The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-07-13
TRIED TO Guido
OTHERS IN DOCK
Simon Cotton, Expert Swimmer
Drowned in Sight of Friends
on Shore.
WORKED HARD TO SAVE HIM
Victim Would Not Heed Advice
That Attempt Was
Dangerous.

Against the strong protests Of his
friends and in an effort to equal or
Guido Lou Watkins. who had just ac-
complished the feat. simon Cotton.
thirty-siX years old was drowned at
lo:l5 o'clock last night while attempt
ing to swim across the dock at the foot
or Eighteenth Street. The water at
that point is about forty feet wide
and Cotton had reached out to within
ten feet of the south side when he
sank from view. Watkins, standing on
the opposite shore, had noticed the
swimmers difficulty. and sprang in
half-dressed as he was. He reached
Cotton, and swan with him almost to
the shore. crying loudly the while for
some one to hand him a pole Romert
Mitchell, who was one OF the party
found long pole, and reached il out
TO the rescutng swimmer. and he and
the drowning man were dragged in.
Mnd Call for Help.
Cotton was unconscious. however
when brought to shore, and his friends
Immediately began TO attempt to re-
suscitate him In the meantime an
other party rushed up to Main street
where. opposite the Main Street sta
ton. he found Sergeant Shepard and
Policemen Griffin. Gentry. Bosquet and
Bryant, each ready to report from "A
patrol box He notified them of the
accident. and calling to officer Gentry
to summon the ambulance. Sergeant
Shepherd took the other men and ran
down to the dock. Inspector Charles
Clinely and John Fuqua. of the Virginia
Railway and Power Company. were
present with the police officers at the
time, and they too, rushed to the res
cue.
When the police and others reached
NM l.
high and dry UP on the shelving bank
of the other side. and his friends were
doing all they could to restore him to
consciousness.
But they worked without avail The
city ambulance. With DIR. Tune in
charge, reached the scene. from Eighth
and Broad Streets. within five minutes
after the call had been sent in, and.
jumping from his seat. Dr. Tune ran to
the dying mans side. The physician
labored over Cotton for fully fifteen
minutes but the latter's life slowly
ebbed away, and he died with the
physician still bending over him.
Urged Not 10 Plunge.
Cotton. Watkins and three others
went down to the dock to take a swim
Watkins took to the water and swan
across without dif!culty. With the en-
ception OF Cotton the others held back
and decided not to take TO the water
soon was stripped for the water. He
was regarded as good swimmer. but
his condition is said to have been such
that his friends tried to dissuade him
from taking the plunge. But he dis
regarded their advice and dived from
the brick wall running along the bank
into the cool depths of the dock, which
Is deep enough to allow OF the pas
sage of large ships of burden His
swimming soon became labored and
difficult, and Watkins. waiting in his
underclothes on the other side. saw
that his comrade was in peril He
reached Cotton in second, but the
latter's lungs were then filled with
water. and he was dead weight in the
other swimmers arms. little life
remained in him when he was brought
to shore. but it rapidly ebbed away
Coroner Taylor was summoned later
and he rendered verdict of accidental
drowning. Cotton formerly worked for
d. sullivan. but had lately been in the
employ OF Robert ". Walker as a ped :
Ter. His home was at South Eigh-
teenth Street So far as the police
could learn. he has no living relatives
The body was turned over to Under
taker Bliley.