The Portland daily press., 1899-08-08
MIR. GREENOUGH's STORY.
How Mr.. sweetser Came to His Death
Sunday.

MIX. GREENOUGH'S STO RY.
How Mr.. sweetser Came to Ills Death
sunday.
Frank Il. Sweetssr and Edmund Phin-
ney Greenough, clerks In the Maine Gen.
tral general offices, went to Bangor on
the noon train Saturday and, stopping
in Bangor over night, left for Bar Har-
Dor Sunday morning at s. ID with the
crowd of excursionists who met Sith the
fatal accident and IN which Mr.. 5westser
was victim, MIR. Gfeenough Icing saved
after being in the water 10 minutes.
Mr.. 6Ieenough told the following story
Of his experience: "when we left Port
land We were undecided whether we
would go through TO Bar Harbor and did
not decide until we got to Bangor where
we made up our minds to stay over night
then and go to Bar Harbor on the early
train In the morning, Sunday.
The train was made up Of 10 cars and
all were filed. Upon arriving at tho
Ferry where tho steamers are taken to
Bar Harbor, all made rush to get the
first boat and we went along with the
we got TO the slip and must hay. been
nearer ths centre when the crash came.
"The first felt Of anything wrong was
a sinking sensation and then / struck the
water. going down aud 1t seemed as
though l would never reach bottom.
A bout this time / felt that l must get
Lrsath of air and took little short gasp
and did not get any water in my mouth,
Then opened my eyes to and l was on
top of the water.
81 got hold OF plank to aid me and
locked around TO see what oould do for
others. Then realized the magnitude
Of the accident. Some CT the men acted
like madmen, while u,ost Of them did
everything they could to hslp those who
were not able to help themsslye5.
"a largo woman was hanging to rops
then another lady was pushed TO tie rope
by gentleman, whom ! did not know
He was blessing to great many OF the
people who would surely have been
drowned II 1t had not been for his heroic
efforts
After he helped tho women to the
rope and turned to help another, a large
able-bodied fellow grabbed hold of the
two women, who wers holding On and at
tempted to climb up oyer thsn to "a
top of the pier.
"Hom it came ont do not know for !
was swept under the wharf where lot
go of the plank and grabbed log and
climbed on 1t nearly exhausted. 1 man
aged, however, to help one or two ladies
on to the log, one whom was almost crazy
with fright. Sho was the only one l
heard make any outcry.
"After about every one had been taken
out that was Gfloat, we were rescued.
just before went under the wharf I saw
some Of the rescuinz party take man
out of the water and ! supposed 1t was
Frank Sweetser as l didn't see his face,
only saw his blne trousers and tan shoes.
after looking aiound and Eos finding
Sweetser, / took the boat for Bar Harbo-,
but oonld not find him there. On my
way over went down into the engine
change of clothing in Bar Harbor AMI
put my clothes which 1 wore during the
accident In g-ip which borrowed, for
l had lost mine overheard.
after getting the change went back
by the first boat to Mount Desert Ferry
and made further enquiries about Frank
Shortly after this saw Mr.. Mcdonald
and gave him Franks description, and
then / lsarned he had been drowned.
This gave me greater shook than going
through the catastrophe CT the forenoon.
II found Franks body and, as the IN
dertsker said. he could be handled better
In Bangor, 1 was advised to have him
taken there, md did.
~ never witnessed nor desra to Sc,
such terrible affair again. 1t was simp-
ly beyond explanation. do not know
whether the slip broke. or how 1t hap
pensd. l think. however, that Frank
was hit by plank or kicked by some
one, for he had truise on his head
which in all probability stunned him
and caused him to drown.
"He was In good health. strong as
lion aud coald swim nks fish, SO you
see he was able to help himself. unless
he had heen hit with plank or some
thing else.
1.-THE People and especially the men
belonging to the steamer did wcnders and
how It was that more vera not drowned
cannot understand. The whasf or slip
was packed and there must have cen
eco persons thrown into tho water. My
watch stopped just at 1877.