Evening star., 1938-06-13
-FOUR LOSE LIVES
ASB0AT CAPS|zES
NPOT0MACR|vER
Parents Watch Children
Drown When Craft
Turns Over.
HEROIC TRIO RESCUES
FIVE FROM SAME FATE
Girl, IL, Keeps Youngster Above
Water Until Help Comes
y From Shore.

"A Bdy ouA1Ady oOtAAAk CAuCu u dA1e
cally for three nearby Virginia fami-
lies yesterday when they saw four of
their own kin-three youngsters and
the father Of six children-swept under
by the Potomac current after an over
loaded rowboat capsized.
and q 12-year-old girl and her father
prevented further loss Of lives. Be-
tween them, they saved flve others, all
children.
Those drowned were Paul r. Grimm,
43-year-old Merrifield grocer: Lucille
Hogan, IL, also Of Merrineld; her
brother Franklin, 6. and James Jen-
nell. Z, also Of Merrifield.
Escaping the same fate were Bar
bara Eskridge, IL, Of Falls Church:
her father. William H. Eskridge. 30;
Howard Mills, 13, and bis brother
Frank. 8; Robert Mills. 7, all Of
West Falls Church; Walter Birkley,
IL. and Dorothy Hogan, 13. Of Merri-
field.
Chiefly responsible for the rescues
was Melvin Wheeler, ~, Of Rockville,
Nd, the Marine. who put out in a
small boat from Seneca. Nd, near
where the tragedy occurred.
Picnic Guests Helpless.
About so persons were on q picnic
that started at Compton's Farm, Va,
across the river from Seneca. prior to
the boating accident. Helpless. they
watched the 18-foot fat-bottomed
craft sink after the children had
scrambled to their feet and toppled
overheard in the excitement of seeing
waves whipped up by a sudden wind.
Later nearly 1000 persons lined
both the Virginia and Maryland banks
to watch divers recover the bodies.
The last victim was not found until
nearly three hours after the boat
nosed under.
Mrs. Rosalie Eskridge, wife OF Will
liam and mother Of Barbara, saw
through tear-fllled eyes the part her
husband and daughter played in the
rescue.
Mr.. Exkridge, she said, rowed across
to Seneca in . small boat and rented
. iarger one with An outboard motor.
At the picnic grounds, he and Mr..
Grimm put the children aboard and
took seats themselves. The boat was
well-balanced when they set out and
the river was calm.
They hadn't gone far" Mrs. Esk-
ridge said, before the wind came up
lashing waves against the bow. One
child leaped to his feet, crying, Look
at that' and pointed to the waves.
1T was the signal for the other
children to jump up Mr. Grimm and
my husband seemed to be trying to
get the children to keep to their places,
but 1t was too late.
Mr.. Grimm was one Of the first to
60 over. He didn't come up. The
others started falling out, and pretty
som the boat was empty and filing
win water.
Il could see the children climbing
all over my husband as he tried to
push them back into the boat"
Pulls Five to Safety.
Meanwhile, Mr.. Wheeler, attracted
by the cries for help, showed OF from
Seneca. He arrived In time to pull
five Of the children and Mr.. Eskridge
to safety. Barbara, although having
learned to swim only year ago, kept
Robert Mills afoat until help came.
The sixth child, Walter Birkley, was
taken into another boat, manned by
DR.. R. w. Baer, and Francis K. staley,
Frederick, Md, who reached the scene
shortly after Mr.. Wheeler. Walter
was revived on shore after being un-
conscious Is minutes.
Other Boats Go 70 Rescue.
As number Of other boats left
both shores, = driving rain broke to
hamper rescue efforts and those Of
the Rockville and Herndon rescue
squads which had been summoned.
Pinned beneath the overturned row.
boat in Is feet Of water. the body
Of Lucille Hogan was extricated by
Dr.. Harry Beard, Washington ply
sician, who was one of the divers.
Police said DR.. Beard also located
the body Of the Jennell boy. Members
Of the Herndon rescue squad recov-
cred the body Of Franklin Hogan,
while Thomas Federline Of Seneca
located the body Of Mr.. Grimm with
. graphing hook.
The two Hogan children's parents,
Mr. and Mrs. o. j. Hogan, have lost
four other children during the last
year through illness. They have eight
more.
Howard and Frank Mills are the
children Of Mr.. and Mrs. Joseph Mills.
Robert Mills Is the son Of Mr.. and
Mrs. Ralph Mills.
The Jennell boy was the son of Mr..
and Mrs. Harvey Jennell.
Hero Seeking Job.
Mr.. Wheeler, who Is stationed at
the Marine Barracks here as company
clerk, was up early today job-hunt-
ing. He hopes to ind work in pri-
vate business to support himself and
the young wife he married II months
ago when his enlistment expires
July 8.
The marine was just about to get
started on . fishing trip when he
went to the rescue of the Inflated
boating party.
The thought Of not being able to
save those others made Melvin ner-
vous and restless all night" Mrs.
Wheeler said.
nEElcEPc 81 EcTEn
Mrs. Frederick g. Mitchell has been
r. e.AleGfAd YNASidanf nf thu hard nf