The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1900-08-15
Drowned Mhiln Bathing.

The community was shocked yc5ter-
day morning when j. became gcucrally
known that MIR. Charles G. Wcs., one
of the most popular and wcll-known
young men of the city, had lost his life
i'm the water or Sullivun'S Island beach
Monday night while out with Mrs. Ed
ward West and Mrs. james Adgcr en-
joying Il sea bath. Mr.. WCst and his
Sistcr-in-law, Mrs. Edward West, were
guests at the residence Of Mrs Car
rimgtOn and had decided to take Il dip
in the sea by moonlight after Il very
pleasant beach party. The beach is
very bad for bathing ut this point on
the Island for the incline is rapid, ana
only a little way of is what is known
as Beach Channel Here vessels of
| eighteen and twenty feet draught can
easily pass and during the war with
| Spain, when the harbor was thickIy
! laid with mines. this was the only
| channel thr, Ugh the mine fields, and
all vessels came 50 close i'm towards the
shore that biscuit could have
sands. -Four lives, if not more, have
been lost just at this point within Il few
years.
MIR West seems not to have known
the dangers of bathing here at low tide
and vcntrcd out, little suspccting that
| from plateau that held him only waist
| deep i'm water the beach suddenly
| ShclvCd OF to fifteen on twenty, on may
| be forty. He was not regarded rs Il
| very GOOD swimmer and apparently
when reaching water above his head,
| he made heroic struggles to get back
and save the lady. His cries for help
| brought several people near and those
managed to save Mrs. West, while Mr.
| West was drawn irrcSiStibiy ont to sea
| and drowned.
Finding that the tide and the cur
| rents wcrC too strong for them Mr..
| West called to MIR. Ndrcr, when the
I latter had gone mp on the beach, and
| asked that Mrs. West be assisted in.
| Mr. Adgcr gave his attention to the
| lady believing that Mr.. west was all
right. He was not, however, and his
danger was realized by several young
men who came up, hearing the outcry.
Among those who answered the call
were VIZ. Jack y. Matthews, Mr. Rich
ard :. Whalcy and Mr.. +. b. Evans,
J and these young men dashed into wa
| ter without removing their clothes.
They were unable to reach Mr.. West
in time and saw him 90 under to rise
no more. y boat was put out as quickly
as possible after the alarm, but there
was no trace of the unfortunate man
| The lifC-Saving crow came down from
! their station rs soon rs they got word
of trouble and with largo nets cndCav-
orcd to find the drowned man, but with
out success. The accident occurred
about ten o'clock.
Mr.. West was Il popular and excel
lent young man and his mtimcly death
Is Il blow not onl, to his relatives, but
to his numerous friends and acQuaint-
anccs. He has been for several years
connected with the Atlantic Coast Line,
having held several positions of trust
and Importance. At the time Of his
death lie was II freight agent of the line
at Charleston and was held in the
highest esteem by the officials Of the
road.
Modest, amiablo, generous and cour-
tCouS in all his dealings in business and
social duties, Mr.. West was nivcr-
sally liked. He leaves widow and
4 young son. Mrs. West was visiting
IN North Carolina and learned the ter
riblc news by telegram when all hope
WAS gone. The sistcr-in-law, Mrs. Ed
ward West, who came SO near sharing
the fate of Mrs West, belongs in Gcor-
"ia, but will he joined by her husband
here in II few days,
Every effort will be made to find the
body Of MIR. West and searching par,
ties arc To be ont day and night at least
for time Charleston News and COu.
ricr, 9th inst.
Many relatives and friends of Mrs
West will lament to learn OF this sad
tragedy Mrs. West was the daughter
of the late Mrs. and DR.. Jesse league
formerly Of this county, is Il niece o.
et.N!rS. ElOisc Shell, Mrs. Sallic Dmlal