The morning call., 1894-03-19
END OF A SUNDAY OUTING.
inhuman Neglect Charged to a
British Ship.
NO AID GIVEN THE DROWNING.
A Yawi Capsizes on the Bay and the
Lives of Two Women and
Child Are Lost.

| ctdItcQ out LOT d SAIL Ou tuC DoJ a. hOOA
yesterday. Three hours later one OF the
number was dragged ashore, wet TO the
skin and half perished with cold. de
came alone.
The others did not return, nor will they
ever reach land alive. The holiday party
had sad ending. 1t was the old story.
People careless in their fancied safety, too
much sail, a fresh wind, a capsized boat,
list of the drowned.
Peter Thornberg is a Sweds who has
been a familiar character along the city
front for several years. He is sailor and
is employed on the scow North Beach.
Among his aequaintances in the neighbor-
| hood of East, Steuart and Davis streets,
few have been more intimate with h1m
than John Martin, who has saloon at 619
Davis. The friendship extended TO the
other members of the Martin family as
| weil-Mrs. Martin aud the sx-year-old
daughter, Flora.
Peter invited Mrs. Martin, her friend and
guest, Mrs. Nellie Mccarthy, and little
Flora to come cut on the bay with him.
The invitation was loyfuliy accepted and
Peter secured the yawlboat of the scow
for the outing. Soon after IL O'Clock
they started from the Pacifc-street wharf.
The host rowed short distance and then
tried to sail.
For time all went we'll. The yawl
The four occupants of the boat were In
high spirits. They laughed and joked and
Mrs. Mccarthy chaffed Peter about what
he would do should the boat caps'Ze.
Would you try to save me, Peter, or
would you Jump for Mollie ?" she asked
quizzcally. and Mrs. Martin joined in the
laugh at honest Peters too evident embar-
rassment.
THAT winds freshin' up" be remarked
by way of changing the subject. "The
waters gettin' too rough alTetty. guess
I'll take the spread out of the SAIL"
He gave the tiller to Mrs. Martin and
went forward 10 fix the sail. Laughngly
referring 10 herself as the pilot. Mrs. Mar
tin gave imaginary orders to her crew.
She did not notice that she was running
the boat too close to the wind. Peter, be-
hind the tapping sail. did not perceive
the danger either. Then, very suddenly,
the yawl capsized and the four excursion
lists were splashiDg in the cold waters Of
the bay.
In Sweden every one learns to swim.
Peter Thor berg was as much at home in
the water as on it. A few powerful
strokes, and he had assisted Mrs. Marin
to the side OF the overturned boat. Then
} Flora was given place beside her mother.
and Mrs. Mccarthy was given good grip
on the floating yawl. Peter reassured the
frightened women as best he could. He
told them 10 keep up a stout heart, and
they would be picked up presently.
|
Howard-street pier. Anchored in the
stream near the scene of the accident is
the British ship Chincura, from Swansea.
Thornberg tells horrible story of the
Indifference of the officers of the Chlneura
to the fate of the capsiZed quartet, who
, were drifting about the bay clingiDg to
} the sides of the overturned yawl.
"Aho. therep' shouted Peter to the
! Chineura. "For Gods sake lower boat
and pick US up!
APpOrdinp IN ThornhorU cama man
the British ship. who mad witnessed the
> | accident, responded to his appeal by
throwing out life buoy. II f1oated past
the yawl and beyond the reach of the
party No effort was made TO lower boat
or render any further assistance. Peter
says the ChincuTa could have saved the
women and Flora with little trouble, but
that they allowed the unfortunate women
to drift away to their doom.
The tide was ebbing rapidly and the yawl
was carried quickly down the bay. The
waier was very cold and the women suf-
fered intensely. Flora was the first to give
In. The exposure proved too much for the
poor child. She lost consciousness and her
mother had to support the weight of the
little one in addition to her own. Her
strength was sOon exhausted.
Oh, Peter, she began, In imploring ae-
cents, and then releasing her hold on the
side of the yawl she dropped into the
depths OF the bay. Thornberg, from the
cue. He failed to recover the body of
either mother or child, who had been car
ried beyond his reach by the Quicg under
current. When he swan back TO the boat
he found to his horror that Mrs. Mccarthy
was also gone. She had become exhausted
while he was searching in the water for
the others.
Alone, and the only survivor of the gay
party Of half an hour previous. the sailor
began himself to feel the effects of the
| N yyh oh ho hoG cad
half dead, he still chung TO the bottom of
the yawl. The boat drifted on. Peter be-
gan to lose heart. He ceased to reckon
time and distance. BE did not OF serve
that an Italian fisherman had started
toward him. He was finally picked up
opposite the Powell-street pier af'er he
had been in the water almost two hours
He had drlfted nearly as many miles.
When he had been brought ashore,
rubbed down, given dry clothes and some
stimulants. Peter was taken 10 the North
Harbor police station. The burly sailor
was deeply moved as be told the sad story
in his own simple words. His rough vnice
softened when he narrated the fate OF the
unfortunate women. but when ne alluded
to the sailors on the Chincura his indigna-
tion knew no bounds.
John Martin, bereft of both wife and
child, was fearful auditor. Later he be-
came more composed and stated that Mrs.
Mccarthy was friend OF his wife and
had been their guest for several days.
Her husband is living and Martin says Is
employed in Mis-ion-street livery-stable,
but where the sable Is, or what McCar-
ihy's personal address is. Martin said he
did not know. There was much nncer-
tainty on this point.
An hour later Peter Thornberg was
taken down 10 the Howard-street pier. He
there identified the Chincura, lying in the
stream He did not know her name. but
recognized her by her fore and main ton
gallant yards. The Chlncura is three
masted ship, squsrely built. Living near
her is the Montgomery, also from Swan
sea, and owned by the same firm as the
Chineura.
China ia furnish;,o