Bridesburg, PA Drowning, Jul 1915

YOUNG MAN DROWNS ON PLEASURE TRIP

Loses Balance Splashing Companions and Falls Into Delaware, Unable to Find Body in Darkness

Losing his balance while seated on the gunwale of a motor-barge and splashing water over his companions. CHARLES WALTERS, 24 years old, of 412 West Glenwood avenue, fell into the Delaware River and was drowned last night.

WALTERS was one of a party of about twenty young men who set out from Bridesburg last evening in the motor-barge Mouse, of which John Kuter is captain. They hired the craft for a short [illegible] short river trip, asking to be taken to Croydon and back.

Croydon was reached without incident, but upon the return trip WALTERS, who was sitting near the stern of the boat, reached over, dipped his hand into the water and spattered several of his companions. No attention was paid to him beyond a good natured warning not to fall overboard. He repeated the process several times until at last he was seen to lose his balance, grasp wildly at the gunwale and tall with a splash into the river. He sank almost at once in the darkness.

The entire party spent the early hours of the night in diving, one after the other, in attempts to recover his body. In a short time the police tug Stokley came to the scene and grappled for it without success.

WALTERS was employed as a mill operator in the northeastern district of the city.

The Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia, PA 26 Jul 1915
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Transcribed by Dawn McLaughlin. Thanks, Dawn!