Elmer Boekley
Kentucky Post, Thursday, 14 July 1904, page 5
Misfortune seems to follow Andrew Boekley, of 505 Columbia st.
Newport. Wednesday evening his 7 year old son was drowned in the Ohio. Four
years ago a son, who was at that time 7, was burned to death. At Muncie Ind. his
aged mother is at the point of death. He was well nigh distracted and wept
bitterly.
His son Elmer was at the river in the evening and called to a playmate, Russell McGibbet, to come and take a ride in a flatboat at the foot of Columbia st. A short time after his body was at the bottom of the Ohio and his comrade was on the shore battling for his life. The boys got into the swift current and the boat was sent against a barge, throwing the occupants into the river. It is thought that the body of Boekley went under the barge.
A number of people searched with grappling hooks Wednesday night for the body of young Boekley but without success. The Chief of Police has given strict orders that boys will be arrested who are caught going near the river during the vacation time. There have been more drownings in the river this season than for a long time.
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Kentucky Post, Friday, 15 July 1904, page 5
Both explosions of dynamite and grappling hooks were used at the foot of Columbia st. in the Ohio River Thursday night in an effort to raise the body of Elmer Boeckly, of 807 Columbia st. Newport. The youngster was drowned from a flatboat and it is thought the body went under a barge.
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Kentucky Post, Saturday, 16 July 1904, page 5
Curt McBride, of Sixth and Russell sts. Covington, found the body of a boy floating between two coal barges at the foot of Scott st. Saturday morning. He took the body to the shore and notified Coroner Tarvin. Later Andrew Boekley, of Columbia st. Newport, identified the body as that of his son, who was drowned last Wednesday evening. He was allowed to take the remains.