The New Haven Register
Wednesday July 20, 1892, page 3

ANOTHER MILL RIVER VICTIM
Two Brothers, While Swimming Carried Into Deep Water and One Drowned

Lawrence McDermott, age 13, son of Robert McDermott of Haven Street, was drowned about 3 o'clock yesterday afternoon in Mill River, near the Grand Avenue Bridge. McDermott and his brother George went into the water near the Adamant Co.'s dock. The current which runs very swiftly at this point, carried them into deep water. Some children realized the danger the boys were in and shouted for help. Their cries were heard by Patrick McGinty of 46 Haven Street, He rushed to the river, plunged in and rescued George who was floating face downward some distance from where the boys entered the water. McGinty brought the boy ashore and apparently there was no life in it. Officer Clyne, who arrived at the spot rolled the boy over a barrel and finally, with the aide of Dr. Gaynor, succeeded in resuscitating him. The attempt to rescue the older boy were unsuccessful as his body sank before the boats which put out from shore could reach him. At half-past 6 the body was recovered by James Cahill of Jocelyn Square. Dr. White viewed the remains and pronounced the drowning accidental.

The Journal
Meriden, Connecticut
Tuesday July 26, 1892, page 8

THEW STONES AT THE OYS
Brutal Act of Two men Causing Young McDermott To Drown
Lawrence McDermott. fourteen, was drowned in Mill River at New Haven last Thursday and his brother, George, ten, narrowly escaped a similar fate. It now appears from young McDermott's story that while he and his brother were bathing in the river two men on the bank threw stones and other missiles at them. To escape these. the boy says he and his brother remained under water until exhausted and Lawrence finally sank. George was taken from the water and it required constant effort for several hours to resuscitate him. Coroner Mix says that he will look into the matter. He has the names of the men.

The Morning Journal Courier
New Haven, Connecticut
Tuesday July 26, 1892, page 2

WILL BE INVESTIGATED
A Sequel to the Story of the Downing of the Little McDermott Boy in Mill River

On last Tuesday afternoon Lawrence McDermott. age thirteen and his brother George, age eleven, two sons of Robert McDermott, of 38 Haven Street, were bathing in Mill River, near the Barnesville Bridge. Lawrence was drowned and George came very near meeting the same fate. The cause of the accident was ascribed to carelessness or foolishness on the part of the boys.
Owing to the heroic and skilful efforts of Dr. Gaynor Lawrence was brought around and is now recovered.
As soon as he had fully recovered he was questioned in regard to the accident and told a very startling story. He was questioned again and again and repeated the story exactly as before in every detail. He was then let alone for a while and questioned again. No amount of interrogating could make him swerve from the original statements.
The story is as follows" On the afternoon of the accident the boys went in swimming at a very nice bathing place just back of the Adamant Plaster Company's. There is a sloping beach there where it is considered safe to bathe. While in bathing there, so the boy says, the boys were seen by some larger persons, whether men or boys is not given out. These persons went to where the boys were bathing and amused themselves by throwing plaster and mud at the lads. The boys naturally resented this treatment, but did so mildly, as they were well behaved little fellows. Some words were exchanged and the little ones came ashore to dress and go home.
Now comes the main point. The boy distinctly say they were seized by the roughs and thrown back into the water, Lawrence to drown and George at last to be rescued and to tell the story. The rest of the story is known to the public.
George can remember every circumstance and twills it very deliberately and with great accuracy. he remembers things very well and tells it every time with the same accuracy of detail. He known the persons and tells their names. Dr. Gaynor has heard the story and will make an examination of the boys head and if there is anything in the story the matters will be sifted out.
Both the boys were very industrious, hard working little fellows, and on the day of the drowning they put in a cord of wood at their home, carrying it a distance of eighty five feet, every four of which was through a narrow passageway, made so by grape views and gardens.
The fact as they stand will probably be handed to the coroner today.

