Evening star., 1941-06-30
} From District
Lose Lives in
Nearby Waters
Woman Among
HuIf-Dozen Drowned
Over Week End

TWO WdSnlngUOnldnS anu one lOI
mer District resident were among
more than half a dozen drowning
victims at Maryland and Virginia
beach resorts as thousands sought
relief over the weekend from the
heat and humidity.
Bert Leland Moore. 35 Of 1460
Columbia road, was drowned in the
Potomac River Saturday night, and
Mrs. Ellis E. johnson, 81, of 5521
Colorado avenue NV, was drowned
in Chesapeake Bay off Holland
Point in Anne Arundel County.
A third victim was Francis Z.
Rousseau, ST, a retired printer for
merly employed by The Star, who
lived with a sister, Mrs. Lloyd Young
at Colonial Beach, Va.
Stricken With Heart Attack.
Mr.. Rousseau had been resident
of Washington for many years bes
fore he went to live with his sister
several weeks ago. According to
Sergt. J. C. Miller of the Colonial
Beach police Mr.. Rousseau va5
swimming at Classic Shore, neat
Colonial Beach. when apparently he
was seized with a heart attack. He
was found only a few feet from the
shore by a passerby and was pro-
nounced dead a few minutes later
Mr.. Rousseau had been employed
at The Star from July, 1918. until
he retired last March He was q
member of Columbia Typogra phical
| Union.
Surviving besides Mrs. Young are
a brother. Charles T. Rousseau. and
another sister. Mrs. Marie Hartman
both of Washington.
Woman Falls Overheard.
Mr.. Moore. police said, was on a {
boating party with Mr. and Mrs.
John Aries of 53O1 New Hampshire
avenue NV. and Miss Ruby Upton
on the Anne Marie. owned by
William Starke. 230 Willow avenue.
Takoma Park, Md, which was an
chored about 500 feet off the
Cameron street wharf in Alexan-r
dria. Va.
Miss Upton fell overheard and.
according to police, Mr.. Moore
plunged into the water to rescue
her. Mr.. Starke brought Mr. Moore
out of the water and got the boat
| to the wharf despite a fouled
propeller, but efforts to resuscitate
him were futile. Alexandria police
notified the harbor precinct in
Washington, and the boat was towed
| there. Funeral arrangements had
not been completed today.
| Mrs. johnson was on a fishing trip
with her husband, Frank Johnson.
Washington builder, when she fell
overheard while attempting to
change seats in the boat, according
| to police. She was reported to be
an excellent swimmer and was only
/ in the water for a few minutes, but
was unconscious when she was pulled
into another boat owned by william
/ Collins, Anne Arundel County fish
erman, county police said. Efforts
to revive her were fruitless. The
body was brought here yesterday
but funeral arrangements had not
been completed today.
William Bradley of Baltimore and
his daughter Ruth. 5. drowned of
Poole's Island in Chesapeake Bay
yesterday while the girls mother
and brother looked on helplessly,
the Associated Press reported.
Ruth fell overheard from a NOV
ing cabin cruiser and her father
swan to her rescue, police said. Her
brother Allen, 81, cut the engine
of the boat and with another man
also swan to help the girl. but re-
turned to the boat TO swing it
around to the father and daughter,
who appeared in no danger.
Bodies Not Recovered.
Before they could take the cruiser
back against the tide, they and four
other on the boat saw the father
struggle briefly. then sink with his
daughter. Coast Guardsmen we're
unable to find the two bodies last
night.
Bernard Szarek, 25, of Baltimore,
was drowned yesterday in Back
River while on Polish picnic. Bal
timore County police who recovered
his body said he stepped into a deep
hole on a sand bar 1900 feet from
shore
Melvin Charles Billmyer, 10, of
Frederick. was drowned at Snyder $
Landing in the Potomac River 6
miles from Hagerstown yesterday.
He had been swimming with three
companions, whose efforts to rescue
him proved futile.