Obituaries: Ernest Myers, 1951, Winn Parish, LA
Submitted by Greggory E. Davies, 120 Ted Price Lane, Winnfield, LA 71483
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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.