Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-08-16
The Discovery of Rude Craft by a
Kindly Fisherman.
Discloses a Dreadful Scene OF >icknes.
and Starvation.
Twelve Helpless Bodies Taken from the
Boat, Stricken with Malarial Fever.
One Dead Body in an Advanced State of
Decomposition, Found on the Floor.
One of the Survivors Able to Relate the
Shocking Story.


w VANsNlLLk, luU, Aug 10.
tale of horror, privstion, suffering and
tragic DEATH without parallel in this section,
has just been given publicity and the SYM
pathy of the entire community is now cen
tered in the survivors of the tale
Township Trustee Spreget was notified
yesterday that his services were wanted at
the river. He was directed to small fami-
ly boat lying near the water works. The
craft, non-descriptive vessel, bore evidence
of hard usage in timber and plank. The
bow was battered and stove in and the entire
roof Of the cabin was blown open. The cabin
was about ten feet long by twelve wide.
Trustee Spreget FASTENED toward the cabin
with feeling of dread that some horrible
disclosure was to be made Gazing into the
cabin his eyes beheld sight that held him
fast, speechless with horror. He saw be-
meath him, huddled together on the dark,
damp floor of the boat. twelve people with
scarcely rag to cover their nakedne.s.
Their eyes, sunk deep back in the hollow of
the sockets, glared at him fierce and wild
and their emaciated forms gave token of the
presence of great poverty and starvation
The fire of fever was consuming them by
slow degrees. while in their midst lay the
dead body of woman, fast decomposng,
partially hid by piece of rag carpet, the
| living occupants of this tomb being too weak
| and too ill to remove the remains
Trustee Spreget took il the situation at
glance and acted quickly. Patrol wagons
were hastily summoned and soon the suffer.
ers and dead were removed to the hospital
Tender hands ministered to their urgent
wants. An inquest was held over the re-
mains of the dead and a verdict of death from
malarial fever was rendered. One of the
survivors, Geo. Bush, though seriously ill,
was able to tell the story of the no rible ex
perience through which the party had passed.
Until three weeks ago George and John
Bush, brothers, were farmers in Meade
county, Kentucky, about twelve miles from
the mouth of Salt river. Their land was
poor and it was with much difficulty that
they obtained sufficient food to keep the volt
from the door. They became disheartened
and determined to try to better their condi-
tion further west. To this end they con-
stracted small boat and on Sunday, July
20, both families, consisting of the brothers,
their wives and nine children in all, together
with their little belongings. embarked in the
boat and started on the terrible trio down
river. They reached the mouth of Salt river
late Sunday evening, and when when Monday
morning broke were in the Ohio.
Two weeks ago today Nancy Bush, aged
So, Georges wife, was taken i'll with malaria
and not being able to procure the necessary
medicine it soon developed into typhoid
malaria. The other members were stricken
down one by one until finally all were help
less. In this condition they we're overtakep
Thursday night by heavy storm, which
toosed their craft about like an egg she'll
throwing them from one end of the boat to
the other. Their possessions were all swept
away by the waves and the cabin roof taken
off,
During this terrible night Mrs Bush sud
denly grew worse and began pleading feebly
for water, which no one could give her and
just as dawn broke she died in intense agony
All day the hot, boiling sun was beating
down on their half clad bodies. They drifted
helpless with the current Consumed by the
raging fever, their throats dry and parched
for the want of water, their lips swollen and
bloodless and all overpowered by the pangs
of hunger, this little group of sufferers
prayed for death. Reason was fast being de-
throned when the craft dritted nearly oppo-
site the city this afternoon.
| Some kindly fisherman saw the apparently
tenantle.s boat and boarded it, discovering
the condition of the occupants. Thev Sc
| cured thsir lines and drew the boat ashore,
after which the authorities were notified.
| All the sick people were being tenderly
cared for tonight, but hopes are only enter
| tertained tor the recovery of SIX. The fatal
and tetid atmosphere, tainted with the odors
| from the decomposing corpse, having had it:
| effect upon the remainder. Mrs. Bush was
| buried and the boat burned.