Wallace Herbert Booby (1894-1906)

Biography
SAD DROWNING FATALITY. On Sunday afternoon a drowning fatality occured at a point of the Murrumbidgee river, on the southern bank, known as Lindley's Island, about a mile above Gundagai.

Two lads named Lin Murdock and Wallace Herbert Booby, the latter aged 12, and the youngest son of Mr. Chas. Booby, of Jackalas, had been in pursuit of rabbits on Lindley's Island, and had been using a boat for the purpose. The river was 20 feet above summer level at the time, but at the point where the accident happened the river divides on either side of the island, the main channel being on the northern side of the island.

The water is usually comparitively calm on the side of the island where the boys were plying their boat, but the big rise in the river had increased the current on that side. The boat had been tethered near the bank, but suddenly it was carried away by the current. Murdock remained calm, and was content to stop in the boat, which was being carried down stream, but the lad Booby became frightened, and against the advice of his companion jumped into the river, but not being able to swim, he was drowned. When he jumped he took an oar with him, and when Murdock was left alone in the boat he paddled to overtake the oar, and having done this reached land without mishap. It was impossible to save the other lad.

The accident happened about 3.30 p.m., and before long the police and a number of civiliius reached the spot and endeavoured to recover the body.

At 6.30 a. m on Monday the remains were recovered quite close to the spot where the lad sank.— "Times."



__SHOWFACTBOX__