Taylor Drowns

While Swimming in Delsol's Slough.

Had Worked In Heat

17-Year-Old Son of Lewiston Orchard Residents - Father With Him.

Herbert Taylor, 17 year old son of Mr. and Mrs. Amos S. Taylor of Lewiston Orchards, was drowned in Delsol's slough east of Lewiston at 7:30 o'clock yesterday evening. The body was only in the water about 45 minutes and every effort was made to retain life but in vain.

Young Taylor, with J. M. Pierce, had been working all day with his father in the Orchards and came to the river in the evening for a plunge and to cool off. He and Pierce were swimming when Taylor called for help. Pierce attempted to reach him but was unable to do so and his father rushed into the water and made his way to the boy. The boy grabbed his father's wrist and would have dragged him under with the drowning man's usual desperation. Suddenly, however, he let go and went to the bottom. The father was able to get out only with difficulty.

Phone messages were at once sent to White's hospital and from there down town and a taxi-cab sent to the Lewiston beach. The word the police received was that someone had been drowned, that the body had been recovered and that the lung motor was wanted. V. A. Westfall, fire chief, and Patrolman H. Dent, with the instrument, drove furiously to Delsol's to find that the body was still in the water.

Dude Gilman, life guard at the Lewiston beach, arrived and attempted to get the body by diving, while another message sent back to town for hooks. Gilman could not find the body but it was brought up by the hooks the second time they were lowered.

Gilman said the water at the bottom of the slough was intensely cold and suggested that the young man might have died from an attack of the heart.

"Perhaps that is the reason he let go his father's wrist," said Gilman last night. "The surface of the water to a depth of two or three feet is warm but down 10 or 12 feet where the body was it was bitterly cold. I do not think it would have registered more than 10 degrees above freezing. I understand the slough is fed by underground springs.

"Drowning persons, so far as I know, never let go of any person they catch hold of. In this case, too, there was not much water drawn out of the body by the pulmoter."

Dr. E. L. White, however, said last night that it evidently was a case of drowning. He used the instrument in an attempt to restore the life.

"We got the lungs cleaned up in good condition," said Dr. White last night, "but were unable to get the heart to resume action. This may have been partly due to the intense coldness of the water. However, it is not often that resuscitation can be accomplished when a body has been in the water as long as 45 minutes, although it sometimes can be done."

The Taylor family lives in Lewiston Orchards about a mile east of Canter's store, and not far from the relief reservoir. The body was taken to Vassar's. No announcement was made last night of funeral arrangement.

This is the third death by drowning here in the last three weeks. The first was a five year old child of Mrs. Goldsmith. The second was George Baskett who was drowned in Snake river last Thursday. None of the drownings, however, has been at either of the regular swimming beaches, where life guards are provided by the city of Lewiston and by Clarkston. It is said no one has ever been drowned at these beaches since they have been under municipal supervision.