This is a multi-part message in MIME format. --------------9206CBFC78F0F37629C59F9C Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit -- Greggory E. Davies 120 Ted Price Lane Winnfield, LA 71483 [email protected] --------------9206CBFC78F0F37629C59F9C Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; name="myerse51.txt" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Disposition: inline; filename="myerse51.txt" Obituaries: Ernest Myers, 1951, Winn Parish, LA Submitted by Greggory E. Davies, 120 Ted Price Lane, Winnfield, LA 71483 USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. Files may be printed or copied for personal use only. From: May 31, 1951 Winn Parish Enterprise Montgomery Boy Drowns Six Rescued in River Ernest Myers, 14, oldest of seven children of Mr. and Mrs. Waymon Myers of Montgomery, was drowned Sunday afternoon when a motorboat in which he was riding with six other youngsters and an adult swamped in Old River two miles south of St. Maurice. The other children in the boat, ranging in ages from 18 months to 14 years, were saved through the efforts of Charles D. Mattson of Winnfield, forester with Mansfield Hardwood Lumber Company; Jerome Smith, a Montgomery service station operator; Evan Smith, son of Jerome Smith; and Ralph Johnson of St. Maurice. Children in the swamped boat, operated by Felix Pender of Montgomery, were Charlotte Ann and Jimmy Cardozier, Lester Edwards, and three children of Buford Pender, whose names were not known. According to Mr. Mattson and Mrs. Smith, the drowning occurred about 2 p.m. Sunday. Mattson and Smith were fishing in one boat, and Evan Smith and Ralph Johnson in another, when Felix Pender and the boatload of seven youngsters started on a motorboat ride in the lake, Old River, a cutoff from Red River. Pender came to the boat from which Johnson and young Smith were fishing, and gave them some unused minnows they had before taking the children for a ride. When he started away, he got about 150 yards, when the motor went dead. The heavy load is believed to have caused the front end of the boat to "nose dive" at the sudden stop. The two other boats were rowed to the swamped boat by Mattson and Smith, and Johnson and young Smith. Mattson stripped off trousers and shoes and got into the water, helped five of the children to the other boats, where they were pulled in, some of the children said there was one missing. Mr. Mattson found the missing boy, Ernest Myers, tangled in a fishing line. He was brought to shore and artificial respiration was used in a vain attempt to revive him. Fireman from the Natchitoches Fire Department came to the scene to attempt resuscitation. Their efforts were also unsuccessful. Dr. Kuhlman of Montgomery and Dr. Roland Schmidt of Winnfield went to the scene. Mr. Mattson, whose swimming ability saved the lives of some of the children, credited Lester Edwards, son of Charlie Edwards of St. Maurice, and one of the occupants of the Pender boat, with saving the life of one of the small children. Mattson stated that young Edwards got the child to the swamped boat and held him back down on the boat, barely awash, until he could be moved to one of the other boats. He also stated that in his opinion the accident, might not have occurred had the boat not been overloaded. He cautioned against overcrowding small boats and urged a swimming and water safety program at the local swimming pool. --------------9206CBFC78F0F37629C59F9C--