The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-07-03
AWHER AFFIAyCEDDROWy
Virgil LanieT Makes a Fatal Dive in
The IIbee Sn[l.

Was 20 Have Married a Savannah
Girl This Month, SO sad.-His Com
ing Bride Saw Him Dive From Her
Sight to Appear no More.-The Body
Not Recovered.
Mr. w. Virgil Lanier, drummer for
Frctwcu & Nichols. was drowned while
bathing at Tybee yesterday afternoon
during one Of the severest transforms
that has been seen on the island for some
time
The drowning was one Of the saddest
that has occurred on the island IN years.
The young man and Miss Della Price, to
whom he was engaged, and whose we'd
ding, it is said, was TO nave taken place
at very early date, were in bathing,
and when she heard of the fatali-
ty she was Frustrated with grief.
Mr.. Lanier had just returned TO the city
yesterday from "A trip, and to spend a
pleasant afternoon had determined to 90
down to Tybee with party Of friends,
among whom was the young lady to
whom he was engaged.
They left the city on the 2:30 train and
shortly after arriving at the hotel several
of the party went down TO go in bathing,
among bnem Mr.. Ldulef ana MISS EIlC6.
SAW HIM no MORE.
About 80 o'clock a hard rainstorm
came up, but this did not deter the bathers
from their pleasure, and with no thought
of any fatality and as merrily as if il were
in sunshine instead Of storm, the two ran
down the beach to the surf which for him
was to be an early grave.
As Lanier went down into the water
Miss Price saw him dive into a, breaker,
and stood still looking and waiting for
him to come up. For several minutes she
stood waiting, almost breathless, between
doubt and fear, but her waiting was all in
vain After he had taken that fatal dive
she saw him no more.
Sadly his affianced returned to the
bath-house, hoping that he returned to
the surface unknown to her, and yet fear
ing that it might not be 50. At the bath
house she waited and still he did not re-
turn.
LANIER's FATAL DIVE.
Some of the bathers who had seen Ian
Ter make the fatal dive began to search
for him, but with no result.
Lanier was bothered great deal with
rheumatism, and it is said by bathers
who were in the water at that time or Just
before that the current was very strong
and at times almost irresistible. These
two causes are assigned as the probable
ones of his drowning when he made the
dive. An attack of rheumatism at the
time he dove into the undertow would
have made it practically impossible for
him to recover himself.
Miss Price went up to the hotel and
told her friends that she thought Mr..
Lauier had been drowned. AT first they
discouraged the idea, not knowing upon
what she based her fears She was very
excited at the time and insisted on going
back to the bath house to see if
any hope were left. The tidings
she received there only confirmed
her fears, and giving way to
her grief, she tainted. Her friends
brought her to the city on the 7:15 train
and took her to her home at Mrs Charles
Gassman's on McDOnOugh street. She
was quite unwell last night and it is
thought it will be some time before she
RECEIVERS from the shock.
TO HAVE BEEN MARRIED THIS MONTH.
MIR. Lanier was a native of Clyo, in Bull
loCh county, where his aged parents live.
He has resided in Savannah five or six
years, during which time he has been en-
ployed as travelling man by Fretwell
q Nichols.
Several years ago he met Miss Price, a
young lady, an orphan, who was boarding
at Miss Gassmans, and mutual attach
nenJ sprung up between Lne1n. IL is SAID
that they have been engaged for year
or more, and that they were to have been
married some time this month, and now
she, who was so soon to have been his
bride, has seen him go down to a watery
grave. The sea could tell some sorrowful
tales, could it speak, but few that would
be sadder than this.
Mr.. Lanier was a man about 36 years of
age, and gentleman who was highly res
pected by his employers and all who
knew him. A search was begun for the
body as soon as it was made known What
had happened, and last night the track
was searched by men with lanterns to see
if the body had not been washed ashore
by the tide, which was coming In. A tel
ephone message from Tybee at 70 O'Clock
stated that the party was still out, and
that the body had not been recov-
cred. 1t was supposed that
it would be washed ashore somewhere
near the lighthouse, as the wind was
blowing from the south and the surf was
rolling in that direction.
Mr.. Lanier's clothes were found at the
bath house. He had Just returned from
trip on the road, and had number of ac-
counts and quite sum of money with
him at the time.