The San Francisco call., 1899-01-23

j. Otis WattleS.
William Seabury.
Edward d. Finn.
NARROWLY ESCAPED DEATH.
Charles G. Finn.
Joseph Mathews.
Chres Gustafson.
The ferry steamer Oakland and the
gasoline launch William D were in
collision yesterday morning. The
launch was sunk and Frank E. Orr
and ]. Otis WattIes were drowned,
while Charles E. Finn, j. Mathews
and Chres Gustafson had a miracu-
lous escape for their lives.
The party in the launch were on
their vay to search for the bodies
of William Seabury and Edward j.
Finn, as they had heard that the skiff
in which the young duck-hunters left
Berkeley had been found -ottom up.
RAGEDY followed tragedy on
the bay yesterday. Friday
morning two lads, named VIII
lam Seabury and Edward J.
Finn, started out in a small
boat from Bath Beach, West Berkeley
on duck-hunting expedition. They
were 10 have returned Friday night,
and when they failed to do so their
relatives got anxious. Saturday passed
and still there was no trace of the
young hunters, so yesterday morning
a party from Berkeley crossed the bay
and secured Henry Peterson's gasoline
launch William D TO search for the
missing boys.
The William y was in charge of Cap
tain Chres Gustafson, a licensed officer.
and the party with him was composed
of Frank L. Orr. a clerk with Monte
leagre & Co.; Charles c. Finn of the
John Finn Metal Works; ]. Otis Wat
ties, a student at the Berkeley Univer-
sity and son of William s. Wattles.
stock broker, 307 Montgomery street.
and Joseph Mathews, formerly chief
engineer of the steamship Rio de janet
TO, but now with Captain Metcalf in
Lloyds' agency.
Mathews makes his home with the
. .Seaburys, Finn is a brother of the miss
ing boy and the others were personal
friends Of the two families. News
reached them just before they boarded
the launch that the boat in which the
-. boys had set out Friday morning had
been picked up bottom up. and that
there was no trace of either young Sea-
bury or Finn. They decided to go on.
however, and search the shore line from
Bath Beach. West Berkeley, to Point
-, TO
examine every cove and creek they
took along, in tow of the William D.
=. one of Peterson's whitehall boats.
The William D left the tolsom-street
float at a. m. and was headed for the
north end of Goat Island. The Oakland.
. in command of Captain William Clair
vile. left the ferry slips at a. m. and
headed for Oakland. There was a light
haze on the water, but otherwise it was
clear and all the parties concerned say
that Goat Island was clearly visible.
The launch was quickest away and
passed the Coast Survey steamship
Macarthur, which was at anchor in the
stream. two minutes ahead of the Oak
% land. The ferry-boat gradually cut
down the launch's lead, and, overtaking
her just as she crossed. the Oakland
struck her on the port quarter and cap
sized her.
orr was sitting IN the cabin of the
William D reading the morning papers
and Wattles had Joined him few min
utes before the collision took place.
Finn and Mathews were on deck at the
. time and Gustafson was in the pilot
house steering. The latter knew moth
ing about the threatened danger until
the launch was struck. and Captain
Clairville says he did not see the Will
lam D until he looked down out Of the
pilot-house window, and then she was
under his starboard bow. He blew the
danger signal and reversed the ferry
boats engines, but it was too late TO
prevent the collision.
Just before the collision young Finn
ran aft on the launch and called down
into the cabin: You'd better come on
deck. boys; the Oakland is running us
down" The words were hardly out Of
his mouth when the collision took place.
Finn jumped from the William D into
the whitehall boat and then overheard.
Mathews jumped clear of the launch
and swan away. A few minutes later
Orr and Wattles floated out of the
cabin. while Gustafson made his way
out of the pilothouse window. Both Orr
and Wattles seemed to be injured. The
former made only a feeble effort to
save himself, while Wattles did not
seem to be able to swim.
BY this time the steam launch from
the Macarthur had arrived on the scene