The Meriden Daily Republican
Meriden, Connecticut
Tuesday July 26, 1892, page 2

SENSATIONAL STATEMENTS
A New Haven Youth Murdered by a Brace of Rowdies
A sensation will be explored today on two alleged murderous rowdies of this city, says the New haven Palladium. The newspaper published last week a truthful and thrilling account of the drowning of Lawrence McDermott, 14 years old, and of the rescue and resuscitation of his brother George, 10 years old. The brothers were supposed to have been in swimming near the Barnesville Bridge. Lawrence sank out of sight and was seen no more until his lifeless body was pulled up with grappling irons.
George sank three times and was picked out of the waves near the bridge by a spectator, He was floating only a feet below the surface. He was apparently dead, was rolled on a barrel, was cared for by a doctor who labored over him three hours and at last he gasped and shoed signs of life. He is now almost himself again. The second day of after the mishap he told a story to the doctor and also to his own family. The story at the time was deemed a freak of delirium. But the boy is now beyond controversy in full possession of his senses and he gives the story in all its detail just as e gave it before, and arrested are to take place today.
George McDermott's allegations are these in substance: "I and my brother Lawrence went in swimming behind the the Adamant Plaster works near the Barnesville Bridge. We had been in the water about ten minutes all to ourselves when two men came along and began to pelt us with mud and pieces of plaster. We laughed a while, and then I became tired. My brother Lawrence didn't like the pelting either, and he said a few things to the men, on the bank. They laughed and kelp on the pelting. We had to dodge and dive to avoid the mud and plaster they threw at us. Ten we tried to land and dress ourselves, but they drove us back. We waited. We thought they would go away. They laughed at us. We were cold and we tried again to land.
"My brother Lawrence had talked the most, because he is older and stronger than I am and they treated him the worst. When he climbed up the bank shivering they pelted him and then threw him as far as they could. Next they gave me a pelt and threw us back into the water. I was afraid of them and so was a Lawrence. The tide was coming in and what were we to do? I yelled too, and then I went down. The two men on the bank laughed at us and threw plaster when our heads came up/. They thought we were fooling, I suppose. How many times my brother sank I don't know. I sank twice and I remember nothing more until I found Doctor Gaynor at my bedside. I'd known the men if I saw them,'
The police authorities have been working up the case and they are now sure of the culprits. Today complaints will be made to Coroner Mix and the accused will be examined. The little survivor will be there too, and will tell the story that he adhered to since regained consciousness more than a week ago. The names of the dastards are withheld, but the public investigation will reveal them today. The authorities that have been concerned in the case are convinced that George McDermott is telling the truth. His story is consistent in all its details. He is too young for ingenuity enough to stand the test of a cross -examination, but he has stood the test and the authorities will take deceive steps today.

New Haven Register
July 27, 1892, page 4

IN THE CORONER"S HANDS
The McDermott Case Submitted to Him This Morning
This morning Detective Dennehy, who has been working on the McDermott drowning case, made a report to Coroner Mix and the latter will hold an investigation immediately.
George McDermott the brother of the boy who was drowned, was examined this morning by the coroner. He told substantially the same story to the coroner as he did to his parents and the police. His account of the accident was given in such a straightforward manner that Coroner Mix decided without any hesitation that the case ought to be looked into by him. One or two other witnesses were also examined this morning and their stories tend to bear out the boys statements. The names of some partied who it is thought will be able to throw some light on the cause of the frowning were learned by the police, and they will be questioned by the coroner tomorrow. The police are confident that they have ascertained the names of the boys who stood on the bank of the river and threw things at the McDermott's and would not let them come out of the water when they attempted to. They will not be arrested, however, until Coroner Mix has finished his investigation. When asked this morning his opinion of the case Coroner Mix said that he did not feel at liberty to say anything about it for publication until he had in his possession all the facts in the case.

