Two Die In Jamaica Pond

After collecting several articles describing drownings at Jamaica Pond over the years, I recently began putting together an entry listing each. When I got to this very detailed article, I decided to use it to represent the others. Most drownings reported between 1875 and 1925 involved either boating accidents or children breaking through thin ice. In this case, a rolling baby carriage set off a chain of events that led to an unnecessary tragedy.

The article also tells us a little about the people of Jamaica Plain. Women working as domestics, and men working for the Elevated company. And of course the families who hired the women. They all lived in the same community, as in the same geographic district, but the division was clear: "the haves" and "the don't have much's".


Boston Daily Globe August 30, 1910


Two Sink As Baby Rolls Into Water.

Mrs Hogarty Runs After Carriage,

Man Tries to Save Her.

Both Drown in Jamaica Pond, Another Woman Rescues Little One.


While endeavoring to rescue her child, Marie, two years and eight months old, from drowning in Jamaica Pond yesterday afternoon, Mrs Catherine M. Hogarty of 16 Hall st, Jamaica Plain, lost her life by drowning, and an unknown man, about 60 years old, who attempted to rescue Mrs Hogarty and her baby, was also drowned.

The baby, Marie Hogarty, was rescued by the heroic act of Miss Martha Daley, 28 years old, a nursery maid employed by Dr Mark W. Richardson of 116 Moss Hill road, Jamaica Plain, who, on seeing the frantic efforts of the unknown man in his attempt to aid Mrs Hogarty and the child, ran into the water and brought the baby safely to shore.

Mrs Hogarty, with her children, Marie and Annie, 10 months old, went to the pond, as has been their custom this summer, to spend the afternoon under the trees near the shore.

Baby Marie was sitting in the four-wheeled carriage, with leather hood, while Annie was sitting in the grass beside her mother under a tree nearly opposite the end of Eliot st. There the ground at the shore of the pond rises in a slight knoll that is quite irregular and precipitous.

From some cause unexplained the carriage with Marie in it started down the embankment toward the water. The mother screamed, got to her feet as quickly as possible and ran after the carriage, hoping to stop it before it should reach the water.

But the carriage with Marie sitting in it rolled quickly down the hill and into deep water.

The shore at this point, near where the old boathouse stood, dips quickly and the water is a number of feed deed a short distance from land.

When the carriage struck the water the baby was thrown out.

Mrs Hogarty thought nothing of her danger, but madly sprang into the water to save Marie.

In her excitement she screamed and floundered about and attracted the attention of an aged man.

He ran up the path and boldly jumped into the water to rescue mother and child.

He is said to have reached Mrs Hogarty, who was fast losing her strength, and took hold of her. The baby had floated away a little distance from Mrs Hogarty, and she frantically endeavored to reach her child. As a result there was a struggle with the unknown man and both sank.

Miss Daley was sitting on the grass not far from the scene of the accident with little Martha Richardson. Seeing the danger of the baby Hogarty drowning, she ran into the water up to her waist and rescued the baby. When Miss Daley had reached the shore with the child, she turned to see how the man was getting along in his effort to rescue Mrs Hogarty, and to her amazement and grief both man and woman had disappeared from view.

Weeds Balk Efforts of Rescuers.

Martin Nee of 14 Humbolt pl, South Boston, was driving past the place and, hearing the screams of people, left his wagon and, on learning what had happened, he walked into the water up to the waist in an effort to recover the man and woman. A plant growth in the pond prevented him from seeing either.

Sergt Charles Gilman of police division 13, who was a short distance away, also heard the screams, and, snatching a life preserver from a post on the shore, ran to the spot. When he arrived both Mrs Hogarty and her would-be rescuer had disappeared. Other men who were attracted to the spot tried in every way to aid in the quick recovery of the bodies.

Simon Fraser and George Erickson, employed at the boathouse at Jamaica pond, manned two boats and hurried to the spot where it was said the two persons had sunk, and they were ready to make the attempt at recovery of the bodies by diving. But they did not know where to dive.

Sergt Gillman went to a police signal box and notified Capt Harriman at division 13, and the patrol wagon with grappling irons were hurried to the pond, with Sergt Frank Arnold and patrolmen Herthol, Egan, Claflin and Howes.

