Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-04-13
HENRY SK|LTON SAVES
/. F|LSON CARMICHAEL
FROM BEING DROWNED
Rescue One of Series of Thrills
for Party of Young Boys
and Girls.
DISASTROUS CANOE TRIP

The brave rescue from drowning of
one boy by another the narrow escape
from death of two other children, "A boy
s.d girl. when their canoe capsized.
and the second rescue of the entire
party by owners of a naphtha launch,
was the climax of n days adventure on
the Christiana river last Saturday
The children. all members of promi
ncnt families are: Henry Alston skill
ton. Is years old son OF John -. skill
ton. 1912 West Seventeenth street, head
master Of the Tower Hnl school Filson
Carmichal. 10 years old son Of Ernest
Carmichael. 2311 West Eighteenth
street: John Ball. Jr.. l3 years old, and
Esther Ball 10 years old. children of
Or John Eall of I1ismcrc.
The party OF four. bent on n days
pleasure, canoeing on the Christiana
river. left their homes early last Satur-
day morning for Newport where a
canoe was secured from the Delaware
Canoe club The Ball children who are
members Of the club invited as their
guests Skilton and Carmichael
The trip on the river was unmarried
during the forenoon During the carly
part of the afternoon. however some
difficulty was experienced manaEing the
fragile craft through the swift current
n( the outgoing tide Proceeding along
The river north Of stanton the PARTY
passed through the swamp section, edg-
ing in close "a shore Young Car
michael madc au effort t. Land. think
ing the water to he 81 shallow depth.
lie lost his footing and was throw n
into the water. which. at this point,
was Of exceptional depth with his
water soaked clothing he was soon
dragged to tho bottom
Dove After Browning Roy.
Skilton. noticing his comrades dauecr
asked him II he could swim and n re
piled Just 4 little. With tins .Nelama-
tiou H. went under fnr the second
;imc With shoes on Skliton throw
his sweater from his body and dove
into thc lcy water after Carmichael
Ic succeeded in hring ing the drowning
bav to the surface The other two chill
drcn IN the boat Esther and John Rau
noticed a launch some distance from
the scene They immediately appealed
FIR help. The mon in The launch mad,
haste IL ,hc stricken PARTY. arriving
HI time II save The struggling hols
from drowning
While Skilton was making an cffort
10 tow his victim toward the canoe
Young Carmtc hacl secured a death griT
on his rcscueg and both were beins
pulled ~ tho bottom when men from
the launch threw out an oar. In grab
hing for thr oar Sknton iooSened hi,
hold on Carmichael and but for tn
! nuirk action ~ tho strangers in the
boat. would have gone down fo- tn
last sine. The launch. named Force
which came 10 the rescue ~ the party
I Is owned 10y John Z. HAITI Of New
i Castle
In the excitement which followed dur
ing the rescue Of the two boys III th'
water. the Bali children in some man
aer. upset the canoe and they too wer'
thrown into the water. However botl
being robust and ot athletic build wer'
able u take care Of themselves an,
.hey succeeded III swimming % tn
motorboa; and climbing aboard.
Young Carmichael when hauled int
.hc boat Was unconscious However
after first aid treatment. he was re
vived and the entire party proceedc'
:o the Delaware Canoe club AZ Newport
where a FIRE was bunt and the clothlnl
dried.
At the Tower Hill School this morning
Young Ball busy in thu manual traininj
department was asked what he wa
trying to make. Il am trying 10 max
4 canoe that won't capsizc. ne replied
Despite their narrow escape from dealt
and their early dip into the cold water
of the Christiana river. none Of tn
four children has experienced any Il
results.
Henry Aston Skilton, the hero O
The day. is celebrating mis- siXteentl
birthday anniversary today. His fathei
when interviewed AT Tower Hiu SchW
,his morning. and after telling Of tn
ease. said The boy is shy on tn
hero part and in fact he even refuses t
tell his friends Of the adventure. How
ever. I am proud Of him aud especial
more so today. the occasion Of his birth
day"