New Haven Register
July 28, 1892, page 1
NO TRUTH IN THE STORY

Coroner Mix Investigates the story Told by The McDermott Boy About the Drowning Case.
Eight little boys, ranging in age from 6 to 12 years, sat in Coroner Mix's office this morning and looked as solemn and scared as if they were on trial for murder. The boys were all accompanied by their mothers and fathers, who countenances also bore a serious look. The boys had been summoned by the coroner to tell what they knew about the drowning of Lawrence McDermott on Tuesday last. Yesterday George McDermott and a little fellow named Samuel Ackerly told Coroner Mix that a boy names Philip Lynch threw stones at him and his brother while they were in the water on the day when the accident occurred and would not let them leave the water when they wanted to.
This morning the coroner examined Willie Wicks, Eugene Harrigan, Daniel Gangel, Philip Lynch, Fred Hodgen, Saleu Kean and John O'Brien who were near the spot when the drowning occurred. The boys all testified that the Lynch boy was not in the crowd on the day of the drowning and that no stones were thrown either at the McDermott's boys nor in the water.
Philip Lynch, the boy young McDermott accused of throwing him and his brother into the water proved that he was not near the river the afternoon the boy was drowned, but shoed that he was at the public library. Two little girls were with Lynch and they testified to this fact. Johnny O'Brien told the most probable story of the accident. He said that the McDermott boys were in swimming with the Wicks boy, who showed them a trick which Lawrence McDermott tried to do. In attempt he got out into deep water and the tide carried him out beyond his depth and was drowned.
All the boys corroborated this story. No amount of questioning could make them change their statements.
After hearing all the testimony, Coroner Mix decided that the drowning was purely accidental and that Lynch was in no way connected with it. Coroner Mix, in speaking of the case said that he did not believe the story told by the McDermott boy, as it was apparent that he had imagined it. Nothing further will be done in the case as the evidence given it the hearing today was sufficient to prove beyond question that no one was to blame for the drowning.

The Morning Journal Courier
New Haven, Connecticut,
Thursday July 28, 1892, page 4

LAID BEFORE THE CORONER
Evidence in the Drowning Case of Lawrence McDermott -- Several Witnesses to be Examined Today.

The evidence which has been obtained in the case of the drowning of Lawrence McDermott in Mill Rover on Tuesday July 19, was put in the hands of the coroner yesterday morning. Detectives Dennehy brought George McDermott and Samuel Ackerly before the coroner at 9 a.m. and both ere examined. George McDermott, the brother of the drown boy, was the boy that was rescued from drowning and when he recovered told the story of the case. Samuel Ackerly was present when the fatality occurred.
The story of the accident as told by George is as follows" He and Lawrence were bathing when Samuel Ackerly, Willie Eicks, Eugene Harrigan, David Gangel, Fred Hogden, George McDermott, Soley Kean, John O'Brien and Philip Lynch.
When the McDermott boys, who were last in the water, tried to come out, mud was thrown at them to keep them in the later. Philip Lynch was doing the more to keep them in. The boys were near together and had almost got in shore when Lynch pushed Lawrence out farther then his depth. George went out with him and as is already known, Lawrence was drowned and George came very near meeting a like fate. Lynch lives at 8 Locust Street. The rest of the boys lives in the neighborhood of Grand Avenue and Haven Street. They will be before the coroner this morning.

The Morning Journal Courier
New Haven, Connecticut
August 1, 1892, page 2

Bathing is resumed at the wharf on Mill River, near where the McDermott boy was drowned. The lads, however, are disposed to be more careful since the recent drowning accident in Mill River.

The Morning Journal-Courier
New Haven, Connecticut
Friday July 29, 1892, page 4

BEFORE THE CORONER
Many Witnesses Examined Yesterday in the Drowning Case
Georgr McDermott. Samuel Ackerly, Eugene Harrigan, Willie wicks, Daniel Gangel, Philip Lynch, Fred Hogben, Soley Kean and John O'Brien were examined before Coroner Mix yesterday morning in regard to the drowning of Lawrence McDermott. All boys except George McDermott and Samuel Ackerly testified that Lynch was not in the crowd which was swimming there that day. They also testified that there was not a stone or a piece of mud thrown at the boys.
The McDermott boy however, stuck to his story and was corroborated by the Ackerly boy. This was that the boys pushed out into the water by Philip Lynch and stoned by Fred Hogben. Some of the boys would change their stories and the case will have to rest. Coroner Mix cannot make out a case and no arrest will be made.
A clue has been discovered, however, and will be worked up. A boy was seen to run along from in back of the Adamant shop and make for the rolling mill. Who he was is yet to be learned. He was the last boy seen at the place and was dressing himself as he ran.

The Morning Journal Courier
New Haven, Connecticut
Thursday July 21, 1892, page 5

The funeral of George (Should be Lawrence) McDermott the boy drowned in Mill River Tuesday afternoon, was held from St. Francis Church yesterday afternoon. It was a very sad service and was largely attended. The bearers were young playmates of the deceases. Lawrence (should be George), the brother of the deceased, who was rescued from the water, was some better yesterday.