struck BY
the current and with a cry for help
uyIa IA -
Make, reached tor his drowning BROTH
er and he too was whrled downward.
He sank almost immediately The
smaller boy, Sydney, turned on his
back and drifted against one Of the
pillars. only To be caught in the whiri-
ing. grinding current. and swisked ~
his death.
Jumped From High Wall.
! From his position ten feet above thu
water the father saw his children bat
! ting with the raging stream and
plunged in with all of his clothes on.
lie had scarcely struck the water Be -
fore he was thrown by the current down
ward and sank once. Fighting as hard
as he could he tried to grasp the limb
of a bush that overhung the banks.
missed and was swept with great force.
Gown the river. III
Earl Nicholas, who Is small for his
! age. had been bathing In the river
and saw the boys go under and thA,
father tumbling and rolling with the
! current Rupning along the high wall
| until ne was near Mayos Bridge thu
| little fellow swung himself down =
| wire. perched upon rock for secs
ond. and then boldly waded upstream
| near the bank When fifteen feet
above the trap in the river. he struck
! out with firm strokes until he wxa a.
| rectly In the current. @
A Little Hero. 4:
But he had reached the drownin0l
man. and pushing him along. iandeA
him on the trap. MIR. Cohen wa1 ~
an unconscious condition. The trAp
stayed his progress. and while III
head was under the water and pnFf
| OF his body suspended above. the brAg0
little rescuer climbed upon the tran
and pulled the man out OF dangers
| way. His deed was witnessed by aovs
eral and a yell was sent up for boat-
Robert Hudgins. a riverman. tump~
ed into his boat, and with the aid ok
long pole rowed 1t to the trap, wh1ro
he. with the aid OF Nicholas, resuect-
<ated the drowning man. With thu
first signs of life he was placed Id th&
boat and hurried to Seventeenth xfro1t
where the ambulance had been cal1o6%
| Much OF the water was pumped 1FoqW
the lungs of the semi conscious an1
| ulStTdCtcu kdLHcI, Auu ne W83
to the city hospital, and after ltf4I&
further treatment he was taken n
his home. sss
His first words upon recose81nG
consciousness were to inquire Tor n
children. When those near him 4o3H
him that the little fellows were dro0kl
ed, the man broke down cOmptQ46aSx
At his home he was hysfericaI xo&s r
while. and physician had to& H&
called in. aS&
Many Go to Scene. 9s83
The news OF the drowning az RI
boys spread like wildfire. and ~
day stroilers along the streets
quickly filing Mayo's Bridge am<E
along the river front. Boats
brought into service, and AfS5&6
score of young men fought Nl&
turbulent and seething waters
beavers to get near the spot It.
the boys had last been seen. 8
sounded the. bottom With IOxEA
1 and several bathers brayed tkx
rent to dive into holes nktG@
deep.
..r. Pat Wood. an employs
Tredegar Iron Works. and a
expert swimmer and diver ri Nh
. was soon on the scene. U41
bathing suit. he breasted thA
, from the walking bridge M
almost at the power h0m0r
while swimming against thA IN
. a current 80 swift that ore n43
, not send boat up it-~Mrs#
peatedly Owed He 9WfG ma
water exceedingly we'll RI