New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-07-26
Two Drowned
As Auto Dives
Into Canal
Man and Girl Companion
Trapped in Class-Inclosed
~ riso. as Sedan Pluulges
Into Waters Of Cowanus
Failed to Heed Warming
Gar Wrecks Danger Sign
and Leaps Over Barge
Moored at Foot of Street

Imprisoned IN glass-inclosed sedan
automobile, which plunged into the
Gewanus Canal at De Graw Street,
Brooklyn. Frank P. Bowling, foreman
at the press room of The Literary
Digest, and Hannah Powers, thirty
years old, of 953 st. Marks Avenue,
Brooklyn, were drowned shortly before
dawn yesterday.
Bowling and his companion met
ieath after the machine had followed
axwild course down De Graw Street,
wrecking q red-lanterned police sign
which warned of the canal. Bowling,
who apparently was driving the car,
disregarded or did not hear warning
shouts of the impending peril
The automobile was Aoisted out of
\ depth Of fifteen feet of water by q
hook and ladder company and the
bodies recovered as it was suspended
In midair. When the car was ex-
amined it was found that the wind
shield and two of the plate glass side
windows had been broken, as if by
blows from within, indicating that the
occupants had fought frantically to
sfect their release.
Element of Mystery
An element of mystery was given to
the tragedy by the fact that Bowling
had informed his wife he wocld return
10 their home at 33S Euclid Avenue,
Brooklyn, Immediately after leaving
his, office at l o'clock. According to
Henry Wolleaman, who worked with
Bowling, the latter left the press plant
shortly after midnight, saying he in
ssnded to get something to eat and go
home.
=. Mrs. bowling is Frustrated and could
give no explanation for the tragedy.
Sunday afternoon her husband took
her and their three children for a ride
through Long Island in the same auto
mobile which brought death to Bowling
and his companion.
Just. before the accident the auto
mobile was noticed taking an uncertain
course south on Nevins Street, turning
east to Degraw Street in the direction
of Third Avenue. Acting as though he
the district the driver returned along
Degraw Street until he reached the
Brooklyn Gas Company works at Nevins
Street and then turned toward the
canal, short block west of that point.
Fred Dawson and Joseph Nolan, en-
ployees of the gas company, shouted
\ warning, but it was unheeded, nor
did the driver apparently see the light
cd danger sign, for the machine crashed
squarely into it.
%, Leaped Over Barge
Al the car neared the edge Of the
canal it seemed to gain momentum and
the speed at the embankment was suf-
hcient to make it clear one of four
After seeing the car. plunge into the
water, Dawson and Nolan notified Police
Sergeant Joseph Harley, who turned in
q call to the fire house at Pacific
Street and Sixth Avenue.
The two front wheels Of the sedan
were partly clear of the water the rear
and body of the machine being COM
pistely submerged Dropping ladders
to the canal bed, fremen climbed down
and attached ropes to the wheels of
the machine, which was hoisted clear
after great difficulty. The arrival of
thesfire apparatus drew hundreds to the
scene and reserves from the Bergen
Street station had to be called out to
keep working space available. After
having been pronounced dead by DR..
. Felix Scardapane, of the Holy Family
Hospital, the bodies were removed to
the Bergen Street station.