From our own correspondent.
Bloemfontein, Thursday. – A shocking, drowning, fatality, resulting in the death of two boys, George and Jack Hart, aged 16 and 12, respectively, occurred shortly before 6 o'clock last night at the Kings Park Lake. Although help was close at hand, the tragedy occurred so quickly that all was over before adequate assistance could be summoned. A search for the bodies followed, and after an anxious hour the body of the younger boy was brought to the surface by the superintendent of the swimming baths. It was only a few minutes later, practically in the same spot the body of the elder boy was taken out of the water by Mr. C. Shaw.
The story told by eyewitness of the sad event, a lad named White, is that George and Jack, who were brothers, went into the lake for a bath. Jack, it seems, was unable to swim, and he boarded a wooden raft, which floated out towards the middle of the lake. His brother, who could swim, decided to go and tow him in. He swam to the raft and caught hold of it, but it capsized, throwing the younger boy into the water. His brother endeavoured to save him, and in doing, so both went under. White, who was on the bank, shouted to a young man, J. McCormack, who arrived just then, and he jumped in with all his clothes on to swim to the rescue. By this time, the elder boy had gone under, and the younger one reappeared above the surface, shouting. White, in the meantime, rushed to the Orangia Bowling Green near by to call the assistance of the players, who all unaware of the tragedy being enacted so close beside them, were busy on the green. McCormack was just three yards away when the smaller lad sank for the last time. The brother did not come to the surface again. By this time, the news spread, and the police and a number of people arrived. Two boats put out from the shore with two constables, who dived and searched with the upmost care for the bodies of the two boys. Many others helped in the search. The bodies when recovered, had been in the water over an hour, and efforts at resuscitation were useless.
The two boys were nephews of Mr G. Hart, a well-known bookmaker in town. Their father is at present in Rhodesia. He was a steward on board, the ill-fated Titanic, and survived the wreck, afterwards coming to South Africa.
[Note: The cutting is undated but as the boys ages were 12 and 16 it is most likely from 1923]
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