The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-07-05
THINK YOUTH WAS DROWNED IN LAKE Arthur Green Cannot Be LO- cated By Friends SEEN IN SWIMMING Party in Launch Thought He Was Joking When He
 Called To Them
 for Help
SEEN IN SWIMMING

Arthur Green, a 19-year-old boy, wno works for Oster Bros, the furniture com many. as messenger boy, was drowned while bathing in East Lake park about 3:30 yesterday afternoon. The manage ment of 'the park at once sent men to tho scene of the drowning but could not ma out any particulars of the case as the boys in bathing seemed joking ana insin- cere in their statements and it was thought that it was another of the prac- tical Jokes which often occur.
 diligent search by dragging the lake was made for the body but 1t couid not be located last night
 The accident created great excitement among the big crowd of recration ana pleasure seekers and within short time the banks of the lake were lined with humanity.
 There are two conflicting reports Of the drowning One of the reports Is that Green was swimming in the lake and was racing with a. launch. He seemed to pc a frst-rate swimmer and managed 10 keep up with the launch for some ols- tance until he reached the part of the - suddenly became exhausted and cried out to the party in the launch to save him from drowning. The party in the launch, which had left him some distance Tn the rear, merely beckoned, evidently thinking that the boy was joking.
 Suddenly, however, the party In the launch saw the boy disappear and snort ly afterward come to the surface again. They had scarcely realized the lads immi- nent danger of drowning before he went under a second time, and before the launch could be turned round he was com pletely lost to sight, and not trace of him has since been found.
 The second of the reports which is given by another bather and acquaintance is that Green could scarcely swim and on account of his inability would not venture in water over his head. But when he was in this shallow place rowboat came along and he grasped it, evidently wishing to go only little way. When he got over a place known as the 'chan- nel," where the cold spring water enters the lake, he suddenly dropped off. Here it is hardly over his head and it 10 thought that he was attacked by cramps and drowned. According to this report the boy made no effort what 0ver to call for help nor did the party in the boat see the boy drop off.
 The clothes of the young man were found on the bank of the lake. In his coat there was a piece of folded-up paper on the inside pocket bearing his name and address.
 At first the report of the drowning was discredited as the father of the boy, when he came to the scene of drowning, said ne did not think that his son was out at the lake, but the finding of this means ol Identification was thought to be sunlclent proof of the accident. When the brother of the boy appeared later on the scene he announced that his brother had not been located as one of his brothers acqualnt- ances had said that his brother was out at the lake, he said he. thought the boy had really been drowned.
 The lake was dragged last night in an effort to locate the body, but on account of the great growth of vc.ds on the bot tom the dragging was unsuccessful and the body has not been located. How ever. divers were employed to work last night and if they should not find the body by this morning search will be insti- tuted during the day and then if the dragging is unsuccessful expert divers will be employer to locate the drowned youth.
 The parents of the youth live at SSs South Twenty-first street. He Is survived by father and mother and several brothers and sisters.