The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-07-23
Scout Tradition
Sustained In Face
Of Great TRAGEDY

A graphic account OF the death OF
Charles p, Drake, who was drowned
Sunday near Hardy, Ark, is related by
Charles Dean, an Eagle Scout of troop
30, Collierville, Tenn, in letter to his
mother.
The letter shows that the only con-
nection the Boy Scout camp at Hardy
had with the sad occurrence was the
which, unfortunately, was too late TO
be successful. The letter, which fol-
lows, is clear and vivid description of
the Boy Scout spirit In helping others:
"Dear Mother-Y esterday a boy was
drowned In Hardy. He had fever about
l02 the day before, and still had some
when he went In He tried to swim up
into some falls and became exhausted
by the swift water. Another boy tried
10 pull him out and was almost drowned.
He had to be pulled out in canoe.
The boy stayed under for three hours
before he was gotten out. The people
who got him out did not know what to
do for a drowned person.
"We--Jimmie Crumpton, Charles
Craig and myself-were on canoe hike
when we saw the mail boys and went
TO see II We had any mail, we were told
that boy had drowned. Jimmie inn
mediately took charge.
Jimmie and MIR. Smith gave him
artificial respiration for four hours
but never got the slightest sign OF life,
Once his face, that was blue, seemer
TO turn slightly red and we were some.
what heartened After we had worked
-four hours on him he got 80 stiff that
We could hardly bend his limbs A doc
tor then came and pronounced him
dead.
at was then o'clock ~ hours after
he had gone down, Jimmie dressed him
with the. help OF his tent mates, and
carried him to Hardy. HIS mother
lives in Houston. Tex, and he was Wis
iting his grandmother in Memphis who
allowed him TO come to HARDY.
''Oh. mother, | did not sleep q wink
last night until about 4 o'clock this
morning, and then only to dream that
this morning ! had gone back into
Hardy and the boy showed some signs
OF life after he had lain In the coffin
all night / dreamed that ! began arti-
fetal respiration again, which brought
him TO, Jimmie Crumpton had q night
mare and Jumped out OF bed and began
TO pump the floor, shouting to not give
him up. He then jumped on. one of
the officers and began TO give MIN
artificial respiration and say; Ihere
is fresh blood in his ears: that is sign
OF life! Don't give up one OF the Off
GERS got him quieted after n while, but
we can hardly ever feel the same as we
did before our first long experience
working with a person to whom we
thought we could restore life. and then
be unsuccessful My conscience ts clear
that / did my duty and that he did not
die on our hands.
abr. felix's. Memphis physician,
said when he saw the boy before we
got there that he was dead, but he let
us work so our conscience would DE
clear that we had done the best we
could TO save n life.
II don't know what was In the pa
pers. but wrote you this so you would
have facts from one who spent almost
half the daylight working on the boy.
Don't be worried about us, Tor this
happened about three miles from our
camp, and was caused by very rash
act. The boy went in very danger
Gus place. with no one. to watch him
a thing that never happens at our
camp' am still dead tired and can
scarcely climb the stairs at the camp.
"Your devoted son,
Camp Kla Kima, Hardy Ark