Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-08-08
A LONG SWIM.
Incidents fin the Life of the Late Gov.
Russell Of Massachusetts.

Russell of Massa chusetts.
From the Boston Globe.
Chief among the characteristics dis:ln-
gushing William E. Russell in his early
days was indomitable pluck that stamped
him very early as a man likely to succeed
in anything which he undertook Examples
of this combination of courage and perse-
verance were abundant in his athletic ex-
periences at Harvard, and in one or two
| Instances of his career. which made him
very famous indeed throughout the un;ver-
sity in his native city.
One of these was his conduct in a famous
race of class crews In 1876. Russelrs boat
was beaten by half a length. and he him
self had to receive the attention OF friends
after the contest. He sho we'd in this race
an amount of determination and endurance
which not even his most enthusiastic ad-
mirers had attributed to MIN. Another in
cident Of courage and grit was furnished in
an accident in which he came near losing
his life.
In the summer of 1876 he went down to
Nantucket to pass few weeks on the wa
ter. He had three friends with him, and
the four young men were to sail a sloop
that had been tioated for the first time that
year.
On a squally morning the craft was over
hauled and the young fellows decided to
make short trip In her. There Were two
strangers at Nantucket, young men of
about the same age as those in the party
of collegians. and they were invited to
have SAIL The six went out accordingly
The sea was high and the wind blew
sharply, and about five miles from the
shore the little sloop was capsizei. The
wind struck her so that she filled very
rapidly and immediate sank.
The only thing that came to the surface
was long oar, and by the unanimous con-
sent of the four students, this was placed
at the disposal of the two who had been in
vited out to sail.
The situation was nationally discussed,
and 1t was decided that an attempt should
be made to reach Coatue shoals, q point
that was farther away than the shore they
had left, but toward which the tide was
running and the wind blew. Russell and
one OF his college mates led the others or
The swim before them was a long six
miles. and with the heavy sea that was on,
and the wind that was blowing. it meant
at least thu ee hours in the water.
On shore the fishermen and their fsmiies
were sitting down to dinner when the acci-
wife had been delayed in the preparation of
the MONDAY meal, and during the wait he
sought to kill time by sweeping the sea
with his glass.
Thus 1t was that he saw a white sail glis-
ten in the sunlight and disappear He
didn't know what had happened, but he
was convinced something was wrong.
He got into dory and made for the spot
wheic uc udu seen the sail, leaving word
that others should follow him.
The two young men that held the oar
Kept afloat but for q few minutes while
the others were battling for the shore. Ii
was evident that the oar would longer SUD-
port only one, and the elder of the two
sang out: We'll, goodbye, old man: this oar
won't hold us both, and you can have my
chance" Then he sank and was drowned
When the fisherman reached the vicinity
of the accident he found the surviving
young man In the water nconscious with
his arm wound tightly around the wooden
sweep.
The fisherman saw. some distance ahead.
when he looked up, white ball bobbing up
ard down. This was one of the collegians
and he was discovered by the white hand
kerchief that he wore about his head
When he was pulled into the boat he gasp
ed, family, MY brother" and sank in q
dead faint to the bottom of thei dory
These two words told the fisherman, that
there was at least another person abe ,d
80 that when the boat OF fishermen who
had followed the first dory were seen be-
hind they were signaled to go ahead as
quickly as possible and look for more
swimmers. This they did, and picked up
the brother, who told them that Russell
and his companion were still in the water
When Russell. who was yet a long way
from land. turned about to catch sight OF
his companions who he supposed were fol-
lowing. he saw q sail coming down like q
thing of life with the wind and tide, and he
knew he and his friends were saved
Russell had been swimming exactly an
hour and twenty minutes.