Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1913-06-17
Season Opens With Drown
ing OF Little Francis Hughes
OF Kearny Avenue.
FOOT OF LEWIS STREET
The Body Is Recovered After
Being in the Water for
Two Hours.

Little Francis, five ears and sew
en- months old son of Mr.. and Mrs.
Charles Hughes. of 144 Keal - ave-
nue., was drowned last night at the
mouth of Raritan river off the foot
of Lewis street. The body was lost
in the water for more than two
hours and recovered after a long
search some twenty-five feet from
the shore, to which place the ebbing
tide had carried it. He was found
about 8 o'clock by William Post Of
SO Catalpa avenue. 1t is believed the
little boy had been playing on the
steps just outside of the bulkhead at
the street end and slipped off into
the water. Th mother of the lad Is
almost distracted with grief, and is
on the verge CT nervous prostration.
Francis, as was his wont, had
been riding up and down Kaarny ave-
nue. In front of his home In his
Irish mall" about $40 p. m, but
soon he went out of sight down the
street and did not return as he had
been doing, and after an hour had
passed and the lad did not return,
members of the family became un-
easy, though they were not alarmed,
because often Francis had stayed
away that long when he decided to
make long journey W III his Irish
Mail"
In the meantime the lad had gone
to the foot of Lewis street, it is said,
In company with little Edward Olsen
a playmate of about the same age
as Francis. Leaving the yagon in
Lewis street, 1t is believed that both
boys climed over the new bulkhead
and gained the steps that lead into
the sound probably to dabble In the
water which was about at high tide.
Little Francis lost his footing on the
steps and tumbled into the sound.
His friend could not help him, and
did not know what to do, but finally
decided to run home and notify his
parents.
He carried Francis wagon with
him and made his way homeward as
fast as possible. On telling that the
boy had fallen overheard the Hughes
family was notified, and in short
while small crowd collected on
the shore In the vicinity of Lewis
street. No trace of the young child
could be found Just then young
man proffered his services and swan
around in the water searching for
the body from 7.30 until 9 o'clock.
William Post, happened to stroll by
about $50, and finding that the
search for the body had been unsuc-
cessful, stripped himself and entered
the water. About twenty-five feet
away out in the sound his right
foot struck the drowned lads body,
about four feet under water and he
quickly had 1t on shore. The body
was placed on the lawn of w. Park
er Runyon's residence and an effort
made to restore breathing. DR..
George w. Fithian was summoned
and Coroner James J. Flynn notified.
Both declared the boy had been dead
for some time. 1t Is believed that
the body was in the water for about
two hours. The coroner, at the ad-
vice Of the family, carried the little
corpse to the establishment Of Un-
dertaker Ferd Garretson, and after
the body was dressed it was returned
to the home about II o'clock.
Funeral service will be conducted
from the house at II O'Clock Thurs
day morning, followed by burial In
Old Tenant churCh's cemetery near
Freehold In the afternoon. The trip
will be made by automobiles. Rev.
James II. Northrup will otficiate at
the services