The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1889-08-21
SAD BOATING ACCIDENT.
TWO YOUNG LADIES DROWNED.

Oar community was greatly shocke'
last Sunday night to learn that boating
party on the Delaware at this place hal
been carried through Wells Falls, anC
that two young ladies were drowned.
The particulars are as follows
Mr.. Chas. Kellar, OF Philadelphia, who
has been bartender at Williamson's Union
House, in this city, since July I'd, had
been asked number of times by two OF
three of the employees of the hotel to take
them boatrlding On Sunday evening last
two Of the girls again urged him to take
them, and he consented. A sister of one
of the girls, residing elsewhere, had ex-
pressed desire 10 go along, and the two
girls went after her. Mr.. lKeller met the
party on the street and went with them
toward the foot Of Coryell street. One of
the girls thought it too dark and refused to
go along. Two of them, however, Miss
Winnie Colligan, aged 20 years, employed
in the dining room of Blossoms York St.
House, and her sister, Mamie, aged II,
employed in the dining room of William
sons Union House, determined on going.
1t was about $50 in the evening when the
boat containingMr, x. and the two girls
started out on the river. Being COM
parative stranger, he knew nothing about
the river, and did not know of the near
ness of the falls below the city. He row.
ed down the river, and as he got near the
falls, where the rapidity of the stream
hurried the boat along, he remarked TO the
girls how swiftly he was rowing.
Ia short time the girls noticed the
rush and noise Of the water, and told him
he was getting into the falls. He at once
turned the boat about and tried to row
back, but could make no Roadway, the
boat being carried down, and in minute
it seemed 10 dip at an angle of forty
five degrees and then rebound, filling with
water At this moment the screams OF
the two girls could be heard 10 Bridge
street, a half mile away.
Immediately after, it upset and he called
to the girls to hold on to the boat, which
they did for time, they being on the
opposite side from him, but the boat
struck rock and the jar loosed their hold
and they fioated away and were drowned.
Mr.. X. lost his hold Of the boat three
or four times, but, although he could not
swim, regained his hold again. The boat
turned over several times In its journey
through the falls. He screamed for help,
and a daughter of Mr.. Ralph Ashton,
living in the old Mershon house, mile
below town, on the river bank, heard
his call, and aroused her brother Chas.
Ashton and her brother-in-law, Fisher
Johnson, who had gone to bed and were
asleep, who hurriedly threw on some clo-
thing, ran TO the river, took boat and
rowed out Ia the darkness in the direction
where the voice was heard.
Kellar was found floating about forty
feet from shore, the boat upside down and
his feet under the boat and braced against
the opposite side, while his hands were
grasping tho under side nearest TO him.
He was about exhausted. He was rescu-
ed and taken to shore and brought to MIR.
Ashton's residence, and after resting a.
while, walked up to the hotel. Mr.. K.
says it was after nine o'clock when they
entered the falls. His watch had stopped
at DID.
The ColIigan girls were reputable and
attractive young ladies, and all who knew
them speak well of them. Their widowed
mother and four brothers reside In this
city.
The bodies OF the two girls have mol
been recovered at the time OF going to
press. 1t is probable that they have been
carried far down the stream.