Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1891-08-07
TIE BOISE FATALITY.
A Continuous Theme Of Regret-The
Drowning as Described by Eye
Witnesses.

waves of Miss Nellie Boise continues
to be- theme of local regret and the
story, coupled with expressions of
sorrow, was on every tongue. Judge
Boise felt the terrible blow more
deeply as time wore OF and Thurs
day he took train to 60 to the
scene of the disaster aud try to do
all ia his power to recover the body.
Nellie was his favorite child. When
the judge was striken down at AL
bany few years ago with a deadly
fever she was 10y his side day and
night aud while all the family did
all in their power no attentions
were SO soothing, no nursing so
effective and no watcher 50 tireless
and faithful as that of his daughter
Nellie. She was the secret pride of
his life, the JOY of his heart and her
death is his great loss.
Thursday evening the Marion
square Lawn Tennis club met, re-
solved to meet no more this year and
beautifully decorated the grounds
with floral wreathes. There will be
other memorial exercises in her
honor.
There is some feeling that the
escort Of Miss Boise did not make
proper effort to rescue Miss Boise.
Being the stronger of the two and u
good swimmer at first glance it does
not seem just that she should have
been lost. But the story of all the
eyewiinesscs is that Mr.. Lombard
made heroic effort to save Miss
Boise and neariy lest his own life
in the effort.
THE STORY OF EYE wITNE ESsERs.
Marshall Steel, son of James Steel,
and cousin of Willie Steel, was at
the beach at the time of the drown
ing, and had been bathing. He was
not in the surf at the time.
He describes it thus: Bathing
was considered better at Stout's
than at the other place.
We waded out, and separated.
Willie got away from me just as 1
reached waist depth, tut my feet
struck a stick which l mistook for a
small log, and fearing injury L re
turned to the shore.
Hardly had 1 reached dry sand
when L saw every one make a
scramble to get ashore. and then l
noticed that there was trouble, /
only saw Willie once. He was rid
ing on the crest of a breaker and
seemed TO be very weak. 1 ran down
to the water, but he had disappeared
from view.
Ben Lombard worked like q giant
to save Miss Boise, but it was an
impossibility.
The instant almost that he clasped
her a wave with fresh undercurrent
came in and tore her from him, and
and at the same time dashed Lom-
bard senseless. He was borne to the
shore and brought to consciousness.
We were not out any further than
usual. and old-timer bathers say
they never saw anything that
eqGnied those waves and tows at
that place.
1t came up like flash, and in a
few moments, which seemed GEN.
turies, it was gone"
YOUNG JOHNsoN's STORY.
Master NalIow johnson, son of
w, Carey johnson, was in the
midst of the trouble, and but for the
end of a log which was thrown in,
lie, too, might have drowned.
~ think" said he, "that had
Willie been cool he might have
saved himself. He stood as good a
show as any one else, but he got
terribly excited, and fought the
waves fiercely. In this way he was
soon exhausted. Had he remained
self-possessed, think he could have
weathered it through.
"When the terrible waves came in
it seemed that the beach was made
of quicksand and that our feet were
laced in throngs, for one could no
more stand steady than he could
fly.
WAVE AFTER WAVE.
1.-The surf came in from the south !
ward and wave followed upon wave.
Lombard made a heroic effort to
ave Miss Boise. Everyone was SO
including myself, that no
me remembers all the incidents
with the disaster any too
,leally. Tie prevailing idea was to
save ones own life, and the life of
some one else, if possible. Had the
low kept up minute longer, there
s no telling but all would have per-
shed. "The undertow ceased at a
distance of at least 200 feet out. and
could they have known this and re-
served their strength all could have
Ho, FOR ENGLEWoOD.-Pe