Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1912-07-02
County Physician Calls for
Probe Of Boy and Girls
Death in Branch Brook
Park Lake. z
AUTHORITIES SAY BOYS
SpLASHED GIRLS IN CANOE
Light Craft Was capsized When
Occupants Got Up in Af-
fright-Lad Gives Life Try
ing vainIy to Save.

County Physician william A. Nc
Kenzie will today REQUEST Prosecutor
Wilbur A. Mott to make an investi-
CATION into the death of Lois O'Con-
nor, a ~17-year-olds schoolgirl, of %
North Seventh street. and Edward
Pallant, 15 years old. of 47s Orange
street, who were drowned late yesteT-
day afternoon In a boating accident in
the Branch Brook lake.
The accident was marked by the
spectacular bravery of oun Pal
liant and others who went to the res
cue Of the four girls whose canoe was
capsized.
But the county physician believes
that Pallant and companions who
was in his canoe caused the accident
by splashing water on the girls and
frightening them. If that is so. ths
schoolboy made atonement with his
life. -
Lois OfConnor had taken her two
sisters. Virginia and Betty, and a
schoolgirl friend, Katherine Barry. OF
275 Meeker avenue, out in her canoe
Two Of the girls were padding, one
was reading and the other was lying
on the cushions in the bow.
They had just slipped under the
Park avenue bridge and were gliding
into what is known as the middle
section. of the lake, when the canoe
of young Pallant, given to him only
two months ago, came up behind
them.
Then. according to park policemen.
.Pallant and his companions, who are
said to have been Lawrence Motion,
II years old. and Herbert Molten, II
began spiashing the girls.
The girls grew frightened and start
cd to paddle away.
"Stop that, stop that out there!''
shouted one of the policemen. start
ing toward the lake.
One of the girls sprang to her feet.
The rapidly moving n swerveG
abruptly from it's course. She waved
unsteadily an instant, lost her ball
ance and plunged over.
The ~capsized and the four.
girls. screaming frantically for help,
struggled desperately for their lives
in the water.
Without an .instant's hesitation
young Pallant plunged in headfirst,
to the rescue. Ills friends, who could
not swim. called loudly for aid.
C. William Caruso, of IL Garside
street, a law student at Columbia
University, was near the baseball
diamonds. He heard the shrieks of
the girl and. running to the lake,
plunged in.
He managed to support two of the
girls until aid came. The other
c1ntched a lifebelt thrown from the
shore.
The girls were taken ashore in a
his exertions. had also to be lifted
into the boat and carried to land.
Where is Lois? oh, where is Lois?''
one of the girls cried Historically.
Then. for the first time, the police
realized thai there were others in
the water beside the three who had
been rescued.
While three physicians were at
work resuscitating n of the girls
who had almost been drowned, the
police dived repeatedly for the bodies
of Lois and Pallant. Although the
girl seemed to be still alive when she
was brought to shore, she did not re-
spond to treatment.
Both the bodies were taken to the
City Hospital, where the county ply
stefan viewed them.
All the girls are suffering severely
irom shock today. The two sisters
OF Lois We're hysterical throughout
the night, calling out her name with
piteous frequency.
Pallant, who was in his third year
hat the Barringer High School, was
Merry much interested In life-saving
Id was an expert swimmer. He had
en- an interested spectator at two
hibitions of the United States Vol
lteer Life-Saving Corps given last
pnth in the very portion of the lake
ktre he was drowned.
Euneral services for him will he
Quoted at his home tomorrow
ming by Rev. Joseph Hahn at
b Interment will be in Evergreen
1etery.
.ois was in her second year in the
Lrringer High School. and all the
RS were schoolgirls.