The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1920-07-19
'CHAR| Fs PFTT|T LOSES LIFE, j ~
WHEN CANOE UPSETS IN RIVER
THRILLING RESCUE OF TWO CON-
PANIoNs, LEWIS STEIN AND
GEORGE POTTS, FROM
WHITE CAPPED
ROLLERS
During Pleasure Trip Throo Mem In
Frail Craft Vsntured Into Bouing
Wake Of Steamer Liberty

Charles Petit. aged 10 years. employ
ed at tho Wheeling Stamping Company,
whose home is at 2Io2 Moysten street,
South Wheeling. came 10 his death by
drowning in the Ohio river shortly al,
ter two o'clock yesterday ai.efhoS on, anu
n canoe had narrow escapes from meet
ing the same fate.
The disaster was witnessed by hun
drcds OF persons. who were unable to
offer any assistance the crew. and
passengers OF tho steamboat Liberty,
numerous persons on the wharf poat
and a throng of people who were IN
Riverside Park.
young Petit with his TWO friends.
Lewis stein Of ln9 Twcnty-ninth street
and George Potts. ~ Merritt street: Icft
the foot of Twenty fourth street for a
pleasure trip in a light canoe. ~hlch
Wv TO take tho waves
They proceeded up the river leisurely
and when in sight OF tho city whart saw
that the steamer Liberty had iandeo,
With the object in view OF sending me
canoe into the rolling waves. when the
steamer started out. they made haste
and arrived at n point just opposite me
city wharf as the Liberty was backing
out. a,
The boat was on her way back TO Pitts
burgh and had made the landing with
her head up stream. She simply was
backed out into the current and then
reversed the engines and steadicd for
At the nrst revolution the white cap,
ned waves literally boiled down toward
the canoe The frail boat rode one or
two of the breakers successfully ana
then was seen to upset and throw the
"''' Struck out For shore
Stein and Potts could swim n , lew
strokes each and as they han orEn
and could not again reach u, thc'
struck out for the distant shore.
Pcttit. the boy who was drowned.
could not swim. but nc eTasprH .nJ
canoe, which was now heaNlng UP anu
down in the white caps.
John Nciss. living In Sixth street IN
/ North Wheeling was about MY Ier'
behind the i'll fated canoe IN MS pleas
urc boat, gasoline launch. but was
over nearer the shore in smooth water ,si
Seeing tho lads predicament. nc speeueo
IN his boat and plunged II Prov lore
most. into the boiling wake OF the
steamer.
Stcin and POTTS saw the gasoline craft
rapidly coming UP and battled pravely
with the waves. In minute Ness
ran his boat in between the Twp al"
Telling them to hold on for dearlilr:
Neiss started for the upturned canoe
that could plainly be seen when IL
mounted the CTcSlS OF NIIe iO'A~iS' 'N
Young Petit cllnEing to It,
Just before the launch came p.unS
inr through the vortex o. waters " tis'
| canoe Petit threw UP pom MINUS ~,
leasing his hold on the Ilttle Cafoe' anu
S" r. is thought that the foamins crest
Of one OF the biggest rollers went over
, his head. hlIrd his lungs win wa .h
and strang!cd him. The crew on .nI
Liberty in tho meantime n mao river on
,bc rGn. hui were too late to be OF any
Threw Out Preserves rro.
number Of light wooden ne pre-,
servers with hand holes had also DEC"
thrown out from the steamer:
The canoe was towcd 10 sho!e ahtsl
stein and I'ottS had been assls'eu i,,,o
the %eiss launch. Both OF me SUa 49,,
men had had q narrow escape pu' "e'o
no, injured in any way. ,,- ,,a
search was tncn instituted TOT me
drowned boys body. hut M to .a,e
hour. 1t was not successful sSss,rInr, from he
steamer carried the body s"iitly uo""
An hour later four Young men lcit
South Wheeling in another t T.n riye T'''o
Fortunately i, upset near the oahS
and all Of The young fellows couia
swim. so there were no casudI'ies !"
I'm extended search vii! DC iiiHSu
tn,Nn the river for young fcttit poay
:, II is not recovered before moInt"h,
rho Young man was a social favor!'e ~
south Wheeling. and had host Oh
friends. He lived with his paren,S
Mir and Mrs. H. J. PettIt al ihelr none me
I'm Moysten street and both ne ana Ms
father were employed by the hee''"s
S'T those who saw the accident stated stated
Thai the roller that capsiZcd Inc canes
was n mighty one and seemed HteraiAy
crowned with foam. 49, ,.,;ce
Riyrrmen all agree that the PracI'I.
~ going into the rollers IN canoe ~
suicidal and even vcntuTlng INTO uTh
IN n heavy yawl is dangerous. un,eSs
Inc ono doing the rowing or the craft Is
nm exnericnced boatman.
When tho news OF the sad deatn o.
Young Petit reached the family none nome,
his mother rraZed with griet ran uom.
io lhc river bank al the foot OF "e" ~
fourth street. from which point r1e
vounr man and his companisns had CHI
iorkch on their fatetul voyage
u ! Petit the father OF inc nUs.
followed his wife and finally nunnoci,
~ ncichboring women who mad Iea1Ihnn
81 IN" accident. persuaded the mother;
who was frantic with grief 10 return 10
her home.