Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-08-05


PORTLAND, Aug. 4.
ohe or the most terrible disasters that ever
happened in the vicinity of Portland took
place of Indian Cove. Great Diamond Island.
about IL o'clock this forenoon. A sailbost or
yacht IN when were seven persons was cap
sized and the whole number lost their lives.
The news reached the city at I.3O and was
brought by the captain of the ISIS He seem.
ed to know little more of the affsir than is
given above, except that four of the bodies
were recovered. The name of the boat W as
not known. nor was it known Who the parties
were, but it was supposed that they might be
Portland people occupying cottages on the
island. The news rapidly spread about the
city and caused great excitement everybody
who had friends or acquaintance at the
islands fearing that these might have been
the victims. Coroner Rich was summoned
and went down on the D. boat. At o'clock
the Isis brought additional particulars. The
Dames of thS drowned are as follows: We'll
lington Masters, aged 10; Jane Masters, his
wife; Benjamin Whitten, years; Maud
Whitten, II years Harry Cleveland, years :;
Emma Cleveland, IL years; Jane Masters, 8
years.
The fathers of the children are James
Whitten,50 Merrill street, aud John R. Cleve-
land, 50 Howard street.
The bodies of the two old people and two
of the children have been recovered.
ANOTHER ACCOUNT
This morning, about o'clock, merry
party left the smelling works wharf for days
sail among the islands. They occupied two
small, open sail boats, and in all numbered
Is persons, as follows: Wellington Masters
and wife, John K Cleveland and wife, James
Whitten and wife, Emma and Harry Cleve-
land, children of J. r. Cleveland, Benjamin,
Maud, James and Owen Whitten, children of
j. t. Whitten, and three members of the
family of Edward Masters, Misses Linny,
Maud and jamie Masters. Mr.. and Mrs.
Whitten also had with them their young baby.
Mrs. Cleveland, Mrs. Whitten and Mrs.
Masters are sisters, daughters of Wellington
Masters, and the party were consequently all
related.
The morning was pleasant, but cool
breeze was blowing across the water from the
northwest. 1t came in treacherous flaws. The
boats were got under sail, when all were
aboard, and proceeded in the direction of
Great Diamond Island. The old gentleman,
Wellington Masters, had charge of one boat
This boat belonged to Frank A. Fessen and
is Hampden boat, having but one sail. Mrs.
Masters was in this boat with her husband,
and with them were Jane Masters, Emma
and Harry Cleveland, Maud Whitten, Benz.
Whitten, and his older brother James. The
remainder of the party were in the boat under
charge OF MIR. Cleveland.
All went well till about $50, when the two
boats were some distance beyond the wharf
of the Diamond Island Co. on Great Diamond
Island. They we're both near the shore. The
boat sailed by Cleveland was then some dis
tauce ahead OF the other. Cleveland looking
at the other boat saw her in the act of coming
about. She rolled from side to side and sud-
denly right before the eyes of the Mortified
watchers in the foremost boat, turned COM
pletely over. One of the ladies screamed,
'that boat has been capsized." but Whitten
who also had seen the accident pointed out
another boat a short distance away and for a
moment the women were satisfied that this
was the boat containing their friends. Cleve-
land at once made for the shore, but before he
could render assistance to the occupants of
the other boat all but one were beyond help.
Returning the boat encountered first, floating
upon the surface of the water, the body of
Mr.. Wellington Masters This taken on
board the ladies and children could no longer
be deceived as to the accident. Some dis
tance away was floating the upturned boat and
shortly after the body of Mr.. Masters was
reached James Whitten was seen swimming
in the direction of the capsized boat nearly
exhausted. The boy was taken aboard and
the boat then made for the landing, James
Whtten, the boy saved, is the only survivor
of the occupants of the boats. and he alone
can tell how the sad accident happened. He
said as the boat approached in shore she put
about but the centre board which had been
drawn up while the boat was running before
the wind was not lowered. The wind filled
the sail as the boat was turning; she rolled
from one side to the other and turned CON-
pletely over, throwing those in her
into the water. James swan toward the
shore; he looked back ONCE and saw his
grandfather and Emma Cleveland standing
upon the bottom. When only short dis
tance from the shore young Whitten
turned, retracted his course and swan back
toward the boat.
Before he reached there he was picked up by
the other boat, nearly worn out; had the two
who succeeded in getting in the boat laid
down all would probably have been saved.
But either from excitement or possibly the
desire of Masters to see if he could aid any
of the others, he attempted to stand upright on
unsecured footing, and when the first heavy
wave washed over the boat they were thrown
again in the water and drowned before assis-
tance could reach them. When Cleveland
after landing those in the boat, looked back.
there were three bodies floating on the sur