Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1890-06-06
EIGHT DROWNED.
Fate of a Pleasure Party on
Watuppa Lake, Mass.
An Over-Crowded Boat Causes
the Tragedy

dlSFSatcn from r al fSlNeT- MASS. says
Eight lives were lost in Wstuppa Lake at
about : o'clock in the afternoon. A boat
was overturned twenty feet from the shore,
and of the twelve occupants only four were
saved. Friends of those who persisted were
within hearing of the cries for help, but
assistance was not available before they
were drowned.
The day was bright, and among the thou
sands who went for stroll i'll the country
were Samuel Whites and his wife, who took
their three children, aged rom eight 10
twelve years: John Buckley. his wife and
their two children and Walter Turner, q
shorthand instructor in Holiness CONNER
cial College with his boy, eight years old.
The twelfth member of the party was a
boarder in Whittles's family named George
Hamer, who acted as rescuer.
They walked briskly across the Narrows
and strolled along the east shore of the lake
unmindful of the distance until the children
began TO complain Of fatigue. They
were too tired to walk home, and it
was concluded to row across the
lake. A flat-bottomed skiff was obtained
from farmer. The party being large, it
was decided not 10 take any one else along TO
the skif that it should be left on the opposite
shore. The skitr was only ten feet lon. 1t
was made to hold eight persons.
The six adults and six children crowded
into il. The weight sank the boat so low
that the water came up to the gunwales.
When it had neared the landing at the water
works a breeze ruffled the surface of the
pond. Little waves rose and leaped over the
sides of the boat. One of the children
screamed and jumped from one side of the
skiff to the other. The other children i'm
mediately did so, too, and the boat was cap
sized.
Turner and Hamer could swim, and they
quickly reached the shore. Turner is very
delicate, and at once fell i'll dead faint.
Hamer again sprang into the water, and
went to the rescue OF his friends, who were
clinging to the boat. He grasped one of the
Whittles children and returned to land. Then
he made another trip and saved John Buck,
ley. The other people could not long hold
TO the boat.
The screams of the women and children
reached the ears of men i'll the pumping
station, but before they could unite their
boat and get into it the LAST the victims had
sunk out Of sight.
Graphing parties were formed and bodies
were secured. Police emergency officers and
physicians made vigorous but vain efforts to
resuscitate those who were thus brought
ashore. Intense excitement prevailed. In
the crowd that gathered were many intimate
friends of the Buckleys and Whites and as
one after another the bodies were placed in
row and life was pronounced extinct, the
friends wept. Others in the crowd were
forced to tears by the spectacle.
Little Edwin Whites, who had been saved
by Hamer had lost his father, mother and
two brothers. Mr. Buckley could not believe
his wife dead, and for two hours tried to
restore her to life. Their two little children
lay lifeless beside her
Turner. whose weak system had sustained
a severe shock, was taken to the hospital
mourning for his little son, whose body had
noG been secured, although graphing par
ties continued to search for it by the light
of the moon.
The drowned a.
Mrs. Levina buckley aged thirty five;
Fred'k Buckley, aged three; Willie Buckley,
aged eight; Willie Turner, aged niuC;
Samuel Whlttles, aged fifty; Mrs Whittles'
aged forty-fve: Henry Whittles, aged ten;
Samuel Whittles, Jr., aged twelve.
Mr. Whittles has been prominent among
the English citizens and was generally re-
spected and liked For years he had been
trusted employe Of Cobb, Bates & Yerxa.
He was President of the Humboldt Scientific
Society and was to have addressed it that
evening.
Mrs. Whittless father met his death by an
accident a short time ago.