Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1886-08-05
The SEAS VICTIMS
TERRIBLE YACHT DISASTER
WHIUH COSTS SEVEN LIVES.
Children and Old People Go Down In
Sight OF Their Friends and Rela-
tives Never to Rise Again.

PORTLAND, Me-, Aug. A sudden
squall capsized pleasure yacht in
Portland harbor to-day and seven men,
bers Of merry picnic party werel
thrown into the water and drowned.
They were: Wellington Masters, aged
20; Jane Masters, his wife, aged SO;
Benjamin Whitten, aged q; Maud Whit
ten, aged IL; Harry Cleveland, aged Z;
Emma cleveland, aged IL, and Jane
Masters, aged 9.
Little Jimmy Cleveland, Q brother of
the drowned children, was the only
person on the yacht who escaped alive.
Other members of the family, including
James Whitten, residing at 30 Merrill
Street, and John r. Cleveland, residing
at 38 Harvard Street, and their wives
were In another yacht close to the one
capsized, and thsagonizsd fathers and
mothers saw their children drowned
before their eyes. The picnic party had
been arranged by Mr.. and Mrs. Mas.
ters and started in two yachts at Z
The boat of Mr.. Masters proved to be
the faster sailer and soon left the other
yacht behind. 1t was remarkably clear
and pleasant and the whole party were
enjoy ing themselves to the utmost.
Suddenly, when the boat containing
the old couple and the children was off
Seal Cove, Diamond Island, a squall
burst upon them. At this time the SEQ
ond boat was 200 yards behind. Mr..
Cleveland saw the squall coming and
shouted warning, but before the
| words were fairly uttered the yacht
was upset aad those on board were
crowded together in the little space oi
the cockpit. So sudden was the acci.
dent that they could do nothing bul
Icling 10 one another In helpless terror
The. yacht filed and sank almost in
Istadtly In four fathoms of water, carry
ling down her unfortunate occupants.
ITHEY SANK AND NEVER ROSE AGAIN
So great WAS the suction Of the heavy
tboat that only one of them rose to tht
lsurface. Little Jimmy Cleveland man
Iaged to clear himself from the fata
Icraft and SWAN toward the yacht. Hi
father sprang into the sea, and swim
lining to him, clutched his clothing jus
as he was going down, and held him ul
until the other yacht could be Drough
Ialongside. Mrs. Cleveland, half
crazed by the wild cry of terror tha
Irang in her ears as her children wer
Thrown into the water, started to leal
loverboard and was prevented only b.
force from taking her own life. l
seemed impossible that the whole part.
could have been 30 quickly draw
under the water, but after the yaeh
went down no trace W hatever of 1t coul(
be seen.,
The boy who was saved had the mar
rowest possible escape from the fate Q
his mother, sister and friends. He say
that Just before the equall struck, hi
Igrandfather had drawn up the centre
board, which accounts for the sudden
ness with which the yacht was Owe
turned. Every effort was made by thot
lin the other boat to recover the bodte
. but without success. Then they wei
for assistance and feet of boats pl
Iout from Diamond Island.
u FINDING THE BODIES UNDBR TIL
WRECK.
The bodies were found to be entanglt
In the rigging, and the ropes had TO be O.
before they were hoated 70 the surfac
The bodies Of Benjamin Whitten, b
sister Maud, and of Harry Clevelal
lwere not recovered. The others we
,, brought to this city on the Isis th
afternoon. The stricken paren
returned to their lonely homes almt
distracted at their sudden and territ
. bereavement. The new OF the disast
caused the widest excitement in q
city, and scores of sy ympathiZing neif
bors and friends were at the pier VIII
the bodie were brought on sho
Search Is being made for the OIL
three be dies, and they will probably
VracouaraH hafora morn ming.