Boat Upsets River, 3 Drown; 3 Reach Shore

Article taken from the Lima News June 12, 1934.

Portsmouth, O., June 12 - (AP) - Three persons were drowned and three others reached shore safely when their motor boat overturned and sank 19 miles west of here last night in the Ohio river.

The dead were: Hazel Morgan, 24; Mrs. Russell Kennedy, 57, and Tilly Kennedy, 18, daughter of Mrs. Kennedy, all Sandy Springs, a village on the Scioto-Adams-Co line, 20 miles west of here.

Those who reached shore safely are: Mrs. J. H. Morgan, 50, mother of Hazel; David Dawson, 5, and Peter Kessinger, 24, driver of the boat.

Authorities expressed the belief the boat overturned when Kessinger shut off the motor too quickly, while the boat was traveling at high speed, causing the craft to overturn. The boat they said, was overloaded.

The bodies of Miss Morgan and Miss Kennedy were recovered, locked in each others arms. Altho the Morgan girl was said to be a good swimmer, officials said she was dragged to her death by Miss Kennedy whom she sought to rescue.

Search for the body of Mrs. Kennedy, was continued today.