The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1897-08-27
Sad Drowning Of the Shaw Twins.

The community was shocked las
Saturday evening when it became gen
orally known that two bright young
lives had been lost in the bay, while
three others came near meeting the
same fate. Shortly after eight O'Clock
Misses Tressa Huntley, aged Is, Ola
and Ollie Shaw, twins, aged 10, with
their brothers, Eddie Shaw, 9, and
Willie Huntley, s, went down on the
log booms near the Shelton South
western trestle to arrange boat for a
proposed picnic on the following day.
They secured the boat and fastening
it in convenient reach, started for the
shore in the falling darkness, goin 6
over the logs. In the middle of the
boom place was reached where the
logs were separated, and four of the
children succeeded in jumping across,
but Miss Ollie, being last, found that
the log had rolled further away, and
in jumping fell into the bay. In at
tempting her rescue Tressa Huntley
rolled into the water, and was follow
ed by all the others, in trying to help.
None of the children could swim, al
though the boys could paddle little.
Tressa managed to reach the log and
scramble upon it and she stripped off
her wet skirts and renewed her efforts
to help her less fortunate companions,
meanwhile screaming for help. She
straddled the slippery log and succeed
ed in getting hold of Eddie Shaw,
whom she held until help came, Will
lie was c1inging exhausted to the log
during the time.
Jesse Rodenberger and Will Arm
from the short trest1e not far away,
had been talking with the children
over the water, and heard the calls as
they were on their way up town, but
thought the children were playing at
first. Deciding that something was
wrong they started and ran around to
the scene, arriving just in time to save
Tressa, who had given out and slip
ped into the water, and was taken out
and all but dead from her
long struggle. The two little boys
were still clinging to the logs, and
crowd having collected by this time,
they were taken ashore and home.
The rescuing boys, Immediately turn
ed their attention to the missing twins,
one was floating on the surface and
the other was taken from the bottom
in about four feet of water, both life
less.
Drs. Beach and Wells, assisted by
many willing hands, took charge of
the bodies and worked over them near
ly two hours, in a hopeless attempt to
restore respiration. The children
must have been in the water about
minutes, and the skill of
the doctors could avail nothing. The
terrible news was broken to the moth
er, prostrating her, and her condition
was quite serious during the night.
Unfortunately Mr.. Shaw was absent
in Seattle, and he was not fund until
The following afternoon, coming to
Monday. Mrs. Shaw's broth
er came down from Olympia early
Sunday morning on a launch with
collins, and the bodies of
the twins were taken to the home of
their grand parents, Mr.. and Mrs. J.
w. Smythe, in Olympia. Mrs. Shaw
and the remaining children went up
on the boat Monday morning, III the
care of friends.
Deplorable as the accident is it
might have resulted in the drowning
of all the children, but for the heroic
efforts and presence of mind of Tressa
Huntley, the oldest of the party, yet
child in years herself. The children
had been laughing and making con-
noise, and when the real cries
OF distress were heard they were not
needed for a time, or all might have
been saved.
Ola and Ollie Shaw were the oldest
daughters of Mr.. and Mrs. r. w.
Shaw, who have resided in Shelton for
several years past, and have a large
circle of friends. The twins spent
most OF their time in Olympia with
their grandparents, who idolized them.
There their school days were spent
ana they have many friends among
their schoo1mates Born together be-
ing similar in most respects and in
seperable it was decreed that their
lives should go out in unison, a very
unusual coincidence. They were
bright, lovely chilCren, full of life.
and just budding into young woman
hood, and the idols of their parents.
The funeral took place from the
Methodist Church in Olympia, Tues
day morning, the impressive sermon
being delivered by Rev. G. H. Feese.
Besides the large number Of friends in
Olympia, about twenty-five attended
the funeral from Shelton, half being