The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-03-31
A DOUBLE DROWNING.
Two Men Meet Death in the
Cold Waters of the Sound.
WHILE CROSSING IN A BOAT.
Chas. Washington and :. W. smith Start
For kfrsap County. but Never
Reach Their Destination

II has Just come 70 llght that Charles
Washington ard & ". Smith. both color
81 men were drowned in the Sound On
the Il or 81 OF NaTch. They left tais
city IN a small sailboat on one Of these
TAO DAYS for Seahoit. kitSap county,
where Washington owned a ranch
Washington came 30 Seattle about FIVE
months since. Before ne came here he
was a resident OF Grand Forks. North
Dakota, for ten years and where he had
worked continuously for the last three
years as a horSs-trakner for a prominent
horsernan OF that city. He vas steady
man and saved his money. Shortly after
WaShington's arrival In Seattle he secur-
Ell employment in the Ratnier-fsrand hotel
in the capacity Of elevator and heli5oy.
Washington was a handsome, co-npan-
tonabie fellow, obliging 10 the guests,
steady. sober and reliable. and was soon
a favorita around the house. When as
left his home In the East he left his
heart behind him in the keeping OF a
handsome and vfyacfous muiatto girl,
w-ho had promised 10 become his wife. IL
was his ambition 10 secure a home SO
that ne could marry the girl he left be-
hind and settle down and enjoy life. Win
this end In view he purchased, about two
months since. a ranch in kitsap county,
paying therefor the sum OF 500. The
farm consisted Of some twenty acres of
cleared land. with house, harm and other
appurtenaness, and was in a high state
Of cultivation.
Smith. who was an old friend of Wash
ingtcn's, was at Grand Forks. North Da-
kota. when Washington purchased the
farm. and he wrote 20 him 10 come 10
this state In order 10 help cultivate the
place. Smith arrived IN this city about
the middle Of April. and on the LIST OF
March Washington quit his place at the
Rainier-Grand for the purpose or going
to his farm TO live. About two weeks
previous 20 this Washington had purchas-
ed a saiIboat for SO. and had caused IL
10 be ha ule-d out on the Oregon Improve
ment Companys dock in order 70 have
Il painted. The boat was OF about ton
and a half capacity and was ca--rigged.
Washington purchased a pushcart, lot
OF agricultural implements and a supply
OF provisions and loaded them on the
boat II Is not known TO a certainty
whether IL was on the "a or Sd Of the
month when Washington and Smith left
this city for the kiisap county farm IN
this boat. II is certain that they start
Ell. and IL is equally certain that they
never reached their destination.
After Washington purchased the farm
he placed IL in charge OF Peter john
son, and the latter has been on the place
ever since A few days since Johnson
came 10 this city and began TO make In
aliries for Washington. He said that
Washington had promised to come 10
the ranch early in the month and failed
20 put In an appearance. An investiga-
ton was begun and the facts as above
stated were learned.
Inquiry al the weather bureau revealed
that the wind was not heavy either on
the ID or 81 of March. On the day OF the
ID the wind reached a velocity OF only
ten miles an hour, which increased its
speed during the night until speed OF
fifteen nils an hour was reached On
the 81 the highest velocity attained by
the wind was nine miles an hour. AT no
time during the two days did the wind
attain a sufficient speed to capslze
skillfully managed saiihoat. The friends
OF the two men say that they knew little
or nothing about managing a saiihoat,
and IL is more than probable that they
lost their lives through a lack OF skill,
and not because Of stress of weather.
Washington had about 500 with him
when he left Seattle. but Il IS not thought
that he met with foul play.