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Troy Musician Drowns Far Out In Saratoga Lake The Troy Record, July 5th, 1939 Page 1. Leland Hancox Dares Water, Unable to Swim Two lively banjoes that have woven rhythmic melody for the pleasure of thousands lay mute—one of them forever. One of “the Banjoleers” was dead. Leland F. (Lee) Hancox, 26, eldest of the noted curly-haired brother team of the airways, drowned about 5 o'clock last evening in the middle of Saratoga Lake while rowing with a companion, Miss Helen Rynaszko, 22, of 61 Breslin Avenue, Cohoes. The Troy musician and Miss Rynaszko rented a boat at Ryall's Beach on the west shore of the lake and headed for the center of the lake with Miss Rynaszko at the oars. Mrs. Henry E. Ryall, one of the beach operators, said Lee, although unable to \swim, slipped over the back of the boat and let himself be towed through the water. His companion dropped the oars about a half-mile from shore and also took to the water, Mrs. Ryall said. Miss Rynaszko is able to swim. The first intimation of the holiday tragedy came with piercing screams for help from Miss Rynaszko, which called into action two lifeguards from Kaydeross Beach, near Ryall's. They pulled for the center of the lake in another boat and were told by the Cohoes girl that Lee lost his grip and suddenly sank. She dived for him but was unable to find trace of her companion, Miss Rynaszko told the guards. The lifeguards spent a half-hour at the scene diving for the body without success. Taking the girl to shore they summoned state police from the outpost at Saratoga Springs. South Glens Falls state police sped to the lake with an inhalator. With the guards and Patrolman Gordon H. Spaulding of the Saratoga Springs police, the troopers began grappling. One of the searchers familiar with the lake said Lee's body sank in “the channel,” a deeper cut in the lake bottom through which a steady current flows, and it was believed the body might be recovered three miles to the north at the lake's outlet. Leland Hancox was born in Troy just before the World War, son of Mr. And Mrs. George F. Hancox. His brother, Donald W. (Hancox), is a year and a half younger. The pair grew up to become one of the best known radio and stage teams in the state and were beginning to win national recognition. First Appeared 15 Years Ago. “Presenting Don and Lee Hancox, The Banjoleers,” had a familiar ring to the Trojans. The youths first played almost 15 years ago at various Troy festivals and entertainments, clad in sailor suits. Through Troy High School, the brothers intensified their musical studies and practiced incessantly. Soon radio and stage offers began to come. Together during the last ten years they played literally hundreds of programs over area stations and occasionally stepped up to “big time” network spots. The future looked bright. Last night the father, janitor at School 1 where his sons learned their first lessons, left for Saratoga Lake as word of the tragedy sped through Troy. Don stayed home at the apartment a 819 River Street to comfort his mother. The drowning brought to four the area score of holiday pleasure-seekers to lose their lives on the water. State police last night were still searching in the Mohawk River at Vischer Ferry for the body of Frederick Magiera, 22, of Schenectady, who perished on a fishing trip Monday night. Two Others Die Accidentally. Two other area vacationists who died accidentally were an Albany man who was found dead of a heart attack in a rowboat and a Granville resident who drowned in Lake Bomoseen, VT. The heart attack victim was George Kline, 60, of Third Avenue, Albany, visiting at Glenmont. He was found dead yesterday slumped in a rowboat after donning his bathing suit for a swim near Van Wie's Point. Coroner J. Gregory Nealon of Watervliet attributed death to natural causes. Lake Bomoseen claimed the life of Herbert Prouty, 35, Of Granville, Monday night. Prouty was attempting repairs on an outboard motor when he fell in. END OF COPY. Can't read the rest of the article. |