A large crowd collected to watch the work of the police. The officers worked as fast as possible, as they believed that there was a good chance to revive the victims.

The first body recovered was that of the unknown man, about 20 minutes after the drowning. Mrs Hogarty's body was brought to the surface about an hour later.

Vain Attempt to Revive Victims.

When the body of the man was brought ashore Dr T.J. O'Brien of 1470 Tremont st, Dr Arthur N. Broughton of 10 Roanoke av, Jamaica Plain, and Dr George C. Smith of 99 Commonwealth av, who had been driving in their automobiles about the pond, were attracted to the scene. The three physicians worked to revive him, laying his body face down over the edge of the banking and moving his arms in the effort to produce artificial respiration. Their efforts were without success, and it was apparent the man had been dead about 20 minutes.

When the body of Mrs Hogarty was recovered the physicians did what was possible to revive her, but without avail. The bodies were given in charge of undertaker Waldo J. Stokes of Roslindale, and were removed to the City hospital morgue and the medical examiner was notified.

Baby Marie Cared For by Police.

Dr O'Brien ran down to the pond just as Miss Daily brought the baby to the shore.

The baby had not been in the water long but was soaked through and was blue with cold. He removed its clothing and wrapped it up in dry coats which were offered by Mrs Guy E. Tripp of Hingham and Mrs Arthur H.Nickerson of Brookline, who with her daughters had been riding past in an automobile and had stopped on hearing of the accident.

Mrs Tripp then took the baby in her car to police station 13, where the police gave the child stimulants and made her warm and comfortable. Miss Daley had also gone in the car and Mrs Tripp then took her back to Dr Richardson's.

Dr O'Brien, after attending to the older child, was called to the younger, who had been splashed with water and who was crying for her mother. There was, however, nothing for him to do for her, and with the others he waited for the result of the grappling.

Many Tried to Help in Rescue.

Every effort was made by people near at the time to save the drowning ones, and among the number were Miss Margaret Leving of 27 Keyes st, Jamaica Plain, and Mrs Bruill of 271 Lamartine st.

Mrs George H. Sauer of 39 Starr lane, Jamaica Plain, was one of the first on the scene. With her little girl Ruth she was sitting near the boathouse and heard the cries of Mrs Hogarty.

With three other women she hurried along the bank, but was too late to be of assistance. As she came up Miss Daley was bringing the baby from the pond and Mrs Hogarty and the man had already sunk beneath the surface.

Mrs Sauer said last evening that one of her companions had told her that the unknown man, whose efforts to rescue Mrs Hogarty resulting in his own death, was a frequent visitor to the pond and had come there repeatedly on afternoons to sit under the trees by the water. No one, she added, knew his name or who or what he was.

Every effort was made by the police last night to learn the man's identity, but up to a late hour every effort had failed.

Unknown Hero Had $60 in Pocket.

He is described as about 60 years old, 5 feet 9 inches in height and weighing about 160 pounds. He was smooth shaven and had gray hair and gray eyes he wore a gray coat, dark striped trousers, checked shirt, black shoes, no underclothing, no stockings and a light straw hat. His shoes had been recently tapped and it is thought it was the work of one unaccustomed to such work.

In his clothing was found a wallet containing $60 and a gold watch, that had stopped at 3:15. He had a handkerchief and a memorandum book.

The book contained the names of F.R. Whit, 47 Regent st, Roxbury, and Paul, 187 Lexington av, East Boston, and the following addresses; 33 Dover st, 8 Cumberland st, Paul Gore st and 101 Moreland st.

Last evening policemen were sent to all the above addresses in order to ascertain the man's identity. None of the occupants of the houses recognized him from the description, but it is expected a large number of people will view the body at the City hospital morgue today, and the man's identity may then be established.

From the address "Paul Gore st," written in the book it was believed that he might possibly live on that street, since that was the only address in Jamaica Plain. Inquiries made last evening, however, at every house on the street failed to reveal any man answering to his description, nor was there anyone reported missing at any house upon the street. It was general opinion that the address written in the book must have been that of someone on whom he intended to call.

