The New York herald., 1922-01-09
Southampton Boy Loses Life
in Trying to Rescue Two
Girls From Lake.
HUNDREDS SEE TRAGEDY
Brave Struggle in Icy Water.
but Strength Gives Out
While Aid Is Near.

Two girls and boy were drowned
yesterday in Lake Agawann, South
ampton, l.. T.. because there were nc
warning signs around the thin ice
that had closed over tie fishing hole
cut Saturday afternoon at the far
end of the lake. The boy died heroic
ally trying 10 save the girls.
The boy was Charles Jenkins. 10
who worked in James Buchheid's res
taurant in Southampton. He was
skating alone. Just In front of him.
arms locked, were Marie Buchheid
daughter of Jenkins's employer, and
Stella Largo. Marie was IL years old
and Stella IA.
On Saturday men cut hole through
the thick ice up at the inlet end Of the
lake and fished there. The l1te after
noon and night were cold. The hole
froze over. There were from three 10
six inches Of ice on other parts of the
lake, but it froze only about an inch
thick over tie fishing hole.
CIutcbed by Drowning Girls.
The two girls had scarcely touched the
thin ice than 1t gave way under their
skates, shatterlng into small fragments.
They sank beneath the surface. Jenkins
did not slacken his speed. He kept right
on and. at the edge of the hole. plunged.
He came to the surface with Marie cling
ing to his neck. Both her arms we're
tight around him. He had managed TO
catch Stella by the skirt.
Jenkins made manly fight. lie
pulled Stella to his side and she too
wound her arms around his neck. Tho
boy tried TO tread water. but the deadly
cold cramped his legs and the skates
made his feet heavy. lie did not try TO
beat the two half conscious girls off. In
stead no made desperate efforts to swim
and he almost made il.
With the dead weight Of tho two ter
rorized girls on his shoulders. their arms
cutting off his breathing and their skates
spasmodicaliy cutting his legs, the boy
swan az far as tho edge OF the ice. He
clutched at il desperately, but IL broke.
The three went under again and once
more the boy came TO the surface with
the tavo girls.
Final Effort Proves Failure.
He made a final heartbreaixng effort.
He kicked wildly toward the firrnor ice
and all but found II when his immature
strength failed him. a hundred persons
who had hurried UP. but without means
TO aid him, saw HIN surroader--no.,
however, until he had made one OF the
most heroic efforts they will ever be-
hold. Ills hands were within few
inches OF solid ice and apparently about
TO catch hold when he yielded to the
terrible odds.
Tho cold. the dead weight of the two
girls and the natural fear that must
have possessed him won. He sank and
Marie and stella sank with him. They
didn't come TO the surface OF the open
water.
Cap'n Mort Cooper, the Southampton
whaier, had procured a pike pole. but
Just before he returned with Il jenkins
and the two girls had gone under the
solid ice. Cooper and Chief OF Police
Lane dragged the bodies out from under
the ice.
Then Drs. George II. Schenck and =.
IT, HaIlocls resorted to the pulmotor. but
~ was certain that young Jenkins had
died In the water So had stella, Largo.
apparently. There was just remote
chance that Mario Buchheid retained a
spark of life. Tho doctors worked mad
IL on her. but they could not revive her.