PHYLLIS JEAN WHITED

RECOVER BODIES SUNDAY;
BELIEVE RESCUE ATTEMPT
BECAME FATAL TO BOY

Hand marks on a slick, steep bank showed as an apparent but
mute evidence to the valiant yet futile efforts of a thirteen
year old boy to rescue a nine year old neighborhood girl as both
were drowned in a week-end tragedy here.

Bob Borders recovered the bodies of Paul Gus Slone, 13 year
old son of Mr. and Mrs. Elba Slone, Of Paintsville, from the
waters of Big Paint Creek about 200 yards above the Bridge
street at 1:25 a.m. Sunday.

The body of the little girl, Phyllis Jean Whited was recovered
at 3 p.m. Sunday by Frank Pelphery.

Both were members of an American Legion searching party which
joined others in probing the depths of the creek when alarm of
the apparent drownings sounded. Borders is commander of the
local post.

Members of the two grieved families and the community as a
whole are somewhat puzzled as to the circumstances of the tragedy.
No one reported seeing the accident and the boy is known
as a good swimmer.

Some expressed an opinion that the girl had fallen into the
creek which is from six to eight feet deep at the spot, and 
the boy lost his life attempting to save her.

His body was found about six feet from shore where his fishing
pole was anchored in the bank. A fish very likely caught by the
girl or boy was tied to a line nearby in the water.

Members of the Slone family said the boy had left home about
8 a.m. Saturday to go fishing. When he did not return for his
dinner and supper, as was his custom, the search for the missing
boy was instituted.

The girls body was recovered about 200 feet downstream from
the fishing spot. 

She had been living as a foster child, with Mr. and
Mrs. Guy Whited here for about three years. Her mother is now
Mrs. Joe Gayheart of Iron Gate, Mich. Whereabouts of her
father is unknown. She is also survived by six brothers and
sisters.

Funeral services for the girl were held at 2 p.m. yesterday
at the First Methodist church with the Rev. Clarence W. Krebs
officiating.

Burial was made in the Huff Cemetery under the direction of
the Jones Funeral Home.

The Slone boy is survived by his parents and four brothers,
James Elmer, Ray Donald, Roger Lee and John Manuel Slone.

Funeral services were held for the boy at 2 p.m. Tuesday at the
First Baptist Church, of which he was a member, with the
Rev. C. Hoge Hockensmith officiating.

Burial took place in the Wells cemetery here under the direction
of the Preston Funeral Home.

The Paintsville Herald
May 8, 1952

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