PICTURE OF A DROWNING.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3294, 12 August 1911, Page 3

PICTURE OF A DROWNING.

CAUGHT ON A FILM

A moving picture machine set up to make a film of the thrilling rescue of a young woman from the waters of a lake in Fox Hills, Staten Island, recorded' instead an actual drowning of the actor rescuer and the saving of herself by the young woman who was to have been rescued. The actor who was drowned was Albert Brighton, who formerly was in the “Strongheart” and “Squawman” companies. Mary Murray, the actress, rowed out in the lake twenty-five feet from shore, at the point selected for the picture taking. There are many water lilies, and tlie young woman, all alone in the boat in a fluffy white dress, was to pick water lilies, and in reaching too far for one of the flowers, was to upset the boat and be rescued.

The picture machine was started and Mary Murray picked several of the flowers. Then at a signal from the operator she leaned far over the gunwhale and stretched l her liand towards another flower. As she put her weight on the side of the boat it tipped and went over, throwing her into the water, water.

It was part of the play that the girl should scream for help and throw up her hands to attract the attention of Brighton, who was strolling about the shore. When the girl screamed Brighton threw off his straw hat amt his coat and dived into the water. The young woman in the water continued her acting of the helpless drowning girl and the man at the moving picture machine continued sending tne film past the lens.

The actor, who had jumped in to save the woman in distress, came to the surface and splashed toward her. Then he began to shout for help. As lie shouted he disappeared and then, reappeared and shouted again. Others of the company made no move ,thinking he had taken a notion to impart an additional appearance of reality to the act. Instead he again sank. His body was recovered 1 several hours later.