Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-22
.HODGSON'S BODY
FOUND W|THC CANOE
Father Lashed Self to Graft
in Vain Effort to Save
- Son.
Star Staff Photo.

The grim picture of world-famous
engineer coolly weighing the chances
of saving his own life and that of his
young son in the face of almost certain
death was being pieced together today
by fishermen along the Chesapeake
Bay following the finding of Carey ".
Hodgson's body this morning with the
two middle fingers of his left hand
dashed fast to the tie rope Of the canoe
In which he and his 10-year-old son,
William, were swept to their death Sum
day afternoon.
The crew of the Steamer New Berne
found the canoe and body drifting on
the bay this morning about 20 miles
below Annapolis. Putting out in a
small boat, they found the mans left
hand dashed to the canoe, but no trace
Of the boy.
The following story Of what trans
PRED has been reconstructed by Cor
oner Louis M. Hopkins of Annapolis
and friends Of Mr.. Hodgson:
Hodgson.. one of the most distin-
Geodetic Survey, left Washington last
Saturday, with his wife and son, to
spend week end at Bay Ridge, Md,
about miles below Annapolis.
Mother Makes Struggle.
Shortly before noon Sunday he and
William put out from shore in their
canoe, non-sinkable craft. They
were clad only in bathing suits and
intended to go for a short ride before
| dinner. When they we're about a mile
out from shore a sudden storm blew
up. Mrs HodgSon, who was waiting
at the pier with a group Of friends,
saw her husband point the nose of the
canoe toward shore just before the
storm broke.
The anxious group on shore watched
In silence as the man and boy strug-
gled desperately to make Roadway
against the wind. which was increasing
steadily in force. For a few brief
minutes they watched and saw that,
despite their efforts, the two were grad
ually being driven out into the bay.
Then q driving rain. set in and the
father and son were soon lost to view.
The story Of what took place in the
storm tossed canoe from that time on
is one of conjecture, based on the mute
evidence found on the boy this morn
ing.
Knew Violence Of Squalls.
1t is known that Hodgson was well
aware of the violence of the sudden
squalls which blow over the bay region,
having once charted all of the waters
in the vicinity while on a surveying ex-
petition for the Government.
Fishermen believe that Hodgson
struggled until his strength was spent
to keep the nose of the canoe headed
into the wind. only to realize at last
that his efforts were futile In the face
of the storm and tossing waves.
They believe he saw but one slim
chance left-to lash his left hand to
the non sinkable canoe, leaving his
right arm free to hold his body above
water The fishermen point out that
had the storm been of short duration
this strategy might have prevailed and
that the coming of calm weather would
have found the man and boy still alive
and able to climb back into their canoe.
Father Took Only Chance.
Apparently Hodgson took this one re-
naming chance-and lost Instead of
being a brief squall. the storm ragged
for "a hours, and sometime during that
period the end came.
There is nothing to indicate whether
the father was drowned first, leaving
the boy to slip from his lifeless arms,
or whether a toss of the waves caused
the man to lose his grip on the boy,
and, being dashed to the canoe, was I'M
able to swim out and recover him. How
long they chung to life will never be
known, but deep marks on the fathers
left wrist, where he had wrapped the
cord around, showed that his effort to
stay with the canoe was a gruelling one.
The steamer New Berne put the body
ashore at the mouth of the Severn
River, and it was brought from that
point to Annapolis on a submarine
chaser After an inquest. the coroner
returned verdict Of accidental death.
Arrangements were being made today
the bring the body back to Washington.
Hogdson, who was 10 years old, made
his home here at the Valley Vista
Apartments.