The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1919-07-26
ELEVEN BOYS
DROWN AS THEIR
BOAT CAPS|ZEs
Boys Were in Camp at East
Otis
BOAT TOWED BY LAUNCH
Those That Could Swim Lost Their
Heads When Pitched
Into Water

and men, campers at the boys clul
camp at East Otis, were drowned il
! Big pond at noon yesterday whel
choppy water capsized their launch
towing a fiat bottomed boat, in which
a party Of 10 was returning to the is
land after baseball game on the
mainland. Last midnight the crap
ping hooks had claimed six bodies
There was some confusion as to the
number in the boats last night, but
several reports said that IA boys
were riding in the towed boat ovcI
the 'choppy pond.
! "A brisk breeze was buffeting q
pond into white caps this morning as
the boys put off from their island
| for the ball game on the mainland
With them went DIR. Alfred Glickman
and Charles Primrose, assistant di
rectors, Otto Sanity and Francis Mo
riarty, tent leaders. 1t was hard
trip to the shore, for the breeze had
been busy at the surface of the wa
ter since sunrise and the waves RAJ
rather high. But the little launch
showed her nose bravely into the
sweels and dragging her tow behind
her, made the yayage without trou-
bic.
After several innings of baseball,
the directors and leaders suggested
dinner, and the boys scampered to
the beach. The launch spluttered and
made off toward the island. 1t had
trouble of its own with the waves.
They came in long swells that rolled
high and broke into great white flow
ers of water. But the navigator sent
her straight at them and she took no
wate,.
The tow was having considerable
difficulties, but there was really no
trouble until particularly bolster
Gus burst of wind struck the launch
headon, and stopped her progress. 1t
was then that the navigators decided
it might be we'll not to try for the
island dock but TO make for the land
ing at Niles camp, on the mainland.
The island was half a mile away; the
shore an eighth of mile.
1t was only slight turn that the
launch had to make TO bring her
prov toward the Niles landing, but
it was enough for the waves. One
whitecap broke clearly into the row.
boat. Two more waves followed, and
the occupants were drenched An
other wave, and the boat tipped dam
gerously. The boys crowded to star
board to balance the craft, but they
were excited and the ballast could
not counterfeit the water The boys
were rolled into the water.
Keep quiet. Hold fast to the boat.
Well get you out!" shouted Francis
Moriarty, the leader in the launch
who was the strongest swimmer He
dove into the water, followed by the
others.
Primrose and Grickman chung to
launch and shouted announcement to
the boys. Santarsiero, whose recent
operation made swimming difficult,
went to Moriarty's assistance. The
boys were frightened and what swim
ming they knew was forgotten. Every
one was confused, Those who tried
to grasp the rowboat saw it roll over
under their clutches, and they could
not get a purchase,
Arthur Dixon of East Hartford, CT,
who has camp. on the shore of the
island, heard the call for help. He
ran to his beach, jumped into his
boat, and bent his back to the oars.
Halfway to the struggling party an
oar-lock broke. Dixon kept on. The
going was difficult but he bounced
his way to the drowning boys and
succeeded in pulling out five. Dixon
1ff,Irt xtrf y
among those he rescued
Not so far from the boys were
Miss Esther Whitehouse of Spring
field and O. man named Berry of East
Hartford, CT, we're sailing a canoe.
They, too, heard the cries. and put
ting his craft into the wind, Berry
made for the spot. Five boys clutch
ed the gunwales Of the canoe and
were towed to shore.
Fred H Stephenson, superintend-
ent of the boys club, was at the
camp when the accident occurred.
The cries of those in the water attrac
ed the attention of other campers,
and Mr.. Stephenson with several
boys and two leaders put out the re-
naming boats. They arrived at the
scene too late, however, to aid in the
rescue work. Barry and Dixon were
already on their way to shore with
the 10 whom it was possible to save,
and when the campers comrades
reached thesspot, only the capsized
rowboat was there to tell the story Of
what had happened.
A feeling of bitterness against the
camp authorities was noticeable in
several of the homes. One wailing
and mourning mother, who had SO
lost control of herself that she had
to be held by two of her friends.
threatened vengeance on the camp
authorities. In other homes saner
view of the matter was taken, one
mother saying that in spite of her
own grief she could not help feeling
sorry for the camp leaders saying
they have lost IL while have lost
only one