, 1889-06-27
DEATH BY DROWNING.
THREE MEN LOSE THEIR LIVES IN
JUAN DE FUCA STRAITS.
Cae Body Recovered and Two Others
Resting in Briny Grave.

On Wednesday morning about lC
o'clock Captain Gilmore of the steamer
Virginia picked up boat of the white.
hall pattern, between Admiralty Head
and Harcock'r landing, mention OF
which was made in yesterday mornings
ARGUS. The body OF d man, which was
identified as that of @. w. Shafer, was
found partly in tie boat, bis feet being
partly entangled in the rope, his head
and shoulders in the water.
Tho body was brought to this city and
taken to the city hall where the corner
immediately impaneled jury composed
OF l. s. Grsgg, Tom Hutton, Frank
Francis, T. forghuson, r. Mcdonald
and JOHN McInnes
Several witnesses were examined, ut
nothing of importance WAS brought TO
ligEt. 1t was found through letters
found on his person that the doceased
was c. ". ShaGeF, of Port Angeles.
1t was thonCht by grea. many tha.
his death was caused by foul play, but
nothing could be learned at that time
The jury adjourned until l O'Clock yes
to-day, when the following facts were
learned:
On Tuesday, June IS, C. w. Shaffer,
m. Nicholin and the latter's brother-in-
law left Port Angeles at 3 o'clock iu the
afternoon Tor this CITY, Where Nicholin
intended purchasing stock of goods
With which to open restaurant at Port
Angeles, and brought with him $500 in
coin and currency. They left that place
in small Whitehall saiboat. All, no
doubt, went woll until off Point Rugle
where the ebb tide strunk the boat and
carried it ont on the straits, where the
huge waves shortly upset the boat,
thro wing Nieholin and bis brother-in-
law out. Shaffer's feet being entaugled
in the rope be was thrown out Of the
boat his head aud shoulder being in tho
water, in which position he was found.
The bodies of Aicholin and his
brother no doabt quickly sunk; while
the boat, with deaths victim, was
tossed about at the pleasure OF the re-
lentless waves, until it was discovered
near the shore between Points RuEle
and Hancock.
The ooronsr's jury after these facts
were made known, returned the follow
..Dg verdict.
We the ooroner's jury fisd that G. W.
Shaffer, NJ. Nicholin and his brother-in-
law, name unknown, left Port Angeles
on Tuesday afternoon, June Is, at 2
o'clock in Whitehall sailing boat, and
said boat was picked up by Captain Gill
more, of the steamer Virginia with one
man in it, and We. the said coroncr's
jury, find that G.. W. Schaffer came to
his denth ny drowning.
1. 8. GRAGG, T. THoRaHUsoE,
L. HUrToS. r, MCDONALD,
FRANK FRANCIS, ]. Nc INNEs.
Mrs. Shaffer of Port Angeles, arrived
in the city yesterday morning and iden-
titled the body as that OF her SOD, and
she was allowed to take tue remains to
Port Angeles on the steamer Evangel.
Nicholis was married man with sew
! eral children, and the fact OF his having
several hundred dollars in silver on his
person makes il possible that bis body will
never be recovered and the mourning
wife and children will never even see
the remains of him who they had loved
and parted with bat few short days
ago in good health.
The body OF the third one will un,
doubtedly rise in about thirty days and
may possibly be recovered.