Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-06-30
Terrible Struggles vividly Described.
Five Lives Lost in Thunder,
Lightning and Hail.


Green street; William Sealey, aged ID
errand boy at the same establishment;
Eddy Herm, aged 20, bookkeeper in
shipping Office, No. Bowling Green;
VIM. Edmondson, aged IS, ship brok :
er; Miss Fannie Campbell, residing on
West Fourth street. Those who
escaped were Michael Tompkius, sail
ing master, Brooklyn, and VIM.
K. Palmer, salesman at Benjamin's 5
establishment.
Mr.. Palmer gives the following &C
count of the disaster: Before it be-
gan to blow \ little preliminary shower
of rain fell. After the rain had fallen
awhile the wind suddenly sprang up
on the starboard quarter, and then in
a fash it shifted from north to west,
and came down on US with full force,
lifting the yacht clean out of the
water, and beating the sea into a
milky white foam. l had been telling
Miss Campbell that in case of scci-
dent to keep by my side, but not choke
me. | am good swimmer. The first
burst of the squall came like the roar
ing Of cannon, and it was impossible
to hear ones own voice. The
sight of tho sea was simply appalling
1t seemed to change from water into
froth and foam, and it was blown into
sheets and cataricts of spray aud
rolled up against the yacht like
breakers on the leeshore, and mighty
gust of wind swept our trembling
yacht down into trough of sea, and
for moment all seemed lost. Wave
after wave rolled over us. Miss
Campbell, who had hold of my arm
when the boat was dashed upon her
beam end, last her grip and down
she went into the boiling water.
She was near-Sighted, and having lost
her glasses when the wind first struck
the yacht, she seemed bewildered. /
suppose she could not see any one OF
us who might have been near her
We were all thrown together in heap
at first. Then We separated, and in a
few minutes the yacht settled down,
but did not sink at once. A superhu
man strength seemed to come to me,
and seeing Miss Campbell floating
near me, | caught her around
the waist and shoulders and lifted
her bodily clear out of the water
to the boom, where she clung for
moment, perhaps; then the boat sank
down cut of sight, and We we're all
ahoat, with a second gale blowing well
with heavy thunder and Lightning; the
yawl was aAoat, but was bottom up. |
swan for her. With Mise Campbell on
my back, l put my hands on the little
vessel for support, but it soon went
down, as it was attached to the yacht
by long line. When it sunk | went
under the water few feet and Miss
let go her hold | thought |
could keep her afoat but at this crit
cal moment 3 terrific shower of hail
began to fill and the icy specks dashed
into my face until | could not see a |
foot before me. | heard Ed Herm |
calling for an oar; | looked around |
for one, but saw nothing of the kind
ahoat While | was looking, johnson
and Edmondson went down without
even cry. Meanwhile Miss Camp
bell was lying on her back, being sup
ported by her clothing. l could not
see her, but l could hear her moan
and cry out, "Oh, Lord, help mel"
and then her voice would die away.
| searched in the darkness and hail
for the poor girl, but l could not find
her. Finally something dashed against
ne. 1t was an ice box. 1 clutched
i, and just as | was fairly rested
IN it | looked over and saw the face
If Sealey, the boy, all pale and ghast-
y. | saw his blood-stained lips open,
out not a word he said reached me.
As he disappeared l saw Miss Camp.
bell on wave about 20 yards away. I
pushed away from the ice box and
struck out for her, but when | reached
ler and called her by name her
'ycs were protruding from her head
md her face was discolored and
7ery ghastly. 1t appalled, me.
She was dead, and as cold as the ice
hat was falling with the rain. By
his time | was so numb that / could
scarcely swim, but l managed to get
70 an ice box, when l saw the sailing
master coming toward me. He asked
me what was supporting me. l told
aim, and he swan forward, but when
We both were on it, it was almost i'm.