, 1889-12-19
THE SEATTLE TRAGEDY
Particulars Of the Drowning of DR.
Minor and Messrs. Haller
and Cox.
The Last Vestige Of Hope De-
stroyed by the Finding Of
the Canoes.

the Canoes.
No event in recent years has so pro-
foundly moved the people of Seattle as
the recent drowning OF three of her most
prominent citizens. The Seattle Post
lntelligencer of the 18th says:
The hope against hope that had been
entertained in the hearts of the people
of Seattle during the past forty-cight
hours, while they waited for news con-
cerning the missing party OF DR.. Thomas
r. Minor, Mr.. q. Morris Haller and Mr..
Lewis Cox, were lowered to the lowest
possible degree yesterday morning and
terminated last night by the confirma-
tion of their worst fears.
There Is now hardly vestige of doubt
that the three were drowned off WILDLY
island about dusk on Monday, Deem
ber 3.
The only story that can be gathered
concerning the terrible affair, which has
caused an universal woe in this vicinity,
is given below:
The confirmation of the worst fears of
the friends of the three missing men
came early yesterday morning, when
the Skagit Chief arrived from Utsalady
with q Rice lake canoe, which had been
picked up on Snakeland point Tuesday
morning. The canoe was found by In
dians who communicated this to John
Robinson of Coupeville, who had them
60 out and bring it in.
Snakeland point Is four miles east of
Coupeyille, and the Indians had the
a half Mr.. Robinson held it there all
night and early yesterday morning
shipped 1t to Seattle on the Skagit Chief,
which arried here at $3.50 o'clock yester-
day morning. The canoe was unloaded
ut Baker, Bacon d Co. 8 wharf and car
ried to Farwell's warehouse The news
that a canoe supposed to belong to the
missing hunting party had been brought
to the city, spread rapidly and created
intense excitement. Many who had
been hopeful all through and had scofied
at the idea that any accident had hefall-
en- the party, then readily admitted that
there were grounds for the gravest fears.
When it became known where the
boat was, hundreds of people visited
Farwells warehouse and viewed it.
Among the first to inspect 1t was Mr.. +.
a. Bell, an intimate friend Of Louis Cox.
He positively identified the boat as Mr..
Cox's. Several Others who called during
the forenoon were certain also that the
boat had belonged to Louis Cox. The
fact that the canoe had been fully iden-
titled as belonging to n member of the
ill-fated party was soon upon the streets
and the hopes of the confident fell.
An Indian says he saw the party pass
the mouth of the Stillaguamish river in
two canoes about 2 o'clock Monday after
noon. Later they were seen by men in
a logging camp on Browns point, Ca
mano island.
1t is four miles from the point to
the place where the canoes were found
ut Lao A.,
tide rip, which at times runs very strong
when half way over.
A careful search will be made every
day by a party stationed at Brann's
camp for the bodies, which will doubt
less tioat ashore on the point oil WILDLY
island, opposite Utsalady.
The party left Seattle Thanksgiving
evening, intending to return last Thurs.
day, after Il weeks sport among the is
lands down Sound. Before leaving they
announced that their headquarters would
on the steamer Cascade and remained
there until Monday afternoon, Mr.. Hell
Ter in the meantime, as near as can be
learned, taking an excursion up the
TO his fathers place.
Finding the hunting very poor around
the three hunters on Monday,
December 3, decided to 20 across the
Sound to Wildly island, Mr.. Hallers
boyhood home, where he assured them
they would find excellent sport. Before
going DR.. Minor notified his wife in u
that he would leave that day for Brann's
camp on Wildly island. That is the last
and only word received I'm this city from
the party so far as can be learned.
Monday morning the party went hunt
ing near Stanwood without any success.
They returned to Armstrong; hotel, and
prepared for crossing the Sound. At
first they talked of hiring sail boat for
the voyage, but upon learning that a
suitable boat could not be found. decided
to make the passage In their canoes.
1t was beautiful day and the party
left Stanwood at , o'clock In the after
noon in excellent spirits. DR.. Minor
and Mr. Haller were In the Indian canoe
and Mr. Cox in the Rice-lakc canoe with
a sail set when the party left Stanwood.
A man on the wharf said, as the party
left:
"I wouldn't cross the Stllaguamish in
canoe like that if the river was high
To this DIR. Minor replied, as they
pulled away:
"That is because you don't know how
to manage it,"
Their course after leaving tho Stilla-
guamish was in a northwesterly direc-
ton, straight across the mouth of the
Saratoga passage, about four
miles north of Utsalady. The distance
from Stanwood TO Branns point is esti-
mated at twelve statute miles, so II would
require q four-mile speed to make
the distance between 2 o'clock
and dark. When the party left the
Stillaguamish the three were laughing
and were evidently in no hurry. 1t Is
generally supposed that they did not
travel faster than three miles an hour,
which is erately easy stroke, and
accordingly found themselves two miles
from the Whidby island shore and at
the mouth of Saratoga pass at s o'clock,
by which time it was quite dark and
probably very windy.
In the darkness they could not see to
keep out Of the trouth of the sea, and
their boats must have been an easy prey
to the breakers.
Mr., Cox was an expert swimmer, but
DIR. Minor and Mr.. Haller were unable
to swim. Their frail bsrks, freighted as
they were with camp cquippage, guns
and provisions1 could not boar them up,
and after u brief struggle they undoubt-
edly succumbed TO the waves.