Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-07-31
THE SAD DROWNING AFFAIR In
MAINE.
Two Boys and Two Girls Drowned I'm
Lake Auburn-A Struggle for Life I'm
the PItIless Waters.

Two Boys and Two Girls Drowned I'm
Lake Auburn-A Struggle for Life I'm
the PIfIless Waters.
From the Lewiston (Me.) Journal. July 26.
The death angel since our last issus
has been busy in our midst. At one fell
blow Saturday evening the great de-
strOyer bore Of four victims-children OF
love and promise. The particulars, as
gathered from Chas. Turner, one of the
survivors, are these: Messrs. H. G. Tur-
ner and John Turner are brothers, doing
business together in Charlestown, Mass
Mr.. II. g. Turner's wife is a sister Of
Rev. A. ii. Heath, of Auburn. The two
Mesdames Turner, with their children,
leach had two, were spending the sum
mer in Auburn-Mrs. John Turner at
Mr.. Phillips and Mrs H. G. Turner at
Widow Isaac Libby's, near the eastern
shore of Lake Auburn. On the shore of
the lake was an old fat.bottomed boat,
perhaps ten feet long by five feet wide, a
leaky, treacherous craft, whose sides
above water had been shrunk in the sun,
so that when the boat was loaded it was
more leaky even than at other times.
Mrs. Isaac Libby had three sOns-Eu-
gene, aged Is; julius, aged 10, and Cecil,
aged 13. Mrs. H. g. Turner's daughter,
Fiorina, was 10 years Of age, and her
son Charles II, The young people had
been accustomed to get into the old flat
boat and paddle about the pond for fish
or for pleasure. On Saturday forenoon
a party of five of them made such trip
across an arm Of the lake.
In the afternoon six of them made a
similar trip, caught some perch and
cooked them on the shore, and after
their pleasant picnic dinner the company,
consisting of six-Eugene, Julius, Cecil,
Charles and Florina, above named, and
Mr.. John Turner's daughter, Addie,
aged II, got into the boat to return. As
they stepped on board Flora noticed that
there was considerable water in the. boat,
and said toEu gene, who was sit
ting in it on an old bucket, that they had
better bail the boat, but he thought 1T
unnecessary. Charles says there was
perhaps two inches of water in the boat
then. Eugene and Julius took the oars
and padded the old hulk slowly through
the water, and Needless of the danger
for there did not seem to be any-the
little party of six gave themselves up to
the fullest enjoyment of the sail The
fact that the water was treacherously
running in at the cracks in the boats
sides which her unsual load sank in
considerable degree under water did not
seem to attract their notice, or If 1T did,
not sufficiently to alarm them. The
plash of tie light waves, once in a while,
spattered water into the boat and barely
sprinkled the clothing of its occupants,
but this only added little variety to
their sail and aroused no fears. But every
drop Of water that trickled or spilled into
the uncertain craft was new weight to
fearful prophecy. The boat had slowly
moved toward the homeward landing and
only about fifty feet interviewed between
them and land, when, as Charles says,
without a moments warning the boat
sank beneath them-gOing down as he
SAYS, not one end foremost, but sinking
horizontally Its hapless occupants all
went down to the bottom with it. Charles,
Eugene and julius could swim. Addie
Cecil shrieked with terror, as the boat
filled and sank Flora was speechless.
They had not even time to jump from the
boat, and locked in each others arms,
went down together.
The boat slipped from under them and
arose at another point and 1Oated of, its
sides Just visible on the surface. As the
unfortunate victims rose to the surface,
| there was nothing for them to grasp but
| ' hn n1f nE
reach; one or two old paddles and bits
of boards did not avail to aid them. Ad-
die caught hold OF Flora-Charles, who
could swim, caught Flora, and finding
they we're sinking, pushed Addie of,
hoping to save himself and his sister,
but Flora grasped him around the neck
and disabled him from swimming, and
both sank instantly to the bottom. And
here little Charley says, finding that un~
less he released himself from her grasp
both must die, he resolved he must leave
her to perish and try to save himself,
but, he adds, his heart breaking with
grief, 81 had regular battle with her
t1 escape" But at last he wrenehed
himself from her death-grasp and arose
to the surface, almost exhausted. The
distance to sho e was but slight, and he
was Just able to swim few feet, ial
enough to touch bottom, and was helped
ashore by a boy who hGppened to be
near.
When Charles pushed Addie from
Flora's grasp, Eugene took her and tried
to save her, but she clung to him in suct
a yav that he was unable to swim witt
her. and both sank to the bottom so Il
save his own life he was forced to release
himself from her grasp. As the girl
arose the second time Addie and Ceci
grasped julius and bore him down, ant
no doubt, they perished in each other
embrace. Just as Charles got ashore, hC
turned around to see what could be done
and saw Eugene swimming just behinC
him, almost exhausted, crying "Help
I'm sinking" The boy on tho shore
Plinty CasWell-who had now come Il
the rescure, got a long pole and extended
it to Eugene, who had strength enough
to grasp it, and was drawn half eonsciOu
to the shore, where after a short time ht
was restored, so that he was able t
walk. Just as Eugene cried for help
| WuO h1A ACAOhON buO ohOA
looking further m the rear of Eugene
saw Flora's hair floating on the sur
face and part of her dress, but he saw
r them only for a moment and then al
, was gone. -Four hapless victims hat
= perished-two promising and beautiful
girls, two christian boys, sons of de
voted minister, himself recently gone
his heavenly home. One of these son
) was studying at the Maine State Semin
ary, preparing for college. Both Of then
together with Eugene, who was saved
were to have been baptized and adlnitte
! to the Free Baptist Church (Rev. Nj
. Heath 81 next Sabbath. 1t is singula
s and melancholy coincidence that th
8 three stricken familses have each on
e child left. The bodies were found nes
q the place where they went down,
e about an hour and ahalf after the accidel