The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1922-07-13
BOY CQEFESSES
DROWNING CHUtl
12-Year- old Lad Admits lie
Let Friend Perish.
Tells Etate Police He Threw Friend
Into Deep Watsr After Quarrel
Over Money.

Lancaster, July ia 12-year-old
boy confessed 10 state police he was
responsible for the drowning Of his
13-year-Old chum on July l.
A quarrel over money which the
BOYS had at a picn!" brought lh"ut Islr
death by throwing HIM into deep Wal
er. The confession was surprise 10
the police. as il had been Believed
that the death had been accidental.
The boy who admitted drowning his
chum is Samuel Burton Jacobs, l.,
All orphan. The dead boy was viii
liam X. Sweigart, l3. Both lived Al
Terre Hill, near Lancaster.
Samuel Jacobs was arrested hUl iat-
err released in the custody Of his step
brother. Paul Weaver. State police
declared there undoubtedly W"uid ne
further investigation ii the case.
They have turl,ed over their Informal
tion To the di>Iris: attorneys office.
On July /, Jacobs and $Wri2arl HHt
a number of other Te.lreHtI 10. U,Hi
homes In the aftermath IH,"i:S a."
Swegarl Went swimming win j"i"
Sh"walter and Leslie SchNt1er.
Just before going SWinMih" Ilc'h>
who had gone 10 The outing with hut
six cents. asked SWei@arl III i've nnM
parl of The $" which he had and WAS
showing. SWtigArl refused. ha'
Jacobs was in>istent.
Showalter and SChatftr left tht
waller. Jacobs and SWrignrr remain
ed. although the latter WAS near the
shore. because of his Inability To swim.
He was swinging int" The water from
rope when according 10 Jacobs story
to the police he again refused to give
him an! money.
Jacobs then pulled Swei@arl init
deep water Finally when SWet=art
again said he would not give Jac"h>
any money. the boy lei g" his hold altu
allowed Sweigart to sink beneath tht
surface of the wafer.
Jacobs returned 10 the shore aid ar-
cording 10 his story. t""k Sl,l0 !r"ih
Sweigart's clothing. Then he returned
TO where the other boys We're playing
Sweigart was nor missed until The
next day.
With the money Jacobs bought fire
works and later bought candy for 4
girl, police say The following morn.
ing the body of Sweigart WAS diScoV.
cred in dam not far from where ,ht
boy had been drowned.
Jacobs was questioned regarding
Sweigart'S disappearance and told the
police he had last seen the missing
boy with ShOwalrer and Schaffer. This
the two boys denied and said they tao
left Sweigart with Jacobs.
He was again questioned and finally
confess ed 10 Justice of the Peace Plant
and Coroner Miller at Lancaster.
lon the afternoon of July l, Swell
CART, Showalter, Schaffer and myself,
he said. decided we would like IL
take a swim in Eli Martins dam. We
had chance 10 go To the creek il
]. c. Martins truck 50 | borrowed SIX
cents from my older brother 10 pay
my carfare home.
The four of Us started for the
creek Sweigart went TO the >tor" and
bought some candy. He also tried t.
make d couple OF "ets, having plenty
Of money.
Il asked Sweigart for little loan
but he said not now. We went TO the
creek, took off our clothes and Went
in swimming About ali hour LATER
TWO boys came along and started Il
shoot off blank cartridges. ShnWalteI
and Schaffer dressed aud Went along
with these fellows. THAT left only
Sweigart and myself After a little
while .,Weigart began To swing 0uI
over the deep water ON Il rope. ]
knew he couldn't swim So | started t.
shove him back toward the water
every time he tried to land on the
ground.
"'Will you lend Inc that money now
Ii you don't | am going 10 make yoU
fall into the water | told SWeigart
"Sweigart refused TO lend me the
money: so, then all Of a sudden ht
lost his grip on the rope and plunget
into the water | tried to reach him
with a little stick. | failed and he
drowned after slowly coming up unC
down three times. | was scared. ]
put on my clothes, and started To run
away. Just then | remembered III,
money in his pants so l returned AND
went through them and got Il dime au'
a new dollar bill. Then | started 10!
home and as l neared Terre Hill y
met Elsie Fetter. my girl"