3 Friends Fail To Save Youth Drowned Here

Swim Costs Life of Boy In Delaware Near Pettys Island While three companions sought unsuccessfully to save him, a Whitman Park youth drowned yesterday in the Delaware river, near Pettys Island. The victim was Pasquale Barbalace, 18, of 1551 Norris street. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Salvatore Barbalace. His body had not been recovered at a late hour last night. Barbalace and the other three youths entered a row boat at the foot of Jasper street for a ride around the island. They had no oars, using short planks instead. Decides to Swim Joseph Peotrowski, 17, of 1167 Chase street, one of the boys, told police when they were about 100 yards from the island, he and Barbalace decided to swim the rest of the way. Stripping off their clothing, they dived in the river. A few seconds later, Peotrowski said, they heard Barbalace cry out. They saw him threshing in the water and then sink. It is believed he was seized with the cramps. The other two boys, Edward Rhoades, 17, of 1179 Morton street, and Frank Fillham, 19, of 1544 Mt. Ephraim avenue, tried to reach Barbalace with the boat but the current carried them wide. Grapple for Body Cries of the youths attracted workmen on Petty's Island. They secured a boat and grappled unsuccessfully for his body for half an hour. Notified by a tugboat crew of the accident, Philadelphia harbor police reached the scene shortly after 4 o'clock and began grappling operations. In the meantime, the three survivors were taken to a Philadelphia police station and later to Pennsauken township police headquarters, where they made statements to Police Chief Thomas Thorpe. In addition to his parents, Barbalace is survived by two brothers, Dominick, 22, and Sebastian, 20, and a sister, Lucy, 4.