Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1917-08-24
DEATH NOTICES.
Mr.. William M. Howard.

4 Disregarding his exhausted condi-
ton from struggling to shore In the
waters OF Port Tobacco Greek, after
! his skin had upset, William VI How
ard. IS years old. plunged into the
swift current on Saturday last in an
effort to save the life of James John
son, colored. eight years old, who
had been in the boat with him. Both
we're drowned
Early ON Saturday morning Mr..
4 Howard, with the johnson boy and
Webster Diggs and John Lee. also
colored. left La Plata for a fishing
trip on the creek. They we're out
several hours and had excellent
luck II was about / 80 O'Clock, and
the party was preparing to return.
Mr.. Howard cast his line over again,
and in a moment the cork bodied
under.
In his excitement to bring in the
fish he accidentally upset the skiff,
and all of the occupants were pre-
cipitated into the water. At the
time none gave thought to the
eolored boy. The men struck out
and Diggs and Lee reached the
shore first Mr.. Howard was a mo
ment behind them. He turned and
saw the boy struggling in the water
I'm going after him." he told
Lee and Digs, and Immediately
plunged into the creek He strug-
gled against the current until he
reached the side of the boy. Just as
he seized him the two men on shore
noticed him straighten out and go
under, the boy in his grasp. Mel
Their came up again.
Lee and Digs hurried to La Plata
and notified other persons, who
went to the creek in automobiles
to grapple for the bodies. After
about two hours dragging they
were brought to the surface.
Mr.. Howard began life on the
farm which he later gave up to go
into the hotel business. He success
FULLY ran for several years a hotel
1t Bel Alton, later becoming one of
the proprietors of the hotel -at
Chapel Point, which at that time
was a famous summer resort. After
some years he gave up the hotel
business and returned to farming
which he followed for a number of
Years, until the building of the New
Wills Hotel in this town. OF which he
became manager. He successfully
managed the same for several years,
until his first love, the farm, called
aim back to it again. This pursuit
le followed until his death. He en-
ioyed great portion of spare time
on the water, being a great lover of
the sport of fishing, and it is singu-
lar that he should have met his
death beneath the sad sea waves
where he never knew dangeE He
left widow, who was before mar
riage Miss Elizabeth Semmes; four
brothers. Messrs Camillus, Bernard
A.. Joseph Fl, and F. De Sales How
ard, and three sisters, Mesdames
Clara NJ Budd, Mamie Gardiner and
Adrian Posey.
In attempting to save the life of
the little colored boy under such
circumstances marks him the hero
he was. Large-hearted, he died
without an enemy His popularity
was evidenced by the large number
of people, white and colored, who at
tended his funeral. High mass of
requiem was celebrated at St. Thorn
as Catholic Church, where his body
was inferred on Tuesday, by Rev.
Father Bridges, the pastor of the
church, and Rev. Father lyman of
Washington City assisted at the
jurial service, coming, especially as
q mark of friendship, to the county
for no other purpose. His pallbear-
ars were his four brothers, ]. c.
Howard, Bernard A. Howard, 10
senh II. Howard and r. De Sales
Howard his nephew, F. Stone Posey,
and his son-in-law, f. Wills Posey.
Such is the uncertainty Of life
The deceased left his happy home
afiame with a generosity Of soul to
give and help those who had served
him we'll a few hours of unusual en-
ioyment to them, fishing, when, 10!
in but a short while joy was turned
INTO sorrow and smiles into weep
ng. The home, so long fragrant
with holy love and unselfish devo-
ion between a most strongly united
husband and wife, in a breath was
made bs the almighty hand to for
get IT'S happiness and robe its walls
IN mourning. Alas it is the lot of
al to die, so let the hearts. worse
hurt bear up in their darkest hour
md seek to find consolation in the
wholesome injunction to be found
IN the good book-"Pray for the
dead"