Husband Collapses at Tragedy.

Mrs Hogarty had been married about four years. Her maiden name was Catherine Manning. She was born in Ireland and after coming to this country was employed for a number of years in the family of Prof Frank Vogel of Jamaica Plain. Her husband is employed as a fireman at the West Roxbury high school, Jamaica Plain.

When Mr Hogarty learned of the death of his wife he collapsed and would not be comforted. Relatives of the family went to the stricken home and cared for the two young children. A brother of to Mrs Hogarty, Patrick Manning, who is employed as a conductor of the elevated road and lived with the Hogartys, knew nothing of the death of his sister until he reached his home, about 8 o'clock. He was told of the accident by a neighbor just before he entered the house and collapsed in the street. He was revived by friends.

Miss Daley Sought to Save Them.

Miss Martha Daley, who brought the baby out of the water, was so affected by the sight of the drowning that she was unable to tell her story herself last evening, and it was made public by Dr Broughton, a friend of Dr Richardson, who was in medical attendance on Miss Daley.

He said she was walking along the shore of the pond with little Martha Richardson, when she saw the baby carriage roll down into the water and a woman and man run after it.

She is a competent swimmer and without hesitation she ran down and caught up the baby, who had fallen out of the carriage and was sunk in a few feet of water. To recover her she needed to into the water only up to her waist, but just beyond that point the bottom of the pond goes down sharply, and it was here that Mrs Hogarty and her would-be rescuer were struggling.

After Miss Daley had brought the baby from the water and turned her over to a doctor's charge she turned to go back to the others, but they had sunk beneath the surface and no sign offered to show where they were. She then sat down on the bank and it was not for some time that anyone knew that it was she who had rescued the child.


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The man who drowned at Jamaica pond was William Barton. When no one came to claim the body, Dr McCollom of Boston City hospital, Dr John Dixwell and Thomas A. Forsythe of the hotel Lenox arranged the funeral. Services were held at the City hospital chapel, and Mr Barton was buried at Mt Hope cemetery.


Source: Boston Globe, September 24, 1910

Child Killed By Train - And A Memory

Here's a terribly sad story, and one that relates to the previous entry. Wherever there are train tracks, eventually there are train deaths. At the time, there were four tracks to the New York, New Haven and Hartford line - the two express lines in the middle, and the two local lines on the outside. At each station, fences were put up between the local and express linesto prevent riders from crossing the tracks and coming to grief with the passing express trains. Outside of the stations, there was no such fence, and the embankment would have been a magnet for boys.

So it was when I lived on Spalding street. There, on the north side of Forest Hills, was a widening of the embankment, and spur lines forked off to take parked boxcars. I was 5-6 years old when I wandered the embankment, walking the spur rails and climbing the boxcars. The trains would rush by with a roar and a palpable sense of danger, but I don't recall any deaths during my time in Jamaica Plain, but I did have to be rushed to the hospital. One day, while a group of us climbed the ladder on the end of a boxcar, the lovely little girl in front of me looked back down at me and quite deliberately stepped on my hand. Off I went, falling backwards to the ground. Apparently, my head landed inches from a rail. My father heard my bawling across the Hood's milk lot, and came and got me. Being covered in the black coal dust of the embankment, I was put in the bathtub, cleaned up, and then, presentable to the doctors and nurses, brought to the hospital. With a spleen not quite ruptured, and none the worse for wear and tear, I was sent home to deal with the DO NOT PLAY ON THE TRAINS! speech that would finally sink in. In later years, this became a family joke, along the lines of "Always wear clean underwear in case you have to go to the hospital."

Thus do I relate to the boy killed by the speeding train. A parent's warning never sinks in until after the advice is needed.

The connection to the previous entry? The little swimming hole would have been very close to the storm drain inlet shown in the second pair of pictures. No map of the time shows the pond, but neither do they show Bussey brook. Perhaps they filled it in to prevent boys from crossing the railroad tracks to reach it.



Boston Daily Globe July 23, 1910






Express Hurls Boy To Death

Thomas J. Kevill Hit at Forest Hills.

On Way to Swimming Pool He Tried to Cross Tracks.

