The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-04-30

Three lives were lost yesterday by the
capsizing of a small sailboat in Puget
Sound, of Port Gamble. In the Inflated
craft were Louis Larsen. an engineer en-
ployed in the sawmill at that town, and
his wife and two little children. Mrs.
Matte Larsen, Ruth Larsen. 3 years old.
and Larsens 5-year-old son were
drowned. Larsen himself had a narrow
escape from a similar fate. His efforts
to save the lives of his loved ones reveal
him in the light of hero Of heroes. No
man could have displayed greater cour-
age and bravery.
Larsen lives at Port Gamble, where he
IL employed as an engineer in the great
lumber mills Of that place Yesterday
morning he gathered the members of his
family about him as they had done on
many Sundays before. and told them to
prepare for a sail down the Sound to the
China farm, the home of his mother-in-
law. some six miles distant.
Wife and children were delighted with
the prospects of such trip. The sun
shone brightly and there was just a good
sailing breeze. They left Port Gamble
about $3.50. All went well for the first
mile out. Then the wind began to rise.
It grew stronger and stronger. until ]. p.
Shepherd and a boatman, a resident of
Breidablik. saw the little craft struggling
with the waves. Finally the boat. a rath-
er frail affair not over Is feet long, Topped
pants into the water.
Drowned Before His Eyes.
Then Larsen's struggle to save his wife
and little ones began. He had no time
to lose. His wife and two children were
drowning before his eyes. They were
then mile on shore and twice the dis
lance from Port Gamble.
Az the sail dipped into the water Shop
herd and the Breidablik farmer jumped
a ynud fpr ho IF
the disaster. 1t was a long row against
an adverse tide and a strong head wind.
Meanwhile Larsen had managed to
gather his drowning family together.
guiding each to hold on the upturned
craft. Once, indeed. he succeeded In
placing the two children and his wife on
top Of the boat. Then a big sea rolled
over 1t. sweeping all three overheard.
Again Larsen. chilled and greatly weak
ened by his almost superhuman efforts
to save his wife and children. swan about
trying to drag them back to safety.
But the little girl had gone down to
death and the boy had been washed far
from his fathers reach. Larsen swan for
his wife ana reached her N she was sink
Ing. Setting her with one hand he swan
to the boat, which had by this time drift
ed far away. He reached the overturned
craft at last, and with one hand holding
the mast and the other his dying wife.
he kept afioat until the boatmen reached
him.
Ab6uk this time the steamer Albion.
Capt Holbrook. came IN sight. Her ON
GERS saw the wrecked boat and shouted
words OF encouragement to Larsen and
his rescuer. Finally Shepherd and his
companion succeeded IN placing Larsen
back into his own boat, though the man
had reached a distressing state of exhaus-
ton. He recovered to find his wife dead
and he wept and cried aloud for her and
their children. Hts grief was heartrend-
ing for within the brief space OF forty
minutes he had seen his entire family
swept away from him by death.
Husband's Great Grief.
The two boatmen lifted Mira Larsen 9
body into the rowboat The distracted
husband placed tho inanimate form across
his lap, holding II In loving embrace, as
in the bitterness Of his grief he reproach-
ed tho fate that had taken her and his
children from him. Forty feet away
floated the body OF his baby boy. The
corpse lay upon Its back, the fake up
turned and eyes closed in death. Faith
oms deep under the waves rested the body
OF the little girl The scene was one OF
indescribable pathos and horror.
The Albion came up and Larsen and
his rescuers were taken aboard. Then the
Albion began search for little Ruth 9
body, but In vain. The sea had claimed
It, and IL could not be found.
Larsen and the bodies of his wife and
son were taken 10 Port Gamble. where
the victims will be buried. further
searth will be made for the body OF the
little girl
Larsen is about 30 years OF age. His
father. EriclS Larsen, resides in thfs city.
as does also a brother. He is a sober.
/ Industrious man. and Is held In high re-
gard by wide circle Of friends.
Frank s. Colburn. OF this city. was a
passenger on the Albion. He says he
never saw a sadder sight than he wit
messed when the Albion approached the
scene Of the disaster larsen. he says,
not only proved himself splendid sea-
man, hut a man OF remarkable courage.
Two dogs which the Larsen family had
taken with them In the boat were drown
I ed. Their bod.os foated about near the
overturned boat, adding still more horror
TO the scene.