Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-07-14
Clayton Higginbotham Nearly
Exhausted When Party From
Shore Reaches Scene.
HIGH CHESAPEAKE WAVES
CAPSIZED SMALL CRAFT
Occupant, Who Tied Self to Boat,
Was at Mercy of Bay More
Than Four Hours.

Clayton w. Higginbotham, "a years
old, of 2423 z street, was rescued from
Chesapeake Bay, three miles off shore
from Calvert Beach, Md, yesterday
afternoon, while tied to a capsized
canoe, when aid summoned by his COM
panion and employer, Arthur Sired, 50
years old, of 2019 I street, who made
heroic swim for shore, reached him
after more than four hours.
Tossed by 10-foot waves, Higgin-
botham was nearly exhausted when a
rowboat, manned by four Woolford
brothers, who live at Annapolis, reached
him. A few minutes later a speed boat
manned by Capt Preston WOODBURY.
and bearing Sired, who had made a
wild trip in an automobile to it, towed
the rowboat ashore when 1t was found
the high waves.
Meanwhile a pilot in an airplane
from Annapolis was searching for Hig-
ginbotham and the overturned canoe
after message had been broadcast
over a radio station at Annapolis to
notify any others nearby to aid in the
rescue
Realizing their plight after the canoe
had overturned, Sired said today he
concluded their only hope of being
saved depended on some one ashore
being notified.
Ties Himself to Canoe.
Turning to his companion at the
time, Sired said:
well Higginbotham there is only one
thing we can do, that is to get ashore.
You stick to the boat and I will be
back after you" Meanwhile. Higgin-
botham said he was getting weak, but
succeeded in tying himself to the canoe
with the anchor rnpo
Il was worried" Higginbotham said
today, while suffering from severe sun
burns at his home, because I was afraid
Sired hadn't gotten ashore. Man, every
thought in the world passed through
my mind" The canoe was turning over
and over in the waves, while he waited,
thought and prayed, he said.
Sired, upon reaching shore nearly
exhausted, found himself about a mile
from Calvert Beach. He summoned all
his reserve strength and ran there
Reaching the beach, he ran past his
wife, Mrs. Wilma G. Sired and his COM
panion's wife, Mrs. Mildred Higgin-
botham and Mr.. Higginbothams sister
Mildred, II years old, telling them what
had happened.
After watching several rowboats try
ing to put out to the vicinity of the
overturned canoe, Sired became con-
vinced they could not reach it, due to
the wind and waves, and called
Solomans Island by telephone for a
speedboat. Then, jumping into his auto
mobile, he drove hurriedly to SolomonS
to get aboard the speedboat with Capt
WOODBURY. that he might show him the
location Of the canoe.
Wait AnxiOusly at Beach.
The two wives and the young sister
waited anxiously at the beach, believing
Higginbotham would be saved.
Telling of his experience today, Sired
said he had never swum more than
about a half mile at time before and
did not know how he summoned enough
strength to swim the more than two
miles to shore. II just kept going" he
said II have taken pretty good care
of myself and guess have good deal
of reserve strength"
Sired was back at work today at the
Health Food Center, the store of which
he Is proprietor and manager at 1914
New York avenue. He seemed little the
worse for his experince. Higginbotham
complained of feeling a little weak, but
said his chief discomfort is from sun
burns.
Higginbothams little sister is visiting
him from Springfield, Mass. She had
determined to keep q diary while here
When reminded today she would have
much to put in 1t, she shook her head
saying she did not think she would
make an entry Of yesterdays expert
ences.