The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-07-17
CHILDREN WHO
ROCKED BOAT.
1wo Of Them Sink TO Watery Graves
cIasped In Arms Of Father Who
Tried to Rescue
Them.
MOTHER WAS WITNESS
Three Young Once Playing In sklff
and TWO Were Pitched Out
Into The
River.

ST, LOUIS, July 17.-Three lives
we're lost In the Mississippi river at
noon yesterday when three little chill. I
dren rocked boat, two falling out, |
and their father went to their rescue.
The father was drowned, with the two
children clasped in his arms. He was
unable to breast the swift current at
the foot Of Mullanphy street, the
scene of the drownings. while weight
ed with the children.
The victims are:
FRANK DUCIERELLE 80 years
old, 1926 North Eighth street
MARY DUCIERELLE, 1s years old,
his daughter.
ToMMIE DUCIERELLE, years
old, his son.
Mrs. Ducierelle, who witnessed the
drowning OF her husband and two
children is in the City hospital in
serious condition, with her S-months-
old baby.
Ducierelle was a watchman at the
city dumpboat at the foot of Null
lanphy street. He had planned a lit
tie outing for his wife and four chill
dren on the boat. He finished up his
work early and, in accordance with
plans which the family had made Sat
urday, Mrs. Ducierelle and the little
ones visited the boat at 1880 o'clock
yesterday morning. They brought
| with them lunch baskets.
Prior to the Sunday dinner in the
open air which had been planned. the
children romped about the river bank.
In addition to the two who were
drowned there was Angelo, a son, s
years old, and the baby, whom the
mother sitting with the father on the
dnmphoat, held In her arms as the
parents watched the children on the
hank. The latter began to beg their
parents to give them ride in one OF
two small boats which were tied up to
the dump craft
The children's entreaties were de
MED by the father. who said the river
current was too swift. However, he
granted their request that they be
placed in one of the small boats The
father lifted the three tots over In the
small craft. Mary was seated In ont
end, Tommie in the other and Angelo
in the middle of the boat,
The small boat was fastened to thu
dump boat by short rope. Where
the boats are tied UP in a marrow
snace between the bank and the larg'
hoat the water is not more than
feet deep, though the current is fast
The children started to rock th
boat and their mother and father, Wit
We're sitting on the railing above
warned them several times, The row
boat Ia very narrow and is hard Z
balance with only one person In II
The children continued to push II side
ways Going to the right side littl
too far, Mary and Tommie lost thei
balance and fell into the water, Al
cello who was sitting in the bottom Q
the boat remained In IT. He wa
taken out safely by persons who rusl
ed to the scene.
The father leaped over the railin
and struck the water between his wv
children When he came to the sh
face he had Mary clasped to n
breast. The second time he came u
ne had Tommie in the other arm
Then all three sank and did not agal
return to the surface
The mother, who was standing
the railing watching for her huspan
and children to reappear on the su
lace Of the water, suddenly screams
and fell to the floor of the barge VII
her baby in her arms. She rose
her feet and attempted to leap oV'
the railing into the river, but was pr
vented from doing so by three me
whom she fought frantically 81
tainted and was carried to the snor
An ambulance was called and she al
her haby were taken to the City no
pital.
A half hour later Capt. James Jon
son of the North Market street q !
trict, with Sergt Hurst, Special :
ficers Lemxemeyer and Smith ana
trolmen Hayeks and Kowkolski neg'
efforts to recover the bodies. M'
with pike poles 10 feet long drags,
along the bank for 200 feet down I
river. Later the men were placed
the two row boats. With long rop
attached the boats were let out II
the current of the river and the scar
continued. Late last night none OF Y
hoitas bad baau recoyered.