Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1916-09-07
BATHER LOSES
LIFE IN LAKE
Harry Womack Meets Tragic
Death on Signal Mountain.
SWIMMER SUDDENLY
GOES TO THE BOTTOM
Body Recovered in Few Minutes and Pull
motor Used in Effort to Resuscitate
Him-May Have Burst Blood
Vessel.

W. Harry Womack, an employee of the
Nashville, Chattanooga q st. Louis
railroad, living at Cowan, Tenn, lost
his life yesterday afternoon in Rainbow
lake, on Signal mountain, while swim
ming. He had only been in the water
a short time when on his way to the
bank he stopped suddenly, splashed
fran tically and disappeared from sight
A few minutes later, after he had gone
down the second time, Womack's body
was brought to the surface and heroic
efforts for more than two hours to save
his life failed. He was % years of age
| and worked as pile driver at Craven
yards
When Womack was lifted from the
water his face and neck had turned
black. Carl Hawk, who patrols the lake
in fast yawl, said that he was not a
very great distance from the spot where
Womack was swimming, and that the
man remained under the water not long
er than seven minutes. Hawk and Carl
Dixon both dived for the body, Dixon
bringing it to the surface, The depth
OF the water at this point Is about tif-
teen feet. On account of the sudden
disappearance of Womack many ad-
vanced the theory that death was the
| result of broken blood vessel. Others,
however, were of the opinion that the
discolored neck and face indicated
strangulation.
Drs. Boyd and Hogshead were on the
scene and assisted in an attempt at
| resuscitaton. The drowning occurred
about 5, and not until two hours later
in the woods above the lake were eff
forts to stay death abandoned. Long
after night had fallen did attendants
work conscientiously with a pulmotor,
but only blood from the dead mans lips
was their reward.
The body, covered over with cloths in
| a canoe wedged in between trees, was
barely Distinguished in the dark when
Chapman'S ambulance arrived after a
hard run up the mountain. A quiet
group of men and boys stood guarding
the body and it was by the light of
| matches that the pulmotor was adjusted
to the mans face. Friends of the inert
| form held hope as long as the machine
| ry of the respiratOr clicked and air
Kissed thru the mouthpiece. Hands
| sought the arteries that indicate heart
action, and the manipulators of the
drumming machinery deplored the fact
that they had reached the body too late.
| The body was brought to the city short
~ DeIolo O.
Womack was accom- panied to the lake
| by T. M. Parrish, Il. 7, Jones, E. NJ.
Elliott and J. E. Harris, his foreman,
| and it was while the attention of his
| companions was directed to diving ex-
| hibition that death overlook him. He
only sank twice. Hawk dived first and
| failed to locate the body. Carl Dixon
made successful attempt and the life
| less body was soon being rolled over a
barrel after the fashion employed in
drowning cases.
C. w. Wallace, of the mountain Land
company, assisted and directed in the eff
| forts made to restore life, and stayed on
the scene until Womack was removed to
| Chapmans establishment.
Mr.. Harris stated last night that
| Womack's death was due to drowning.
| William Barrse, swimming expert,
| viewed the bodv, and was also Of the
opinion that death was the result of
| drowning. He based his conclusion up
on the discolored face and body, stating
| that this was tell-tale evidence of the
| effort of water.
| Womack's body will be shipped to-
| day to his home in Cowan. -Chatta-
nooga Times.