The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-08-31
Swallowed Up in the Surf.
News and Courier.


two young men on the beach Of Sulli.
vans Island. The two unfortunate mcr
were Mr.. Louis Ludckins and Mr.. Ed.
ward Il. Shaw.
Mr.. Ludekins was we'll and favorably
known in Charleston and on Sulliyan's
Island. His family are at present resd.
ing in Aiken, and he was las. summer
and the previous season engaged as clerk
at the New Brighton Hotel. Mr.. Shaw
was son Of Mr.. p Il. Shaw, who lives
at the corner Of Smith and Montague
streets, and does business at the corner
of Chapel and Elizabeth streets. Mr..
Ludekins was about twenty five years
Of age and Mr.. Shaw scarcely more than
nineteen. From his connection with the
hotel Mr. Ludckins was familiarly
known to large circle Of friends in this
and other Southern cities, and Mr.. Shaw
being Charlcstonian. the news Of their
death was received with sorrow and re-
grct wherever it became known.
The story Of the sad event was told
to a reporter at the Charleston Hotel
yesterday afternoon soon after the arri-
val Of the steamer from Sullivan's Is
land. The rcator Of the circumstances
was G. B. OFT, young gentleman from
Aiken, who was in bathing with MessrS.
Shaw aui Lndekins at the time oi the
drowning. Mr.. 0tt was Il guest at the
New Brighton Hotel, and was spending
some time there, accompanied by Il
friend. Mr. T.. 5. McCrary, also of Aiken,
Mr.. OFT and Mr. Ludckins were old
friends and mt the invitation Of the lat
ter u party was made up to go in bath
ing, che panty consisting of Mr.. OFT, Mr..
Ludckins- ani Mr.. McCrary. Mr.. Shaw
did not go down into the surf until some
time afterwards. 1t waS about II O'Clock
and the tide was rieing. The three
young men went down from the ba;hng
house little thinking Of ;he sad events
which We're to take place within the
next hour. They passed
BEYOND THE BREAKERS,
and kept we'll out beyond them during
the whole time Of their bath. From
what happened it is to he inferred that
,hev unconsciously, although tho tide
WAS coming in. were moving out towards
tho channel, where, in fact, the drown
ing took place. Mr.. OFT said that just
before the disappearance of Mr.. Lude- !
kins they were close together. Mr.. OFT
wns not good swimmer, and Mr.. Lnd !
ekins was teaching him how to take the
surf bath with as little excrtion as pos
siblc. Mr.. Ludekins was supporting
his friend with his hand, when the latter
said that he did not think he was maxi !
ing much progress. and asked Mr.. Lnde-
kins to allow him t. shift for himself !
Mr.. Ludekins complied and they sepa-
rted. Just ut that time Mr.. Shaw was
but short distance farther scaward |
than Mr.. Ludekins. Mr.. McCrary and
Mr.. OFT were both between the two men
that were drowned and the shore.
Soon after Mr.. Ludckins parted from
Mr.. OFT
A VERY HEAVY WAVE
rolled in. Mr.. OFT took advantage Of it
and turned his fnce towards the shore
and was carried inward. Before doing
that, however, Eis attention was direct
ed to Mr.. Ludekins FOR an instant This
latter gentleman being u good swimmer
boldly faced the wave and plunged into
it. Mr.. OFT could not say whether, when
he turned to look at Mr. Ludelins. Mr..
Shaw was still in sight. He thinks.
however, that he was not When Mr..
OFT had recovered an upright position
he turned round and looked back in the
direction in which Mr.. Ludc! ins had
disappeared. Mr.. Ludckins was ohserv-
ed then by Mr.. OFT att considerable dis
tancc from the place where he had dived
into the wave. His head and shoulders
were above water. Mr.. OFT then thought
that he heard
A CRY FOR HELP,
and that it came from Mr.. LudekinS.
But he imagined that his friend was
'joking." as he knew him to be good
swimmer. The cry for help was again
and then Mr.. OFT knew that
Mr.. LudekinS was in danger. He was,
however, powerless to assist him. He
did not dare venture out into the suIf
where the unfortunate man was drown (