Drowning Accident.

Huntly Press and District Gazette, Volume 2, Issue 48, 25 July 1913, Page 3

Drowning Accident.

We regret to chronicle the sad accident by which the 13 year old son of Mr Andrew Kerr, of Huntly, lost his life. It appears that tiie lad and his cousin, who is about the the same age as himself, were playing on tiie springboard which was erocte i near the rowing shed by tiie Club for the use of swimmers. Both of them walked out to the end of the j plank, and, on turning to come back to tire bank, young Kerr lost his balance and fell into the river. The ulucky lad's youthful companion immediately ran to the water’s edge and tried to grapple him, but it was of no avail and tire boy floated downstream. ks far as we can ascertain the victim then sank, returning to the surface a moment or two later when his cousin sang out to trim to catclr hold of a willow branch which was projecting tr.wn the water near the little straggler, but tire latter either failed to hear the advice or was too exhausted to act upon it; afterwards ire sank again, reappearing a few yards further on. That was the last the cousin saw of him. Mr J. Darby arrived on the scene almost immediately after, and, on noticing the un-

fortunate boy's cap floating down the river a little below the spot where the victim was last seen, lie plunged in, clothes and all, arrtl dived several times, but the unclear water and swift current, caused by the recent heavy rains, served to make the would-be rescuer's chances impossible. Messrs Thus, and H. Burt had arrived by this time and quickly set about to find the body, but their efforts also proved fruitless. Upon the report of the sad occurrence being circulated, Messrs W. Gowans and H. Porter appeared on the scene with their launches, and together with Constable Ingram and party, began a thorough search which lasted till a late hour last night. Searching operations were recommenced at an early this morning, but so far they have proved unsuccessful. Great sympathy is felt for the parents of the boy in their sad bereavement,