Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1877-09-04
Tragic Ending Of a Bridal Tour. 81 81
ON YACHT CRUISE AFTER A SECRET
MARRIAGE, AND DROWNED IN A COL
LISBON,

Fin. A. Scoop, twenty-five years of age,
had been married scarcely four months.
The history of his courtship and marri-
age seems like novelist's tale. Mr..
Scoop is book-keeper for his father, who
is proprietor of one of the largest hotels
in Chatham. His parents are in very
good circumstances, and expected their
son when he married to make good
match, as he seems to be a talented
young man and handsome. However,
he fell in love with Eleanor Powell, a
beautiful and accomplished young Eng
fish girl, eighteen years old, who came
lately with her parents to this country.
The two families seem to have been on
intimate terms, as Miss Powell's brother
married sister of Mr.. Scoop. But Miss
Powell's parents both died, leaving the
family in comparative poverty. Mr..
Scoops parents then became bitterly OPP
posed to his marriage with Miss Powell,
and she went to Dresden to live with
relatives there. MIR. Scoop continued to
er's hotel. On the 3Oth of May last Mr..
Scoop came from Chatham and Miss
Powell from Dresden to Detroit, and
they were secretly married, with only
two friends, lady and gentleman, as
witnesses. The first intimation the pa
rents had was the following tragic tele-
gram sent yesterday
''Nellie is my wife; she is dead please
make arrangements to meet us tonight
at the depot"
Mr.. Scoop visited his wife several times
at Dresden, and as he is in the habit an
nually of taking a summer cruise on the
st. Clair Flats, he asked his bride to
come with him this year, and said it
would be their wedding tour. He built
a new yacht his young wife came from
Dresden, and on Sunday husband and
wife reached the Clifton river. Mr..
Scoop says they seemed to have almost
too much happiness. On Friday morn
ing, on their journey to the Flats, Mr..
Scoop was teaching his wife how to man
age the boat. She sat at the helm and
steered the yacht while he reefed the
mainsail and let out the jib, as the wind
was blowing rather fresh. AS he stood
up he saw steam barge coming directly
towards them from the Clinton river
Just then his wife said, ooh, Fin, I'm
afraid we'll run into that black log"
meaning the buoy which was near them.
He told her what the black log was, di-
recting her how to steer to avoid it.
Looking up he saw the barge almost di-
rectly on them. He called his wife to
his side, and clasping her hand both
awaited the moment of collision. One
man stood at the bow of the barge hor-
ror-stricken, and did nothing but wave
his hands. just as the barge struck the
yacht Mr.. Scoop cried out, "Port your
helm! Don't you see you'll run US
| ut tho or or
crashed into the helpless boat. Mr..
Scoop and his wife sprang into the water
Just as the barge struck and were whirl-
ed around and around by the eddies.-
He, being an expert swimmer, kept his
wife up and shouted for help, but the
imbeciles on the barge looked at him az
if they did not know what to do. "It
was an awful moment" said Mr.. Scoop
~ think I see yet the terror-stricke n
face of that old man who was looking
down at us--but he never moved to helT
u.s." Mr.. Scoop encouraged his wife anc
told her not to speak as she might ge
water in her mouth. She, like a brave
little woman, caught hold of him lightly
by the coat, leaving his arms free so al
not to impede his swimming. II otter
told her,'' said Mr.. Scoop, THAT if WI
were ever thrown in the water not t.
clasp me or we would both drown to
gether; and she never said word, bu
did exactly as I had hidden her, ant
when looked at her she smiled to show
} she was not afraid" At last they go
among the weeds, which entangled Mrs
Scoops dress so that no progress coulG
be made toward the buoy. Mr.. Sool
then instructed his wife to work hand
and feet to keep herself afloat, while b
: would swim to the buoy, and it loos'
: and push it to her. She managed t
, keep af1oat unit! he came to the buoy
: and then wave overwhelmed her, AM
! she threw up her hands and sunk. TIL
J barge had rounded to, and two men ap
! preached in small boat and picked u
. the drowning man. The husband, fran
tic with grief, upbraided the bargemel
} for not throwing overheard something
! to cling to. He was taken to the Sta
, Island House, and thence to Detroit OF
g the Marine City. The body of Mrs
9 Scoop was found at eight o'clocl
! Saturday morning by a party G
[ four from Mount Clemens. She wa
: about twenty feet from where she sunk
and her hands were full of weeds, show
ing that she had grasped them in sink
| ing, which prevented her from risin
3 again Detroit Free Press.