Third Fatal Accident in Last Two Days.


The third death by accident in the West Roxbury district in the last two days, was that of Thomas John Kevill, the 9-year-old son of Mr and Mrs Patrick J. Kevill of 3512 Washington st, Jamaica Plain, who was killed by a locomotive on the NY, NH & H RR, near the Forest Hills station.

The little fellow, with three companions, Thomas Shea, 9 years old, of 412 Amory st, Andrew Fraser, 11 years old of Lotus pl, and William Bentley of Rosmore road, Jamaica Plain, started yesterday afternoon to go to the meadow land on the west side of the Dedham branch tracks of the railroad, near Forest Hills, known as "Muddy pond," to have a swim.

The four youths were walking on the railroad tracks just south of Forest Hills station, where the Dedham branch tracks form a junction with the main line tracks of the railroad. The New York express was approaching the junction and Kevill's companions ran across the tracks.

One of them shouted to Kevill, "Look out for the train!" He answered: "I'll get across all right." He evidently misjudged the distance and speed of the express train and was struck by the locomotive and thrown 40 feet.

The train was stopped and employes(sic) of the railroad who were near ran to the child to find him dead. His head was terribly crushed.

Mrs Kevill, when seen by a reporter of the Globe, after the accident said that she had cautioned her son not to go to the pond. He was a pupil in the third grade of the Margaret Fuller school on Glen road.

The Spanish Teacher's (Mis)Adventure

This is a short entry, but hardly without interest. Putting aside the action-movie event itself, we learn that you could learn Spanish in a school of 1852 Jamaica Plain. I think we can assume that it was a private school for the elite of the community, but it shows that the town was not a rural backwater at the time. On the other hand, it certainly is curious that the injured man was taken into Boston. Why couldn't he have a broken leg set in Jamaica Plain? We always seem to have more questions than answers around here.


New York Daily Times August 11, 1852


Serious Accident


On Saturday morning, a gentleman, named S.C. Bello, took passage in the cars of the Providence Depot for Jamaica Plains(sic). On arriving at his place of destination, he jumped off the cars before the train had stopped. He was thrown violently against the platform, and rolled back under the cars. By almost superhuman eforts, he succeeded in pushing himself from the wheels, and rolled upon the other track. This movement only brought him into new danger -- for a train was rapidly approaching in an opposite direction. The bystanders saw his imminent peril, and, at the risk of their lives, jumped upon the track, and succeeded in removing him from his precarious situation. He was immediately conveyed in the return train to Boston, and thence taken to the house of Capt. Pendleton, Fourth-street, South Boston. On examination, it was found that his leg was broken about four inches from the thigh bone. The leg was properly set by Dr. Thaxter. Mr. Bello is a Cuban, and a distinguished teacher of Spanish, and was on his way to instruct a class at Jamaica Plains, when the accident occurred. [Boston Transcript]

Runaway Horses - Boy Hero

Boston Daily Globe February 12, 1899


Little Hero Of Jamaica Plain.

Guy Sherlock, Aged 9, Cool in the Midst of Danger, Guides Runaway Horses to a Place of Safety.


Jamaica Plain has a youthful hero, a boy of 9, who performed a feat yesterday that for dare-devil recklessness surpasses anything ever witnessed in that locality on the part of a child of his tender years.

Guy Sherlock, the little hero, lives with his parents at 58 Brookside av, Jamaica Plain.

Yesterday morning, with the true spirit of an American schoolboy, he was on Washington st, catching stray rides here and there on the various pungs and sleighs passing up and down the street.

A large experience in grabbing onto moving objects had made him expert in that line. The little fellow had enjoyed a number of rides, when about 9 o'clock there was a commotion down the street.

Coming suddenly in view was a horse attached to a store sleigh, madly tearing down the street. There was a scattering of vehicles to save quarters. It seemed as though nothing but a miracle would stop the flying animal before somebody was hurt.

All at once, right in the midst of the confusion, a small body was seen to rush into the street. Before any one could stop the child, little Guy Sherlock was hanging onto the side of the sleigh like a monkey. The passers-by witnessing the act were struck dumb with horror, and held their breath, expecting every moment to see the sleigh smash into something and the child killed. While they looked on in wonder, however, Guy crawled into the front of the sleigh and then to the seat.

