Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-08-01
SWIMMER BROWNS
WITH THRONC NEAR
Girl Friend Tries VainIy to
Rescue A. T. Edwards
From River.

With hundreds Of bsthers in sight,
unaware Of his plight. Athold r,
Edwards. Il years old. t4tt W street,
was drowned off chapel Point shortly
before noon yesterday. although his
companion Miss Ayril Stewart, 10
wears oi1. ; Grafton street. Chevy
Chase, Md, dove frantically TO save
him, finally fainting from exhaustion
Just as she reached the safety of theit
boat.
The couple, classmates in The Avchs
tectural course at George WASH. ~tor
University, were in a rowhoat about
200 wards from shore. Fearing that
the water was too chilly to make
bathing comfortable. Miss stewart sat
In the boat as the Young man jumped
overheard and swan alb. ut in a strong
current in the Potom~c.
Cries for Assistance.
Suddenly. apparently stricken with
g cramp. he called for helm and went
down, As he came 10 the surface
again, he cried Help, Avrj, I'm
drowning"
Frantic, Miss Stewart. attempted 10
bring the boat close to him, but the
current was so strong that progress
was slow and she dived over after
him, maintaining presence Of mind
enough to call to him TO try to
straighten out and float until she
could reach him.
He managed to gasp that he was
unable to stras hten out on the sur
face of the water. As the girl neared
him. scores Of hathers on the beach
attracted by her screams. put out
from shore. but when the rescue fleet
of canoes and other small craft
reached the spot Edwards had gone
down for the last time and Miss
Stewart. completely exhausted. had
managed to crawl across the gunwale
of the drifting boat. where she lay in
faint. She was Frustrated this
morning.
Volunteers Immediately began an
attempt To recover the body. hut il
had not been located this morning.
Swims to Girls Aid.
John Lopez, -l6 I. street southeast.
was the first to reach the scene IF
the drowning. Jumping from cliff.
where he was eating lunch, to the
beach, he pulled off his clothes and
swan to the rescue of the girl. whose
screams had attracted his attention.
He placed her in the bottom of the
boat, which was rocking in a stiff wind
and then swan about in A vain effort
to locate the body of her compa Mon.
]. II. Mccarthy. $3.50 Neazey street.
and others dragged the river until late
la st night. The dragging process was
begun again this morning.
Young Edwards was employed in the
Office of George T. Santmyers, an
architect at 317 Fifteenth street. He
was a graduate of Technical High
School. Miss Stewart is the daughter
of Col. John Stewart. construction en-
gineer. of the firm of Black. Mckennev
& Stewart. He went to Chapel Point
this morning to aid in the search for
the body. Edwards was drowned west
of the regular section of the beach
most used for bathing. The couple
had motored there for a days outing.
Mrs. Eva Edwards. young Edwards
mother, with whom he made his home
at Apartment 81, the Seminole. was
out of the city yesterday and did not
learn of her sons death until she re-
turned home late last night and found
him absent. She was suffering from
shock and CRIES this morning. Her sis
ter and other son. Malcolm. a June
graduate of Tech High School, are
with her.