Grabbing the left rein he gave it a strong pull, turning the frantic animal just in time to avoid a couple of electrics. By this time they had reached the engine house near School st. The horse was turned into the building and stopped. Sherlock was thrown out but was not badly hurt.

A big crowd gathered and many words of praise of the act of bravery were heard.

Man Killed By Horse Team

Accidents like the one described below were not uncommon in Jamaica Plain. People were stomped by horses, and crushed by the wheels of horse wagons with a sad regularity in the days before automobiles banished horses from the roads. The only thing that makes this accident noteworthy is that it is the last case I have found of someone being killed in an accident involving horses. No doubt there were more later, but I'll let this one stand for now as representing the end of an era.




Boston Daily Globe July 18, 1917


Runaways Hit Milk Wagon, Man Killed

Team Hauling Granite in Crash at Jamaica Plain

William Whitney of Roxbury Dies in Hospital of Injuries


Two horses attached to a wagon, loaded with granite, became unmanageable when the wiffletree snapped as they were passing through Amory st, Jamaica Plain, yesterday afternoon and the team crashed into a milk wagon owned by Alder Bros of Tremont st, Roxbury, causing injuries to William Whitney, living at 72 Station st, Roxbury, which caused his death.

The wagon carrying the granite, which was owned by J.N. Lombard of 47 Chapman st, Roxbury, was driven by Edmund J. Roche, 29, of 38 Green st, Charlestown.

Whitney, who was riding on the seat of the milk wagon, was thrown to the ground and rendered unconscious. He was taken to the City Hospital in the police ambulance from the Jamaica Plain Station and died soon after his arrival. Medical Examiner Leary was notified and the body was removed to the City Hospital Morgue.

Frank A. Metz of 62 Jamaica st, Jamaica Plain, who was driving the milk wagon, was thrown to the street, but escaped injury. Roche was arrested, charged with manslaughter, and later bailed at the Jamaica Plain Police Station.

A Tragic Accident - Fire Truck Kills Girl

We tend to think of traffic accidents as an affliction of the automotive age, but many people were killed by runaway horses, kicked or dragged by horses, or crushed by wagons. Imagine driving a truck that had a mind of its own.

As a side note, they were not shy about describing accidents back in the day.



Boston Daily Globe March 7, 1880


Fatal Accident.

A Little Girl Run Over at Jamaica Plain by a Hook and Ladder Truck.


A lamentable accident occurred at Jamaica Plain last evening, which resulted in the loss of one life and injuries to two others by a city employee. At 6 o'clock an alarm of fire was sounded for Canterbury to a house owned by Patrick Meehan, and the firemen promptly responded. Hook and latter truck No. 10, horses in charge of Michael Cook, was passing at a furious rate along the highway, and when at the corner of Keyes [McBride] and South streets, the driver was turning the team to enter Keyes street when the horse shied, drawing the wagon on the sidewalk, the wheel of the wagon being only eighteen inches from the fence-bounded private land. There were a number of persons on the sidewalk, among others being a ten-year-old girl named Helen Lally, who was in the act of carrying milk for delivery when the wagon struck her, throwing her down, the wheels passing over her body, mangling it and causing death in a few minutes. John Eagan, residing on Call street, and an unknown man, were seriously injured upon the legs. The driver of the truck sped on his way to the call of duty without stopping. Of course there was much excitement at the scene of the accident, and several persons relate instances of hair-breadth escape. The body of the unfortunate victim was taken to her parents' home by undertaker J.D. Fallon and others, and the grief-stricken mother fainted several times at the sight of her little girl's body. Medical examiner Draper viewed the remains and certified the cause of death was a broken spine by reason of passage of wheels over it. Those who witnessed the disaster aver that there was great carelessness on the part of the driver, that he drove wildly, having no proper restraint upon his horses, and that it is a miracle that more people were not injured. On behalf of the driver, it is said that one of the horses is balky, and that he had notified the authorities that the animal was unsafe to use, but the commissioners had taken no notice of the complaint. The fire was of no importance.